There is so much interest in weight loss and oolong tea (a.k.a. wulong tea) that we are going to look at research supporting the connection.
Let’s start at the beginning
All tea comes from one plant Camellia Sinensis if it doesn’t come from that plant it is not tea (herbs come from a variety of plants). Over time, the plant has protected itself from photosynthetic stressors by forming chemical compounds known as polyphenols. Polyphenols, which include flavonoids, have the same beneficial class of compounds, antioxidants, that make fruits and vegetables good for you.
The difference in green tea and oolong tea is processing. All tea is green when picked. Green tea is heated in order to halt the natural enzymatic reaction (oxidation) of the leaf. Once dried, green tea leaves are then rolled intentionally breaking the cell structure. Oolong tea leaves are plucked, kept under carefully controlled conditions and allowed to oxidize. These leaves are not intentionally broken, leaving most of the cell structure intact. These processing differences make each category of tea beneficially different even though they come from the same plant.
The Weight Loss Connection
The two main ways to reduce food related body weight are; increase energy expenditure (EE) and inhibit the absorption of nutrients, including fat and carbohydrates. Caffeine is a stimulant so it is widely accepted that the caffeine in tea increases metabolism, hence increasing EE. So the question becomes, is it only the caffeine or are other compounds in the tea contributing to that increase?
The Research
The Chinese have long believed that oolong tea is beneficial in reducing and maintaining weight. A Chinese study, in 1998, of 102 females showed that continuous consumption of oolong tea for six weeks resulted in a reduction of body weight. This study, along with the question of other compounds contributing to tea’s weight loss benefits, spurred further research.
In 2001, Physiologist Dr. William Rumpler, of the US Agriculture Research Services’ Diet and Human Laboratory, investigated the ancient Chinese belief that oolong tea is effective in controlling body weight. The study measured how tea influences energy expenditure (EE) and included 12 male volunteers who were given 4 separate beverage formulas over three consecutive days. The beverage formulas consisted of; 1) full strength oolong tea, 2) caffeinated water with caffeine equal to full strength oolong tea, 3) half strength oolong tea and 4) non caffeinated water.
The participants 24 hour EE was measured and resulted in;
- EE levels of about 3% higher when they drank either the full strength oolong tea or the caffeinated water versus the non caffeinated water.
- Participants burned an average of 67 more calories per day when drinking the full strength oolong tea.
- Participants increased fat oxidation (fat burning) by a whooping 12% after consuming the full strength oolong tea versus the caffeinated water.
- This data confirms that a component other than caffeine is responsible for promoting the preferential use of fat as an energy source.
The increase in fat oxidation in this study is amazing! Drinking oolong tea can actually tell your body to burn fat for energy! Scientists then speculated that caffeine combined with EGCGs worked together to increase fat oxidation.
A Japanese study, conducted in 2003, went one step further comparing the benefits of oolong tea and green tea on weight reduction. Eleven healthy young female students participated in this well controlled study. Participants received three different beverage formulas; 1) oolong tea, 2) powdered green tea leaves and 3) water.
Both teas were prepared with boiling water. The oolong tea steeped for five minutes and the powdered green tea leaves were dissolved.
After measurements were taken, the results determined;
- Oolong tea had higher EE levels from beginning to end and at intervals of 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes.
- EE levels peaked at 90 minutes for both oolong and green tea and remained at their respective levels until 120 minutes.
- These results indicate that after consuming oolong tea you will expend more energy then if you were to drink green tea or water and that it can last up to two hours.
The concentrations of caffeine, individual catechins and other polyphenols were also measured producing these interesting findings;
- The caffeine and EGCG content was much higher in the green tea versus the oolong tea.
- The concentration of polymerized polyphenols was significantly higher in the oolong tea versus the green tea.
These findings show that it’s the polymerized polyphenols, highest in oolong tea, that link tea to burning fat, not just the caffeine or just the combination of caffeine and EGCGs. Furthermore, the rest of the compounds compared in the teas were similar or equal to one another with no marked differences, reinforcing the results.
We have shown that oolong tea significantly increases EE for up to as much as 120 minutes and can even promote preferential use of fat as an energy source making it a healthy tool for reducing and maintaining weight. So what about absorption of nutrients?
