Black tea, oolong tea and green tea all come from the same tea plant. But unlike the two, green tea leaves are not fermented before drying and steaming. Most teas contain high amounts of plant based substances that have been shown to have antioxidant, antiviral and anticancer properties.

Green tea, however, is rich in a substance called catechins. These substances have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties, but recent research conducted in animals show that green tea catechins may also affect cholesterol levels and body fat accumulation.

In this study, researchers looked at the effects of green tea catechins in body fat reduction and weight loss in a group of 35 Japanese men. The men had similar weights based on the Body Mass Index or BMI which is an indicator of body fat and waist sizes.

The men were divided into two groups. For three months, the first group consumed a bottle of oolong tea fortified with green tea extract containing 690 mg. of catechins, and the other group drank a bottle of oolong tea with 22 milligrams of catechins.

Both groups ate identical breakfasts and dinners and were instructed to control their calorie and fat intake at all times so that total diets were similar. Three months after, the study showed that men who drank the green tea extract lost more weight at 5.3 pounds than the other group who lost 2.9 pounds and experienced a significantly greater decrease in their BMI, total body fat and waist size. In addition, bad cholesterol diminished for those who drank the green tea extract.

The catechin content varies by amount of green tea used and steeping time. But general recommendations, based on previous studies on green tea’s benefits, are at least 4 cups a day. Green tea supplements are also available for consumption and can be bought at your local pharmacy, groceries, supermarkets and also the Internet.