For those herbal sceptics, who often ask me - do herbs really work....? I only have to mention the widely cherished pick me up effects of a cup of tea. Black tea, is of course a source of caffeine - a plant chemical, without which, some people find it quite difficult to function in the mornings.
However, it is green tea on which much emphasis has been placed recently in regard to its health properties. Green tea is now available in most supermarkets. Not only is it a refreshing alternative to the black tea that is our more usual cuppa, green tea is high in anti-oxidant substances known as catechins.
Catechins have been associated with helping with weight loss and as catchins make up about 25% of the dry weight of green tea, it is a really good source. Several clinical studies have suggested that it is the catechins in green tea which increase the body's ability to burn calories, thus preventing excess weight gain. It was found that people drinking green tea tended to lose more weight and had greater losses in abdominal fat (when this was combined with moderate exercise) compared to those who did not ibibe such high levels of catechins.
So, drinking the equivalent of three cups a day may help the body to burn a significant amount of extra calories. Maybe that beach body is not as difficult to achieve as you think.
References: Holt, Dr. S. and McDonald, I. (2010) Natural remedies that really work: a New Zealand guide. Nelson :Craig Potton Publishing.