The next time you pop in to your favorite coffee bar, consider skipping the pumpkin-spice lattes, caramel macchiatos, and cold-brew iced coffees; instead, go for a soothing, steaming cup of tea. Because in addition to tea’s well-known power to soothe sore throats and even help prevent cancer and diabetes, it could actually help you drop a few pounds. “Drinking tea may support weight loss or weight maintenance because it fills the void of beverages that are high in sugar and calories,” says Josh Axe, D.N.M., founder of Ancient Nutrition.
“When you switch out flavored lattes, coffee with added cream and sugar, and sugary sodas or juices, and replace them with tea, you are cutting a massive amount of calories a day.”
(We, too, love a salted caramel mocha, but a grande packs a whopping 420 calories compared with 0 in a Wellness Tea!).
Here’s an added bonus: In addition to its absence of calories (unsweetened tea is basically plant-flavored water), certain varieties contain compounds that give them an even bigger fat-burning boost. Here are eight delicious ones to try:
The granddaddy of weight-loss brews is green tea—it’s filled with antioxidants called catechins, including a substance called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is believed to increase metabolism and help burn fat. “Researchers have found that green tea extract causes changes in the expression of fat metabolism genes, especially when it’s consumed consistently for longer periods of time,” says Dr. Axe. One Chinese study found that when subjects drank tea that was super-rich in catechins twice a day, after 90 days, they saw a decrease in belly fat, losing an average of 1.9 cm in waist circumference and 2.6 pounds of body weight, and another large review of studies concluded that green tea’s mix of EGCG and caffeine has a positive effect on weight loss and weight management.
Black tea is actually made from the same plant as green tea—the difference is that the leaves are exposed to the air to trigger fermentation. One study found that over three months, those who drank three cups of black tea per day had less weight gain and reduced waist circumference compared with those who drank a caffeinated beverage that was devoid of the flavonoids in tea. Try any tasty black variety, such as English breakfast or Earl Grey.