Green Tea and Weight Loss

Tea has been cultivated and consumed by numerous cultures throughout the world for centuries. In fact, tea consumption is second only to water across the globe. Cultures in which tea is the primary beverage and is consumed throughout the lifespan exhibit lower levels of cholesterol, obesity, diabetes and degenerative bone loss, and enjoy an overall higher level of health. Although practitioners of traditional medicine in Indian and Chinese cultures have long used tea to treat illness and disease, Western researchers are now turning their attention to the preventative and restorative powers of tea.

While all tea comes from the same base plant, Camellia sinensis, three main varieties are created through the manner in which the tea leaves are processed. Green tea is made from tea leaves that are left unfermented. The active ingredients within green tea are catechins; a sub-class of flavonoids. These complex organic molecules are highly powerful antioxidant compounds which are believed to be critical in reducing the risk of various diseases. In relation to weight loss, research suggests that catechins play several roles in losing weight and burning fat.

One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at 100 healthy adults over a 12-week study period. Participants were divided into groups and given a daily dose of either 625mg catechins or a control beverage with caffeine added to match the levels of the catechin beverage. They also agreed to perform 180 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week. The results of the study found that participants who had consumed catechins lost more body weight than the control group, and also that they lost more abdominal and subcutaneous fat than those participants who did not receive catechins.

Another study focused on the measurable ability of green tea extract to inhibit the digestion of fat. This study was conducted in test tubes, and not within the human body. However, over a 12 week period, researchers observed a reduced amount of fat digested with the addition of green tea extract. The results were comparable to the effects of the prescription weight loss drug Xenical. 

These results are just a small sample of the scientific research that proves the weight loss and overall health benefits of green tea. In addition, unlike many synthetic or chemical weight loss methods, tea therapies are all-natural and completely safe! There are no worries that your body won’t react favorably to tea, or that you may experience a frightening list of adverse side effects. There are no studies that warn of any negative effects of tea.

Advanced Tea Tone Plus is not a weight loss fad. It is not a synthetic, untested material cooked up in a lab and sold as a weight loss “miracle.” The proprietary formula that makes up our supplements simply takes advantage of the known benefits of a combined tea therapy regimen and adds the powerhouse of raspberry ketone. By combining all four ingredients in one supplement, your body is able to take advantage of the synergistic properties of the blend, each helping the other to be more effective in reducing weight, burning fat, and increasing alertness and vitality.

For more information about the active ingredients in Advanced Formula Tea Tone Plus, visit teatoneplus.com. 

Green Tea can help prevent the flu

The United States Center for Disease Control warns that the 2013 flu season can begin as early as October 2012, and will continue through the month of April. While many of us don’t think that the flu is a serious threat, the reality is that the flu can take a major toll on the health and well-being of even the healthiest among us.

Did you know:

·         On average, between 5% and 20% of the United States population will get the flu this year

·         An average of 200,000 Americans will be hospitalized this year as a result of the flu

·         Deaths from flu-related causes can range from 3,000 to 49,000 each year

·         In 2007, influenza and pneumonia were the eighth leading causes of death in the US

Many Americans fight the flu with vaccines. However, research has shown that the flu vaccine is only 1% effective in preventing the flu. That’s because the vaccine is formulated in response to the influenza strains that were most common in previous years. When new strains appear, the vaccines to fight them won’t become available for up to 3 years later! When you factor in the many side effects of the flu shot, it seems that getting an annual vaccination is not the best option to prevent sickness.

What can be done to avoid the flu?

Researchers have focused on tea as a powerful weapon against influenza, and medical studies have proven time and again that people who consume tea are far less likely to contract the flu virus. In one study of over 2,000 elementary school children, those who drank 1 or more cups of tea each day were far less likely to contract the flu than children who did not consume tea.

Another study focused on participants who were given green tea supplements. Results showed an 83% reduction in flu risk. Yet another study asked participants to simply gargle with a weak green tea solution; the result was that only 1.3% of those who did so became sick with the flu, vs. 10% of the control group.

The research behind the potency of green tea is overwhelmingly supportive of use of tea supplements to prevent the flu.

Advanced Formula Tea Tone Plus combines the power of not one, but three forms of tea with the powerhouse of raspberry ketones to create a formulation that is unlike anything else on the market today. While the majority of our customers choose this all-natural supplement as a safe and effective weight-loss tool, there are a multitude of other health benefits to adding Advanced Tea Tone Plus to your daily health routine. In addition, our proprietary formulation allows each of the four ingredients to work in synergy, thereby boosting the effectiveness of the others. The result is a potent addition to your health and wellness routine.

We welcome you to visit us at teatoneplus.com for more information about each of the four ingredients in Advanced Formula Tea Tone Plus, as well as details of the medical research supporting their use for a variety of preventative and medicinal purposes. 