Oolong tea’s effect on blocking the absorption of fats and carbohydrates is thought to play a key role in its weight reducing benefits. While more studies need to be done, initial studies indicate that oolong tea has absorption blocking potential.
There are proven methods for losing weight and keeping it off; exercise, getting enough sleep and eating a balanced diet. Oolong tea can enhance these positive changes and garner faster results.
Let’s Face It
- Oolong tea is not a quick fix despite the recent advertising claims by slick marketing “professionals.”
-Oolong tea does not have to be expensive to be effective. $39.95 is too much to pay for a 30 day supply of low quality oolong. Remember to get what you pay for.
- These studies do not indicate that oolongs grown in a specific area are better fat burners than other oolongs. It’s the processing that counts.
- Losing 20 lbs in 30 days by adding two cups of oolong tea to your daily routine is nothing more than hype. If this were true, I’d be a size 2.
- If you were dieting, drinking oolong and exercising it would be hard to achieve that much weight loss in 30 days.
- If it sounds too good to be true, then it is to good to be true!
Oolong – The Facts
- Oolong teas taste great and are delicious hot or cold.
- There is a tremendous variety of affordable oolong tea.
- Enjoy a cup of oolong 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to your walk, workout or yoga session and reap the rewards!
- Drink oolong in the afternoon to stave off late day sweet cravings and energy slumps.
- All of these aid in healthy weight loss and maintenance
© 2006 Teas Etc., Inc
—————————————————————————————————
This article may be freely reprinted only in it’s enterity and must include the resource box and copyright information.
To learn more about affiliate marketing, visit
one week marketing. one week marketing will touch you know you can earn with free methods. Get your guide now! Click here to download one week marketing one week marketings
Wanting a slimmer and sexier body is no lofty ambition. Many people have succeeded in sculpting their physiques to make them look healthy and desirable. However, this end is not attained in just a snap or skipping one night’s dinner. For some people though, patience is not a virtue. They seem not to be able to afford so much attention, time and money to get the body they have always wanted. As a result, these people result to rapid weight loss practices and programs which may not be as effective as these people are led to believe they are.
Fast-track diets are one of these rapid weight loss practices which may not be very inviting as they seem according to research. Fast-track diet programs, as scientific research shows, are only good while they last. Rapid weight loss often results ironically, to rapid weight gain. people who undergo low carbohydrate or low calorie diets normally revert back to old eating habits simply because human beings can not actually live on with this type of diet scheme for the rest of their lives.
Now there is also scientific research showing that rapid weight loss does not imply an individual is losing unwanted excess fat; it is commonly water that is lost with following rapid weight loss practices. This could cause certain alarm but actually, water lost is regained very quickly. So there is actually zero net weight lost after all. So one should not be foolish enough to be so gullible with the advertising of certain diet pills out there in the market; especially those which claim to aid lose a whopping amount of fat in a short time. They will only dehydrate the body. And just so it is clear, the body can only lose two pounds of fat per week, one could be exceptionally lucky if he can lose three, but normally, it’s just two.
Another rapid weight loss product out in the market is the slimming soap. Claiming that these soaps are made from a unique concoction of rare chinese herbs and seaweed, they assert to help people using them to shed off body fats by emulsifying them upon application while taking a bath. Some are even specialized like those which promise to give the user “beautiful thighs”. The ingredients may prove to improve the quality of the skin but no research has ever come up yet which aids to prove the efficacy of these ingredients in emulsifying excess body fats.
One more rapid weight loss product out there in the market promises to suppress hunger and at the same time help increase the body’s metabolic rate. It also claims to be able to accelerate the healing process and reduce certain body pains, all these plus its being a very chic fashion accent. Well they are actually called magnetic weight loss earrings.
The secret of this set of earrings is in the magnet, so it says. Wearing them near the ears balances the magnetism in the body therefore one will experience all the above mentioned effects. Though press releases say that there are actually “studies” to back these assertions up, nothing yet is found in medical journals. Though buying a set may not kill a person, it’s probably not a wise investment. One might as well wear a horse shoe earring for a more exquisite fashion statement.
Bottom line is “no pain, no gain”. If one wants a beautiful body, one must sweat it out. And as for those rapid weight loss products coming out on the market, if they are too good to be true, they probably are not.
