If you are looking for an energy boost, try drinking green tea. It taste great and there are claims it speeds up your metabolism. I believe it. I have much more energy after drinking it and my work outs tend to last longer. Of course, losing the weight will still take work, but it has always seemed much easier for me in the past when I drink it. I always say it's worth a shot.
Good Luck!

If you prefer cold tea, give Arizona Green Tea a try. They have a bunch of different flavors too like mandarin orange, peach, berry, you name it. Tasty! If you like warm tea, I would experiment. I've only had arizona regular green tea and it was just okay.
Good Luck!

Wow! I never liked green tea... but seems like I have to try it!

I like the green tea capsules, not the drink. I had the drink one time and I thought it was horrible. I took one sip, and I knew I had to throw the whole bottle in the trash.

Hey Amber, I'm sorry to say that there is no way anyone here can answer that question. I,m a science major, most of the time these types of questions are answered in terms of percent of calories that you burned without any supplement and and calories you burn with the supplement.

It also depends on how much and how often you take the supplement, and what brand, MGs, How long you work out and how hard,etc.

There are just too many variables. I'm sorry, I know that you wanted something more concrete.

Use it for a week, eating healthty and see what you come up with.

I drink green tea almost everyday. The only problem I find with it is that it is tricky to brew correctly. If the water is too hot or you brew it too long it will be VERY BITTER.

I would be wary about the green tea drinks. Many of them are loaded with sugar. Green tea is not sweet. If you drink some green tea and it is sweet, something is wrong.

I guess it depends on what you mean by, "does it work?" Green tea is one of the few supplements that actually has some scientific evidence to support its efficacy. Research has demonstrated that green tea can increase your metabolism, which may help you to lose weight. Don't get your hopes up, though - 80 calories over 24 hours from 4-6 cups a day isn't going to shift a lot of body fat!

However, green tea has many other benefits. The active ingredient, epigallocatechingallate (EGCG) is a polyphenol, an extremely powerful antioxidant. Several major drug companies are researching the potential to develop EGCG-based drugs to combat heart disease and various cancers.

As such, whilst drinking green tea or taking green tea based supplements won't cause you to lose a great deal of weight, it does have the potential to strengthen your immune system and enhance your general health and well-being.

Green tea also contains caffeine, which will perk you up. But as with coffee, use it in moderation.

As we all know, the only way to lose weight and keep it off is through a healthy diet and exercise. Green tea can help out a little, though.

Hope this helps and best wishes!

I was drinking a couple cups of green tea each day.....not just because of the chance of losing weight, but because of the claims of helping your immune system and other benefits such as anti-oxidents, stuff like that. But then after the greenish/brownish stain kept getting bigger and bigger on my mug, I thought, wow - is that what is going to happen to my teeth??? I haven't drank any since!!

tea, coffee, and cola products all do a number on your teeth... good for you for keeping your pearly whites... pearly white

eek! What kind of green tea was it? I have never had that problem, but I may just not have noticed.

It was just Lipton Green Tea bags......nasty!

I see. I usually drink cold green tea, maybe that makes it better?? Who knows. I think I'll just use a straw, brush right after, and use my white strips I can't give up my green tea!

They do boost your metabolism.. but too many can be dangerous.

Right I have bought a packet of this stuff and I was wondering what it actually does and how much and when I should drink it for maximum effect? I never really drink tea or coffee at all so I'm totally unsure how to use this stuff.

Good question... and the answers you will get will be varied
Green tea from about.com
A University of California study on the cancer-preventative qualities of green tea concluded that you could probably attain the desired level of polyphenols by drinking merely two cups per day. On the other hand, a company selling a green tea capsule formula insists that ten cups per day are necessary to reap the maximum benefits.

How can you make sense of these conflicting claims? Given all the evidence, it is probably safe to plan on drinking four to five cups of green tea per daily. If you're a real devotee, by all means drink more; but whether or not you'll derive added health benefits remains to be determined by further research

However, Auntie Maleficent says, green tea also has caffeine in it so i'd start slowly and not have 5 cups at once.. youmight get jittery if you aren't used to caffeine... and watch consumption after 2 -3 pm... so it won't interfere with sleep.


