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.