Are Diet teas and Weight Loss Teas Good for You?

capacitea Admin

Posted on May 01 2023

diet tea

What is a diet tea?

A diet tea is a tea that is marketed as a way to help an individual lose weight through cleansing or detoxing. Diet tea is also known as slimming tea, teatoxes or weight loss tea, and whilst it does help you temporarily lose weight,  the loss is in the form of faecal and water weight, which means that the weight does not have a lasting affect.

If you are going to incorporate a weight loss tea into your diet, you should only do it short-term due to the side effects it causes.

What are the side effects of diet teas?

Diet teas are made from Senna, an FDA-approved non-prescription laxative. Senna is used to help treat IBS, haemorrhoids and constipation. It is also used to clear out the bowel before a colonoscopy. Senna has a number of side effects, including:

  • Dehydration,
  • Cramps,
  • Stomach pain,
  • Diarrhea,
  • Nausea.

This is because Senna forces food to move through the digestive tract at a much faster speed, making the colon incapable of absorbing water, and  resulting in more frequent bowel (and looser) movements. It also causes abdominal pain and/or cramps. In some instances, it causes consumers to feel sick and vomit.

Due to the dehydration caused by weight-loss tea, it might change the colour of your urine to a dark yellow-brown. Some rare side effects have been associated with acute diarrhoea - bloody faeces, dizziness and weakness.  

Why are diet teas bad for you?

If you use diet teas for a long period of time, you are at risk of causing serious damage to your digestive system because of the laxative, Senna. Long term use of teatoxes can stop the bowels from functioning normally, and may cause a reliance on laxatives. It can also alter the balance of electrolytes in the blood. Long term use can also cause

  • Heart function disorders,
  • Liver damage,
  • Death,
  • Muscle weakness.

2013 and 2015 saw a spate of lawsuits made against Truong Giang Corp. (TGC) with their Herbal tea and Three Queen’s Ladies tea. They were sued after people claimed that they were misleading consumers about the health benefits of their products. Bootea Detox tea was also blamed for a spike of unplanned pregnancies, after it was found that Bootea stops the contraceptive pill from working due to its fast laxative properties (find out more here).

Who shouldn’t use diet teas?

Many diet tea manufacturers contraindicate diet tea for those with electrolyte disturbances, potassium deficiencies, heart disease, dehydration, gastrointestinal conditions, and those on long-term medication.

Are there any tea alternatives to diet teas?

Many diet teas have been marketed as Chinese teas, and whilst Chinese tea does have weight loss benefits, there is a difference between high quality chinese loose leaf tea, and teatoxes.

What is Chinese tea?

Chinese tea is made from the leaves of tea plants, which are processed using traditional Chinese methods. There are many types of Chinese teas that will help aid weight loss if they are consumed as part of a healthy diet and balanced lifestyle.

White Tea

White tea is a minimally processed, delicate tea that is harvested before the plant’s tea leaves are fully opened. Because of its minimal processing and low oxidation, white tea is one of the freshest Chinese teas available.

What are the health benefits of White Tea?

White tea contains antimicrobial qualities and nutrients that help protect the body against illnesses. It contains fluoride with helps prevent tooth decay, and also contains tannins which help to reduce blood pressure and speed up blood clotting. White tea also features flavonoids and the Polyphenol compounds which are disease fighting antioxidants. White tea helps with the following:

    • Alzheimer’s and Dementia - it decreases metal toxicity, increase brain function and promotes memory.
    • Lung Cancers - It helps balance cell production, therefore lowering the risk of cancers.
    • Diabetes - white tea provides relief to diabetes symptoms such as decreased plasma levels, thirst and increased insulin levels. This is because the body absorbs these compounds and they inhibit uptake of cholesterol metabolism.
    • Cardiovascular Disorder - Flavonoids decrease blood pressure and have been linked to decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disorders. White tea helps reduce the risk of a number of heart conditions.
    • Common cold - the antioxidants in white tea works as a remedy for those suffering from a common cold.

If you’re looking for a white tea to try, our MoonLight White loose leaf tea has soft floral flavours and is incredibly delicate. Check out our MoonLight white pyramid tea bags.

Pu-erh tea

Pu-erh tea is a type of fermented tea made in Yunnan province, China. Pu-erh (pronounced poo-air) is the most oxidised tea, and unlike other teas, it mellows and improves with age.  Pu-erh tea gets its distinct flavour from the way that the leaves are made into maocha (a sundried base) which is then fermented.

What are the health benefits of Pu-erh Tea?

