Warmer days, later evenings and the promise of summer are all causes for celebration, but for some this could cause stress and panic.
Summer temperatures mean showing off more skin, which is a daunting notion for some.
Carrying large amounts of belly fat is not only unsightly, but also poses a major health risk that could be life-threatening.
When you think of weight loss, sweating it out a gym for hours and filling a plate with bland foods often come to mind.
However, according to experts, simply sipping on certain drinks can have a profound effect on belly fat loss.
Serious health risks associated with carrying large amounts of belly fat include heart disease, diabetes, strokes and high blood pressure.
Recent studies also suggest a link between belly fat and cancer.
These reasons make it imperative to lose this fat, but with so many different theories and plans behind weight loss, how can you really be sure what is best?
Tea expert and researcher Dr Tim Bond from the Tea Advisory Panel says: “Drinking tea has a well-established place in the public’s mind for helping with weight management.
“ Green tea boosts energy expenditure, which is a vital factor in weight loss in that you must burn more energy than you consume to lose weight.
“Whilst weight loss might appear quite modest, a significant amount of the weight lost is belly fat.
“Studies have shown that green tea catechins increase abdominal fat loss particularly when combined with exercise.”
Green tea for belly fat loss
In a study published in the National Library of Medicine, the effect of green tea infusion ingestions on energy metabolism was analysed.
The study involved 21 subjects - 11 women and 10 men.
The research was taken on two different days after a standardised breakfast accompanied with either water or green tea.
The study found that drinking green tea in the morning helped to boost energy expenditure compared with drinking water.
In another study, the effectiveness of green tea on weight reduction was further looked at.
The study involved 60 obese subjects and found that drinking green tea as part of a weight loss diet resulted in an extra 3.3kg (half a stone) lost over 12 weeks.
This benefit is thanks to the content of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and caffeine, substances found in both black and green tea that can boost metabolism and hence burn calories.
Gut health and weight loss
“Tea contributes to weight and fat loss through a prebiotic effect,” added Dr Bond.
“Black tea has been found to improve body composition.
“Laboratory studies show that black tea polyphenols exert a positive effect on inhibiting body fat accumulation through increasing body fat breakdown, inhibiting the development of fat cells and blocking the processes of obesity and associated body fat increase through an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanism.”
Research shows that tea polyphenols generate short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the gut which interact with the gut microbiota and influence fat metabolism.
This research suggested that SCFAs are more strongly generated by teas that have undergone fermentation (e.g. black, oolong, and dark) than by non-fermented (green) teas.
Apple cider vinegar for belly fat loss
Acetic acid is the main active component of apple cider vinegar, which is said to be one of the main contributors for speeding up fat loss.
Some animal studies suggest that the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar may promote weight loss in several ways - including lowering blood sugar levels, decreasing insulin levels, improving metabolism, reducing fat storage, suppressing appetite and burning fat.
One study further explored this claim and looked at acetic acid upregulating the expression of genes for fatty acid oxidation enzymes in liver to suppress body fat accumulation.
The prevention of obesity in high-fat fed mice with acetic acid was further looked at.
“Acetic acid administration inhibited the accumulation of body fat and hepatic lipids without changing food consumption or skeletal muscle weight,” concluded the study.
