The Green Tea Diet started around 5, 000 years ago and the health benefits of drinking this tea have been known for centuries. Drinking green tea is a regular part of everyday life for people in China, Japan, and Hong Kong just to name a few. Green tea has been used by the Chinese to treat everything from headaches to depression as well as a long list of other ailments since ancient times.

Here in North America, Western culture is just beginning to understand the benefits of drinking green tea. Extensive scientific research which has been conducted in both Asia and the west has provided evidence that not only does drinking green tea provide many health benefits, but it also aids in weight loss. The most popular type of Chinese tea is green tea.

Some of the health benefits associated with drinking green tea is the possible prevention of arthritis - green tea contains anti-inflammatory properties that can help with arthritic pain or other types of joint pain. Green tea also helps to alleviate damage from "bad cholesterol" (LDL cholesterol). Bad cholesterol can cause heart disease. This tea also contains powerful antioxidants called polyphenols which help to promote anti-aging as well as help to fight diseases such as cancer.

Green tea also contains high concentrations of catechin polyphenols particularly the said epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). These compounds work with other chemicals in the body to increase the levels of oxidation of fat and it raises one's metabolic rate. As a result, the body burns fuels as fat and this will help in your weight loss program. Drink just a couple of cups of green tea a day and this will help to boost your immune system. Not only will it give you that energy boost but it will also give you more endurance to work out longer as part of your exercise program.

Green tea has also been used by many people as part of their weight loss efforts to control their blood sugar levels. It has also helped many dieters to control their sugary cravings and as result they have higher energy levels. If you are able to control your sugar intake, in turn you will probably eat healthier foods and this will greatly help in losing weight.

Some other benefits of green tea and weight loss are the fact that green tea is an effective appetite suppressant. Studies that have been done indicated that controlled groups who drank green tea noticed a decrease in their appetites and this in turn helped them to lose weight more quickly. Green tea is also known to be a natural diuretic which will help in shedding water weight.

Per serving, green tea by itself only contains about 4 calories and its caffeine level is low therefore, green tea is a great replacement for coffee drinkers. If you drink between 3 to 5 cups a day you will burn about 70 calories. When you make a cup of green tea, remember to keep the tea bag in the cup for at least 3 minutes to allow infusion of its powerful properties to take place. Keep in mind that green tea is not for everyone as it can be a tea that you have to acquire a taste for. If you don't like the taste of green tea, then you can always purchase it in tablet form. Green tea or green tea extract is included in many of the more popular weight loss supplements on the market today.

In closing, not only is drinking green tea very beneficial to your health but it can also be used as an aid in your weight loss efforts. Remember that exercise and diet are essential to any weight loss program, but green tea can provide that additional boost to help you in keeping that weight off for good. So sit back, and enjoy a nice cup of green tea today.