Scientific Studies Behind the Power of Oolong Tea in Aiding Weight Loss

Many people are not aware that all tea actually comes from the same plant: Camellia Sinensis. Other plants can be processed and brewed in the same manner as tea, but in actuality they are just that: brewed drinks. When it comes to the differences between varieties of tea, it all comes down to processing. When first picked, all tea is green tea. To create green tea as a finished product, the tea is heated following harvest in order to stop the process of oxidation within the leaf. Then, the tea leaves are rolled, breaking down the cell structure of the leaves.

In order to produce oolong tea, the leaves are carefully picked and then allowed to oxidize under very specific conditions. The leaves are not crushed, leaving much of the cell structure in its unbroken, natural form. The end result is a product very different from other types of tea, even though they all originate from the same plant.

Tea has long been associated with weight loss, in both the traditional Eastern medical community as well as in cultures across the globe. Once study, conducted in 1998 by Chinese researchers, looked at how oolong tea affected weight loss. The researchers focused on the results from 102 female participants, and found that continuous consumption of oolong tea led to a measureable reduction of body weight over a six week period. The results of the study led to increased research into the powers of oolong tea for use as a tool for weight loss.

When it comes to a scientific explanation of why oolong tea appears to aid in weight loss, a long-standing belief is that it is the caffeine component of tea that is significant. Caffeine acts as a stimulant and thereby increases metabolism, which also increases energy expenditure. The result: more calories burned with no additional physical exercise. However, scientists suspect that caffeine is not the only component within tea that aids in weight loss, and several notable studies have looked at what other factors may play into the power of oolong tea to cause a reduction in body weight.

The United States Agriculture Research Services’ Diet and Human Laboratory conducted a study to better understand the degree to which oolong tea affects energy expenditure within human subjects. The study was comprised of 12 men who were given four different beverages over a three day period. The beverages were formulated as follows: 1) full strength oolong tea, 2) water which was caffeinated to the same level as full strength oolong tea, 3) half strength oolong tea, and 4) regular water with no added caffeine.

The energy expenditure of the participants was measured over a 24 hour period and resulted in significant findings. For instance, over the course of a day the participants who consumed full strength oolong tea or caffeinated water experienced an approximate 3% jump in energy expenditure versus the period during which they simply drank regular water. Furthermore, when consuming full strength oolong tea, an average of 67 more calories were burned vs. drinking the other preparations. Most impressive was the finding that fat oxidation was increased at a rate of 12 percent while drinking the oolong tea versus drinking the caffeinated water. This suggests that there is more at play in the chemical makeup of oolong tea than the simple presence of caffeine.

A 2003 study conducted by Japanese researchers looked into the differences between green tea and oolong tea in relation to weight loss. Study participants were given preparations of green tea, oolong tea, and water. Their energy expenditure levels were measured over intervals of 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. The results suggest that while energy expenditures associated with drinking either green or oolong tea were above those measured after drinking water, the levels exhibited while drinking oolong tea far outpaced those resulting from consumption of green tea alone.

In addition, the study measured the levels of caffeine, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and polymerized polyphenols in the green and oolong teas, and compared those levels to the rates of energy expenditure. Although green tea has higher levels of both caffeine and EGCGs, polymerized polyphenols were found in much higher concentrations in the oolong tea. These findings suggest that it is the polymerized polyphenols within oolong tea that contribute to increased energy expenditure and weight loss.

A high-quality supplement is the most efficient means of obtaining the proper levels of oolong tea to produce weight loss results. By consuming oolong tea in a condensed supplement form, consumers can reap the amazing weight loss benefits of oolong tea without having to consume large volumes of brewed teas throughout the day.

Advanced Formula Tea Tone Plus is a unique and powerful tea blend that combines extracts of green, oolong and pu-reh teas with raspberry ketones to maximize the health benefits of each of these ingredients. By combining these four ingredients the power of synergy is multiplied exponentially. Each ingredient is enhanced by the others, giving you a much more assertive weight loss tool than any one component could provide on its own.

When shopping for an oolong tea supplement, it is important to find a source that has a history of providing top-quality, all-natural supplements. Read more about the scientific research associated with oolong tea and tea blend therapies at teatoneplus.com.

Tea and Degenerative Bone Loss

In addition to providing significance weight loss benefits, research suggests that tea therapy can also aid in the prevention of bone loss and osteoporosis. This is great news for people who are at high risk for developing degenerative bone disease or who already exhibit signs of decreased bone density.

One study focused on 275 Australian women between the ages of 70 and 85. They were already participating in a longer-tern study of the effects of calcium supplements on osteoporosis. They were asked about their tea consumption (both black and green teas), and also underwent bone density measurements at the beginning and end of the five-year study period. The results, which were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed that women who consumed tea on a regular basis had higher bone density levels within their hip bones than non- drinkers. The results were adjusted for factors such as smoking and use of calcium supplements.