To learn more about affiliate marketing, visit
one week marketing. one week marketing will touch you know you can earn with free methods. Get your guide now! Click here to download one week marketing one week marketings
Visualization can play an important part in losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle that keeps it off. Losing weight can be difficult for many people who use fad diets and pills to achieve their weight loss goals without letting their mind help in the process.
Visualization is a powerful technique that can help you make lasting lifestyle changes. Just by “day dreaming”, you can significantly improve your chances in achieving your goals.
Visualization is a great weight loss tool and its as simple as visualizing your body as you want your body to look like. This mental image of yourself is then transferred to your subconscious mind, which in turn starts to work on your body, shaping it in accordance with your mental image thus reducing your weight.
This means that if you program your subconscious with a mental image of yourself as a slimmer person, through persistence your mind will accept this and aid your body to conform to this mental image.
Once your mind is programmed with the proper mental images, it will start to work in assisting you to losing weight. I can’t stress enough how important it is for you to believe in your visualization goals. You have to let go of past dieting failures and refuse to entertain any negative images that come into your mind.
If you can visualize your body at its perfect weight and proportions, the subconscious mind will work to make it become a reality. It will then begin to positively reinforce your body into aiding the metabolism and eating habits. Programming your mind into believing that you can lose weight, and to visualize yourself at your ideal weight is of the greatest importance.
Try to think of a different image of yourself, then let your subconscious do the work for you. If you think of your own body fat and being out of shape all the time, then the subconscious mind will find ways to make it so.
The subconscious looks after all of all your vital functions, it is the cause of all your good and bad habits, and also regulates muscle (the muscles are controlled by the subconscious) and body-fat composition on the body, and the latter is the one we are most interested in.
So please try to visualize your body as lean as you would like, and your mind will work on that image. The mind can be a great partner in losing weight.
Getting Rid of Bad Nutritional Habits
A bad habit is like second nature and is acquired over a long period of time. Bad habits are programmed into the subconscious and “will power” alone will not get rid of it. Many try using all sorts of different ways to break it but without success.
Obesity is the result of bad nutritional habits and some of the causes are boredom, stress, tension and different complexes. Food becomes the substitution for these causes and before too long, obesity sets in. Most people become concerned that they’re obese, eat more and a vicious cycle is established.
The only way for lasting permanent weight loss is to break these bad habits and replace them with positive new ones, and the only way to do this is with visualization. Visualization puts you in charge of your subconscious where all these bad programs are stored.
All the will power in the world is not going to break these bad habits unless one has the help of their subconscious.
Relaxation
Relaxation the best way to reach the sub-conscious and will slow down the mind, turn off the exterior world so as to tune in to one’s inner self. The best times for these sessions are in the morning and late at night right, just before going to sleep.
Try performing two sessions, one in the afternoon (primary) and the other before going to sleep (secondary) but once a day is quite sufficient. Sessions usually last 20 minutes, which isn’t time consuming especially when taking in the benefits received.
It has been stated that one of these sessions is equivalent to 2 hours of deep sleep and upon waking you will feel revitalized and full of energy. Believe me instead of worrying about time constraints; you will be looking forward to the next session.
When you begin your relaxation sessions, make sure you won’t be disturbed – lock the door, take the phone off the hook and loosen all clothing. Now find a comfortable position, whether it is lying down or sitting in a comfortable chair.
Sitting may be preferable as you may fall asleep if you become too comfortable. You want to be conscious and not asleep in order to tap into your sub-conscious mind.
Try to exhale all the air from your lungs completely and then breathing in through the nose. Take ten seconds to fill the lungs with air (not to capacity, but comfortable) hold for ten seconds and then exhale slowly through the nose for another ten seconds.
Each one of these breathing cycles should last for 30 seconds, complete five cycles and after each cycle you will be feeling more and more relaxed.
If you are sitting, open your eyes and look straight ahead. If you are lying down, open your eyes and stare at the ceiling. After a few minutes, slowly close your eyes.
Having reaching this calm relaxed state start your visualizations. Put together images that power your emotions. Make them alive and colourful. Make the scenes as real as possible and imagine yourself as slim and toned the way you will look after successful weight loss.
Picture yourself ten weeks from now on the beach, walking briskly and confidently to your favourite spot, your breathing is normal and relaxed. You smile to yourself; you could keep walking like this for miles without feeling fatigued.
