Green
Tea Plus Exercise Speeds the Loss of Tummy Fat
If
reducing that abdominal paunch is part of your goals for the year, consider
adding green tea to your diet. Several studies have hinted that green
tea provides a boost to exercise-induced weight loss. Another study, published
in the February issue of the
Journal of Nutrition, supports that link and shows that tummy fat
may be the first to go.
The study evaluated 132 obese adults. All consumed a diet that was consistent
in daily calories and participated in 180 minutes a week of moderate-intensity
exercise. They also drank a daily beverage containing 39 milligrams of
caffeine, but one group consumed green tea with 625 milligrams of catechins,
an antioxidant that is the main component of green tea. After 12 weeks,
the participants drinking the green tea had greater loss, 4.4 pounds compared
with just over 2 pounds in the control group. The green-tea group also
had larger declines in total abdominal fat, subcutaneous abdominal fat
and triglycerides.
How green tea works its magic is not completely understood, but scientists
believe it speeds the rate at which fat is broken down in the body. It
may also help the body's sensitivity to insulin, lowering the risk of
diabetes. The study was conducted by researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA
Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University as well as
research centers in Florida and Japan.
Another study on green tea, also featured in this issue of the Journal
of Nutrition, shows that drinking plentiful amounts of the beverage over
many years may have a subtle influence in decreasing
the risk of breast cancer The study examined almost 7,000 women, ages
20 to 74, in China. The women were evaluated for breast cancer incidence
and consumption of green tea. Compared with nondrinkers, women who drank
green tea had a slightly decreased risk of breast cancer. The benefit
was strongest for women who drank the most green tea over longer periods
of time.
By Shari Roan-Los Angeles Times Health
Photo credit: Eric
Boyd / Los Angeles Times