From cancer.org

Description
Green tea is a drink made from the steamed and dried leaves of the Camellia sinesis plant, a shrub native to Asia. Black tea is also made from this plant, but unlike green tea, it is made from leaves that have been fermented. (This may reduce the levels of some compounds, such as antioxidants, in black tea.)
Overview
Some researchers believe green tea may have a protective effect against certain cancers because it contains antioxidants. However, results from human studies have been mixed. More research is needed to determine its role in cancer prevention.
How is it promoted for use?
Green tea is widely consumed in Japan, China, and other Asian nations and is becoming more popular in Western nations. Some reports indicate green tea may have the ability to help prevent cancers of the skin, esophagus, stomach, colon, pancreas, lung, bladder, prostate, and breast.

Green tea contains chemicals known as polyphenols, which have antioxidant properties. Catechins are the major group of polyphenols in green tea. The most important catechin seems to be epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). EGCG may cause cancer cells to die like normal cells do. It may also work by stopping new blood vessels from forming, a process called angiogenesis, thereby cutting off the supply of blood to cancer cells.

Herbalists use green tea and extracts of its leaves for stomach problems, vomiting, and diarrhea, and to reduce tooth decay, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blockages of the blood vessels in the heart that can lead to heart attacks. Green tea is also promoted as an herb that can prevent certain bacterial infections. In recent years, some researchers have suggested that black tea may also be effective in cancer prevention. These claims are currently being studied.

What does it involve?
The amount of green tea consumed varies widely, and it is not clear how much might be needed for beneficial effects. Three cups a day or more is the amount typically taken in Asian countries. Green tea is usually brewed using 1 to 2 teaspoons of the dried tea in a cup of boiling water or is steeped for 3 to 15 minutes.

Green tea extracts are also available in capsule form. Three capsules of green tea extract a day are often recommended by proponents, but this dosage and its effects remain uncertain. There is wide variation in the contents of these extracts. Because they are sold as dietary supplements in the Unites States (as opposed to drugs), companies that market them do not have to prove they are effective, or even safe, as long as they donÂ’t claim they can prevent, treat, or cure a specific disease. Unlike drugs, dietary supplements are not highly regulated in terms of ensuring the contents match what is described on the product label.

What is the history behind it?
The Chinese have been drinking green tea to promote good health for at least 3,000 years. In recent years, scientists have begun to study its health effects more closely in lab animals and in observational human studies.

What is the evidence?
Many lab studies in cell cultures and animals have shown green tea has activity against cancer cells. It is tempting to assume that it may therefore help prevent some cancers, but studies in humans have been mixed. Most human studies have been population-based studies done in East Asia, in which researchers compared tea drinkers with non-tea drinkers while trying to account for other lifestyle differences. These types of studies are complex, and it is often hard to draw firm conclusions from them.

Large population-based studies in East Asia generally have not found that green tea drinkers have a lower risk of breast, stomach, or colon cancers than non-tea drinkers. One study found that Asian-American women who drink green tea regularly have a lower risk of breast cancer than those who do not. A Chinese study found that green tea drinking was associated with fewer cancers of the esophagus for people who did not smoke. Other studies of green teaÂ’s ability to prevent or treat lung, prostate, bladder, or other cancers have yielded similarly mixed results.

While the results of lab studies have been promising, at this time there is no conclusive evidence that green tea can help prevent or treat any specific type of cancer in humans. Controlled, randomized clinical trials are needed to determine its effectiveness. Several studies are currently under way.

Are there any possible problems or complications?
Green tea is generally considered safe. Asians have consumed this tea for thousands of years with few dangerous side effects. However, some people may develop allergic reactions and should stop drinking it. Drinking large amounts of tea may cause nutritional and other problems because of the caffeine content and the strong binding activities of the polyphenols.
Possible effects from too much caffeine are the major concern with green tea. Too much caffeine can lead to nausea, trouble sleeping, and frequent urination. Because caffeine acts as a stimulant, people with irregular heartbeats or who have anxiety attacks should be cautious in its use.
Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should not drink green tea in large amounts. Caffeine can cross the placenta and be passed along in breast milk.
Relying on this type of treatment alone, and avoiding conventional medical care, may have serious health consequences