How to Get Abs Drinking Green Tea
Sales of green tea have exploded by 60 percent in just the last 10 years, primarily because of millennials, according to a new report by the Tea Association of the U.S.A. In fact, tea sales totaled $1.8 billion in 1990; by 2020 they will reach $47 billion. And what's good for Bigelow's budget is good for your abs, as well. Because green tea may be the most potent fat-burning weapon known to man—all for just 11 cents a cup.
Taiwanese researchers studied more than 1,100 people over an 10-year period and found that those who drank green tea had nearly 20 percent less body fat than those who drank none. And in a Swedish study, those who drank green tea instead of water with their meals reported less hunger, even two hours later. The secret is a metabolism-boosting nutrient called EGCG, found almost exclusively in green tea, which has been shown to simultaneously enhance lipolysis (the breakdown of fat) and block adipogenesis (the formation of fat cells). Here are 7 ways to maximize green tea's effects on your belly fat, and to build abs that show faster than ever, compliments of new research from Eat This, Not That!'s latest book, The 7-Day Flat-Belly Tea Cleanse.
Green Tea Abs Secret #1
Drink it before and after your workout. In one study, participants who combined a daily habit of 4-5 cups of green tea each day with a 25-minute workout lost an average of 2 pounds more than those who did the same workout, but without the green tea.
Green Tea Abs Secret #2
Get your matcha on. Matcha is a form of green tea that uses the entire leaf in powdered form, rather than flakes of leaves. Some studies have shown the concentration of EGCG in matcha to be as much as 137 times greater than what you'll find in store-bought tea bags. One study found men who drank green tea containing 136 mg of EGCG—what you'll find in a single 4-gram serving of matcha—lost twice as much weight and four times as much belly fat over 3 months than a placebo group. Try it in these 8 Fat-Blasting Recipes Using Matcha!
Green Tea Abs Secret #3
Squeeze in some lemon. When you sip tea, a significant percentage of the polyphenol antioxidants break down before they reach your bloodstream. But researchers at Purdue University discovered that adding lemon juice to the equation helped preserve the polyphenols.
Green Tea Abs Secret #4
Ditch the dairy. A study in the European Heart Journal found that while tea can improve blood flow and blood vessel dilation (and thereby lower your blood pressure), adding milk to the tea counteracts these effects.
Green Tea Abs Secret #5
Make a green tea smoothie. Either blend matcha into your favorite recipe, or use brewed green tea as your liquid base. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine found that dieters who drank 8 ounces of plant-based juices a day over a twelve-week period lost, on average, 4 pounds more than dieters following the exact same plan, but without the drinks. Whip up these quick and easy Tea Smoothies for Weight Loss!
Green Tea Abs Secret #6
Sip tea with sushi. According to a study review in the International Journal of Molecular Science, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids like those found in fish may enhance not only the bioavailability of EGCG, but also its effectiveness.
Green Tea Abs Secret #7
Make sure you get enough protein. Eating enough protein is critical to helping EGCG do its job. Studies show that those who have low levels of serum albumin—a type of protein found in the blood—also have lower levels of EGCG. Albumin is essential for moving fluids and nutrients between the blood stream and the body tissues. Eating enough lean protein is the key to keeping those blood albumin levels up.
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