You lay your towel out and begin to take your clothes off revealing a firm, toned, well conditioned body. You have just bought a brand new swimming suit which just weeks before would have been lying in your closet waiting to be used.
Glancing around you notice the beach is busy, you catch the eye of someone of the opposite sex, they smile at you and you smile back. You walk confidently to the water and swim a couple of hundred yards with no problem or fatigue.
Or try this:
Visualize your family and friends complimenting you about how good your body looks and how slim you look. Try to view the scene as it is happening this instant – in the present, not in the future.
Using these visualizations you can construct in your mind any scene that desire. See yourself exercising, socializing, in the company of friends. Try and hear people complimenting you about your slim new body, and watch their admiring glances. Make the mental image as real as possible.
? Remember set a goal for your ideal weight
? You must want to lose weight
? Visualize yourself at your ideal weight
? Use positive images at every opportunity
Practice these sessions on a daily basis and over a period of ten weeks you’ll be on your way to become more fulfilled, happier and leaner
To learn more about affiliate marketing, visit
one week marketing. one week marketing will touch you know you can earn with free methods. Get your guide now! Click here to download one week marketing one week marketings
Discussions about a woman’s health is often too focused on being skinny or being slim. Fortunately, this attention to weight is no longer about vanity, being like Hollywood goddess, or looking like a ramp supermodel. For a good reason, women are now talking about the health implications of being obese or overweight. Normally, women are told to engage in regular physical exercise and control food consumption.
However, many women still struggle with setting aside time for exercise. The demands at work and at home also drive many women to go for every single comfort food they can get their hands on. Being confined to their small cubicles from 9 to 5 every single day makes a gym workout just another demand on their hectic schedules. As simple it may seem, for some women, working out and going on a diet are impossible tasks. Many desperately say that they just don’t have the time and just resign themselves to the thought that obesity or becoming overweight is inevitable.
But losing the battle of the bulge need not be every woman’s fate. There are now alternatives and innovations in science and medicine that would allow women to lose weight even if they cannot give up their careers or fix their schedules.
Comes in and this is not your average weigh loss diet pill. We are talking about going under the knife…
Liposuction
“Lipo” is for those who have the money to undergo to this extreme measure to loose weight. Usually celebrities take this easy route. According to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, liposuction has been the most popular cosmetic surgery procedure in America since 2003. The procedure involves the identification of parts of the body that are predisposed to easy formation of fatty acids like the abdomen, the arms, and the hips. Liposuction is essentially a surgical technique that involves the insertion of a probing device into the patient’s body. The probe is used to liquify the fat before the doctor suctions it out. An outpatient procedure takes an hour and a half to perform. After a procedure, the patient must wear a binding wrap for a number of weeks. A significant amount of medication is required to manage the pain that comes after the operation. However, “Lipo” procedure is only limited to the removal of 10 pounds of fat per operation and, as such, is considered more as a cosmetic procedure rather than a real weight loss program.
Hormone Therapy
Another weight-loss approach involves taking anti-aging medicine. As the body ages, hormone levels go down, the pituitary glands stop producing growth hormones, and one’s metabolism slows down too. All this makes weight gain easier and losing weight a greater challenge. The goal of this method is to bring the body’s function back to when a woman was still in her 20s—the age when the body is at its peak.
The procedure starts with a series of four tests that include growth hormone faction which tests the state of the pituitary gland; DHEA which checks the testosterone level; the T3T4 that tests the thyroid gland; and a daily morning temperature that is intended for checking the metabolism rate of the individual. Based on the results of these test, a mix of tablets, injections, and creams may be prescribed by the doctor. This procedure is best for people whose hormones are not in tip-top shape. The risk of this therapy are overdose and hyperthyroidism.
Bariatric Surgery
This is recommended for those who suffer from what is called morbid obesity—being overweight by 100 pounds or more. The procedure involves stomach stapling, which is about reducing the size of the stomach so that a patient feels full after a small amount food. The expected result is a decrease in calorie intake and the long-term reduction in weight. The surgeon creates a pouch by stapling across the top of the stomach. Then a section of the small intestine about two to five feet in length is attached to it so that food can bypass the duodenum—the first portion of the intestine. It reduces calorie and fat absorption. This procedure can now be done laparoscopically—with narrow tubes through which a small camera allows for accurate incisions and stitchings. This is best for severely obese people or who are overweight by 100 pounds or more. Aside from the same risk the comes with all major surgeries, death is an added risk in any operation for patients who are seriously overweight. Then, there is also the risk of gastric perforation (tear in the stomach wall) during or after the procedure that might lead to another surgery.