Another study looked at the effects of green tea consumption in the bone density of rats. Rats in their middle age were split into two groups; one was pretreated with a compound that induced inflammation which the other served as a control group. Both groups were given green tea over a period of several weeks. Upon testing, the artificially created decline in bone density was reversed in the group that received the green tea as compared to the control group. Researchers concluded that the antioxidant properties within the green tea were able to suppress the levels of free radicals within the rats, thereby reducing bone loss.

How does tea fight bone loss? One theory is that the phytochemicals within tea, such as flavonoids, exhibit estrogen-like properties that may provide the protective effect. Other scientists believe that the true power of green tea lies in its antioxidant properties, and the ability to fight off free radicals within the cells of the body. The actual medicinal mechanism may be the subtle but complex interplay of chemical components within green tea, each of which works with the others to provide powerful health benefits.

Degenerative bone loss is a serious condition that affects the majority of women as they reach and exceed postmenopausal age. Estrogen levels decrease, and because estrogen has its own antioxidant properties, researchers believe that oxidative stress increases as women experience a shift in their hormonal makeup. One long-standing treatment for menopausal difficulties was estrogen therapy, however recent research suggests that estrogen supplementation may lead to increased risk of developing certain types of cancers. Green tea therapy may provide a safe, all-natural option for aging women who want to stave off loss of bone density while also avoiding an increase in the risk of cancer.

Our Advanced Formula Tea Tone Plus gives you the proven power of green tea extract, and combines it with the known health benefits of oolong and pu-reh tea, as well as raspberry ketones. By combining these four potent ingredients, our supplement allows you to reap the benefits of each in a formulation that is far more convenient than sourcing and taking each one individually. In addition, the combination approach allows the ingredients to work in synergy with each other, thereby increasing the effectiveness of each.

For more information about the individual ingredients found within Advanced Formula Tea Tone Plus, we invite you to visit us at teatoneplus.com.

Weight Loss and Health Benefits of Pu-reh Tea

Many people have heard about the “new” craze in weight loss. Pu-erh tea is being touted as a powerful weapon for those who wish to drop pounds, and medical research suggests that it has additional health benefits, as well. Ironically, this “new” discovery is actually over 2000 years old!

 Pu-Reh tea has been grown and processed in China for reaching as far back as the year 202 BCE. Historically, the tea leaves were hand-picked and then either immediately pressed into tea cakes and sold as “raw” or “green” pu-erh, or put through a fermenting process. Historically, the fermentation was created by taking the green tea cakes and storing them for up to 100 years. In 1975 the Kunming Tea Factory developed a much faster fermentation process that remains in use today.

Modern pu-reh tea is hand-picked, and then spread out to dry. Each day the leaves are turned, splashed with water then covered with a cloth. After 40 to 40 days the fermentation process is complete, and the tea is then fully dried and pressed into cakes for shipping and storage.

The Chinese have used pu-reh tea for centuries to treat “internal dampness.” This condition is thought to be a buildup of excessive internal energy created from an inability of the spleen to process energy that is received from the stomach. Other uses are weight loss, improving blood circulation, removing toxins from the body, curing dysentery and treating hangovers.

Medical researchers have taken interest in the health benefits of pu-reh tea, and multiple studies have suggested that the tea contains powerful chemical compounds that can improve health in a variety of ways. One study by the Wun-Shan Branch Tea Research and Extension Station in Taiwan looked at the effects of various types of tea on cholesterol levels. The study compared both the HDL-C (good cholesterol) and LDL-C (bad cholesterol) levels of lab rats when given green, black, oolong and pu-reh tea leaves. The results showed that the animals that consumed the cooked (fermented) pu-reh tea experienced significant increases in their levels of “good” cholesterol and reductions in their levels of “bad” cholesterol.

Human studies also suggest that pu-reh tea has the ability to markedly reduce cholesterol. A study at Kunming Medical College in China looked at 86 participants, all of whom had high cholesterol. Researchers gave 55 of the participants a daily regimen of pu-reh tea three times per day. The remaining 31 patients were given a cholesterol reducing drug. At the completion of the two month study, participants who consumed the pu-reh tea experienced a reduction in their blood cholesterol levels of 64.29%, as compared to the reduction of 66.67% experienced by the drug. The conclusion: all-natural pu-reh tea has a comparable effect on cholesterol levels as that of using a synthetic drug.

In this article we have focused on research that supports long-held beliefs about the health benefits of pu-reh tea. However, there are other natural products that also enhance health and aid in weight loss. In particular, green tea, oolong tea and raspberry ketones have all been shown to be powerful tools for anyone who wants to lose weight in a healthy, natural way while also improving their overall health.

Advanced Formula Tea Tone Plus combines the benefits of pu-reh, green and oolong tea extracts and raspberry ketones in one powerful, all-natural supplement. Not only is it more convenient to choose a combined supplement, it is also significantly less expensive than sourcing all four of these ingredients individually. Furthermore, the combination of these four potent components allows them to work in a synergistic manner, actually increasing the potency of each individual ingredient.

We invite you to browse our website for more information about the all-natural components of Advanced formula Tea Tone Plus.