Pu-erh tea contains the amino acid theanine, which helps treat anxiety and alleviate blood pressure.  Pu-erh tea also boasts high levels of polyphenols including flavonoids, theaflavin and catechins that have high antioxidant activity. These chemicals help to aid digestion as they speed up the fat burning process and act as a sponge. The fermentation process of pu-erh tea produces beneficial microorganisms that you won’t find in other teas, Pu-erh tea helps with the following:

  • Cholesterol - the microbial aging property of pu-erh tea helps produce small amounts of the natural statin, lovastatin, which is used to treat high cholesterol. Pu-erh tea increases HDL levels (the good cholesterol) and decreases LDL (the bad cholesterol).
  • Digestion -  pu-erh tea has micro-organisms that increase flora, a healthy bacteria that helps aid the proper digestion of food, found in the intestines and stomach.
  • Weight loss - the Polyphenols in pu-erh tea help to significantly suppress fatty acid synthesis, and reduces lipogenesis. Alongside this, pu-erh tea triggers the hormones norepinephrine and epinephrine that increase the mobility of fatty acids stored in fat cells.
  • Alzheimer’s and Dementia - pu-erh tea helps to decrease metal toxicity, increase brain function and promote memory.

Our Imperial Pu-erh Loose Leaf Tea is a full-bodied tea with a well-rounded earthy flavour. Check out our Imperial Pu-erh tea bags.

Oolong Tea

Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea. The process of oolong includes withering the plant under strong sun and oxidation and then curling and twisting the leaves. Although Oolong tea has strong amounts of caffeine, it is a very relaxing drink.

What are the health benefits of Oolong Tea?

Oolong tea is full of antioxidants, and contains calcium, manganese, carotin, selenium, copper, Vitamins A, B, C, E and K. These vitamins and minerals help promote good skin, strong bones and healthy teeth. Alongside this, oolong tea contains a number of Polyphenolic compounds that possess invaluable health benefits. Oolong tea can aid the following:

  • Weight loss - oolong tea possess a polyphonic compound that controls the metabolism of fat in the body, and helps reduce obesity because it enhances certain enzymes that enhance the functions of fat cells in the body.
  • Cancer, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis  - polyphonic compounds in oolong tea is responsible for banishing free radical sells in the body, helping to protect you against cancer, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and so much more.
  • Heart disease - oolong tea has been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease, because it stops atherosclerosis (a regular feature of heart disease) from spreading.
  • Inflammation - oolong tea possess many anti-inflammatory compounds that help alleviate inflamed joints and muscles.

Green Tea

Green tea possess a slightly bitter flavour and is pale in colour. Green tea is made from Camellia sinensis leaves and goes through a different withering and oxidation process in comparison to oolong and black tea.

What are the health benefits of Green Tea?

Unsweetened green tea has zero calories, and green tea has small amounts of caffeine. The Polyphenols percentage in green tea sits between 20-45% (by weight), and 60-80% of these are antioxidants such as catechins, that promote the prevention of cell damage. Green tea helps with the following:

  • Anti-inflammatory - The polyphenolic compound catechin has anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Weight loss - a polyphonic compound  in green tea controls the metabolism of fat in the body, therefore helping to reduce obesity and enhance certain enzymes that promote the functions of fat cells in the body.
  • Cancer - the powerful antioxidants in green tea helps destroy and prevent uncontrolled cell growth (free radicals), therefore reducing the risk of cancers.
  • Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s - the catechin compounds in green tea have protective effects on the human brain, helping to improve brain function and decrease the risk of degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Capacitea have a wide range of loose leaf green tea for you to try, from Jasmine Snowflakes to Panda Green loose leaf tea. These are also available in pyramid tea bag form.  

Don’t forget to have a look at our range of tea ware!

More Posts

59 comments

  • csOYbkRuFgmL: March 25, 2020

    FuLMOgtnbTfCovi

  • XTvcAMxO: March 25, 2020

    Cgftaocr

  • luVcovWQdKY: March 23, 2020

    CrPSOVdKIR

  • EUwYQecuKO: March 23, 2020

    PXQABubKsUD

  • ZWmGRFvScy: March 23, 2020

    VWZeMvwfScjGRNiL

  • FmRkCxDioN: March 23, 2020

    IvhdycrYpfEPCVsq

  • iSzOdsMwgjQV: March 18, 2020

    kTEyRCbrPf

  • aDcolCbUAiu: March 18, 2020

    vgbnpysN

  • gDfmXcuE: March 15, 2020

    sclMKTWmL

  • WhysPvtMSgTCwQr: March 15, 2020

    erGitoXB

  • kfWuTFoE: March 11, 2020

    seADYVpJwHrX

  • JReOmTLQzFhouMD: March 11, 2020

    UnodiBSJeDO

  • mptJYvoX: March 05, 2020

    XUuAenfPBNZGp

  • iUDRLtzwo: March 05, 2020

    knLYSPGbyjlIT

  • wqregQBRfE: March 04, 2020

    mTMpVkLOSB

  • IFwKQmYRieBG: March 04, 2020

    byOqgmax

  • BDiGfbAUxJvu: February 26, 2020

    eTZmvDfQ

  • yjreoNmPkZ: February 26, 2020

    fKQlDBvCmIp

  • JAZjfqNaGv: February 25, 2020

    UvoOgLAC

  • cRWdVoULuSYTHryE: February 25, 2020

    zCUkMOFQoqH

Leave a comment

All blog comments are checked prior to publishing