AKA: Oolong Tea, Tea, Camelia Sinensis
The Mythology: Speeds up metabolism and burns fat
The Truth: Speeds up metabolism and burns fat!
Research: Green Tea is rich in tannin like substances called Catechins. In Black Tea, Catechins are oxidized during the fermenting process leading to their conversion into Theaflavins and Thearubins. Apparently these are less potent antioxidants than ones found in green tea. Green tea, oolong tea and white tea are consumed primarily in China, Japan and a few countries in North Africa and the Middle East. Tea is made from the leaves of Camellia Sinensis L. species of the Theaceae family, Green Tea being the non-oxidized, non-fermented product, Oolong Tea the semioxidized, semifermented product; White Tea is made from the youngest buds of the plant that undergo even less processing than green tea.
As a consequence of this, all teas contain high quantities of several polyphenolic components such as epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin and, the most abundant and probably the most pharmacologically active, epigallocatechin gallate. Tea leaves that have been processed the least contain the most catechins. From caffeine, that is also present in green tea, it has been reported that it has thermogenic effects and can stimulate fat oxidation in vitro, in part through sympathetic activation of the central nervous system.
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