Lipo-Dissolve
Also known as Mesotheraphy, lipo-dissolve is a new treatment specifically designed to eliminate localized pockets of fat in the body such as love handles, underarm flabs, knee flabs, double chin, and eye bags. The procedure entails the injection of Lecithin into the flabby body part in question. Lecithin is naturally made by the body to break down dietary fats, helps maintain lipid balance. The chemical reaction causes the fat to dissolve and be expelled by the body through the lymph glands. Each session last about 30 to 60 minutes and treatments are given once weekly. This is best for people who have lean bodies. The risk of this method is only limited to minor bruising.
Women should always consider their weight loss goals and the pros and cons of undergoing these medical procedures. Getting to one’s desired weight and figure need not always be about sweating it out and depriving one’s self of food. Sometimes, these shortcuts to weight loss might be the faster, easier alternative to lose excess pounds.
To learn more about affiliate marketing, visit
one week marketing. one week marketing will touch you know you can earn with free methods. Get your guide now! Click here to download one week marketing one week marketings
Weight Loss is Free and Easy if Reflected Seriously
Teen-agers are always plagued by many health problems triggered by many factors. One of the basic issues during this stage is the peer pressure to maintain normal weight, and in much desired sense, every teen-ager prefers the anorexic-look.
Easy free weight loss for teens is not suppose to be an issue if only the word “discipline” is properly established in one’s daily living. What can you expect of teens? They will do the worse by escaping meals, only to feel tired and haggard with the struggle of keeping a trim body.
The ways to do effective teen weight loss starts at home. Usually if the environment has erratic schedules, chances are the lifestyle is chaotic too, and in some way this can affect the management of food served. While teens are outgoing, they end up taking dinner at fast food chains or they keep busy in front of TVs nibbling crackers.
Keeping a sensible book on calorie list is better than not knowing the count of each food indiscriminately taken. A teen can keep this somewhere while keeping track of each food consumption. Usually, unnecessary beverages also add a scale in the calorie list. If one is not aware, alcohols have high calorie content, yet it does not give potential benefit for the body.
Ice cream is also one culprit in adding any excess weight to a complete daily diet. Imagine an approximate 450 calories per serving of ice cream, which already comprise almost the third of an average person’s complete meal. Being aware of every calorie count does serve as reminder of what could be taken constantly. In consistent use, one could even memorize the tabulation with ease.
Fruits and vegetables are important part of diet with lesser amount of calories yet vital in daily processes. Teens must not forget to take these food groups in larger quantities to help them with an efficient diet rather than fantasize on a big serving of french fries during outdoor activities. Cakes and fancy pastries are rich on oil, yet they can’t fully satisfy the pang of hunger. A good serving of natural cereals for breakfast is a good start for the day.
Easy and free teen weight loss program should be the focus in getting trim. Advertisements are sometimes the culprit on why teens plunge with different systems of weight loss, which are not necessary for such a tender age.
Usually, product lines of diet pills and tablets may sound encouraging because of the promise of instant effect and false scripted testimonials that go along with ads. A chubby teen would find it tempting to try any methods just to look sexy on a prom night.
It is quite funny to see and hear several varying stories on gaining and losing weight from people of all walks of life. Each is unique, however, it will really tickle your thoughts on why there are dozens of ineffective methods? People come and go, thin, and fat sharing their side of experiences. You will realize, there is no perfect universal diet regimen for everyone. There is only one universal truth about staying trim the cheapest way, and that is taking a close study on what you eat.
It means, the only key to permanent weight loss is still the motivation to limit the amount of food taken, plus knowing the right energy (calorie) each food contains for consumption. One must really digest this idea and sit down to think over or reflect on how stubborn most people are in terms of eating habits.
To learn more about affiliate marketing, visit
one week marketing. one week marketing will touch you know you can earn with free methods. Get your guide now! Click here to download one week marketing one week marketings
Copyright © 2008 Free Weight Loss Expert
RSS FEED