If you are aiming to slim down and burn fat, you probably want to use all the help available. Especially if it comes in a healthy and delicious form.
Well, I have good news for you! Certain herbal teas can be an excellent aid in weight management.
In this article, I am going to tell you what are the 5 best herbal teas for weight loss and burning belly fat.
5 Best Herbal Teas for Weight Loss
I know that losing weight is not easy, and there are no shortcuts to do it. You might be tempted to try slimming pills full of harmful chemicals, but I advise against it. Instead, I suggest adopting a healthy lifestyle and including a habit of drinking herbal teas in your daily routine.
Keep on reading to find out what are the most effective teas to aid you in losing weight and burning that extra fat.
1. Yerba Mate Tea – Energizing and Effective
Yerba mate tea originates from South America and it is an energizing and healthy drink. Based on my own experiences, I think it is the best and most effective tea for losing weight.
Yerba mate contains caffeine and many other effective compounds that:
- Aid you with burning belly fat more efficiently
- Boost physical performance and energize you to exercise more
- Help you with suppressing appetite and avoiding overeating
- Improve gastrointestinal health
Now you are probably wondering if there is any research-based evidence about the effectiveness of yerba mate. Yes, there is plenty!
Here is just one example: A study from 2002 found that yerba mate induced significant weight loss in overweight patients during a 45-day testing period. It also helped them with maintaining a lower weight during the following 12 months.
I have posted a whole article about yerba mate and weight loss. Check it out and learn more about the great potential of this herbal tea!
If you want to buy some yerba mate tea, read my article with reviews of 5 popular yerba mate brands. It will help you with finding a product that suits your taste.
2. Hibiscus Tea – Floral and Delicious
Hibiscus tea is made from flowers of Hibiscus sabdariffa and it has a sour flavor and sweet aftertaste. This tea has many health benefits including the ability to boost your metabolism and help with burning fat in your body.
Hibiscus tea helps reduce body fat by doing two things:
- Stopping Fat Production in the Liver (Inhibiting Hepatic Lipogenesis): It prevents the liver from creating as much fat. This is important because the liver plays a key role in managing fats in the body.
- Preventing New Fat Cells From Forming (Preadipocyte Adipogenesis): It also stops early-stage fat cells from developing into mature fat cells. This means there are fewer fat cells in the body to store fat.
A study conducted in Taiwan found out that hibiscus helps with losing weight. 36 obese subjects were given either hibiscus extract or placebo for a period of 12 weeks. The subjects that consumed hibiscus had reduced body weight, body-mass-index, body fat and the waist-to-hip ratio more than the placebo group.
You can find my favorite hibiscus tea products here.
3. Rooibos Tea – From the Red Bush
Rooibos tea is a healthy tea made from ‘red bush’ which is cultivated in South Africa. It contains aspalathin, which helps with controlling your hunger.
Aspalathin reduces stress hormones, like cortisol, which are known to trigger hunger and increase the retention of fat. This means that drinking rooibos tea is especially effective in reducing stress-induced weight gain.
A study published in 2014 indicates that red rooibos tea can be useful in preventing obesity. This study on fermented rooibos tea found that it contains compounds that can reduce the development and fat storage in fat cells. This can aid in obesity prevention by influencing fat cell metabolism and gene expression related to fat production.
If you are interested in trying rooibos tea, read this article to see what are my favorite brands and products.
4. Ginger Tea – High in Antioxidants
Ginger root is a very healthy and effective herbal remedy that has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years.
Its main effective compound is gingerol. This ingredient has many amazing qualities and acts as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. It can also help with lowering blood pressure.
Ginger can aid in weight loss by keeping the feeling of fullness for a longer time. This was demonstrated in a study published in 2013 where ginger consumption showed enhanced thermogenesis and reduced feelings of hunger.
It may also stabilize blood sugar levels which is important when aiming to lose weight.
If you are looking for a nice ginger tea product to buy, I suggest reading this article with the best ginger tea brands.
Here is an excellent video about ginger tea and weight loss. I recommend that you spend a few minutes watching it!
5. Peppermint Tea – Control Your Appetite
Losing weight means that you have to maintain a healthy diet and eat fewer calories than you are consuming daily.
Have you ever tried using peppermint tea to control your appetite?
It tastes excellent on its own and it can also be combined with other ingredients such as green tea and ginger tea.
Peppermint tea can help with reducing cravings and thus it can be used to aid weight management.
According to research the aromas of peppermint trigger chemical reactions in the brain that help with reducing the feeling of hunger.
I have put together a guide with the best mint tea products, so check it out if you are planning on buying some.
How About Green, Black, White, Oolong and Puerh Tea?
Green, Black, White, Oolong, and Puerh Tea are not herbal teas, they are the “real teas” as one might say. These beverages are brewed with the leaves of Camellia sinensis, the actual tea plant.
However, I decided to include them in this article to address their potential in losing weight.
Green tea
Green tea and matcha (concentrated and powdered green tea) are generally considered very effective for weight loss. They are also loaded with antioxidants and other healthy compounds.
The main reason why green tea is effective with losing weight is that it contains catechins, which help with increasing metabolism and burning fat.
It also contains some caffeine, even though much less than coffee or yerba mate.
In this study, 60 overweight persons were drinking green tea or placebo for 12 weeks. The study found that the ones drinking green tea lost 7.3 pounds (3.3 kg) more weight than the placebo group. There are also other studies with similar outcomes.
Green tea combined with exercise has also proven to be very effective in burning fat. A study published in The Journal of Nutrition indicates that the catechins of green tea help in utilizing body fat for energy during exercise and rest. Several other studies confirm this result.
Check out my guide with the best green tea brands for weight loss and start shedding pounds more effectively!
Black tea
Black tea is highly oxidized and has a high concentration of flavones, which are plant pigment molecules with antioxidant qualities that could also help with losing weight. According to studies black tea might help with weight control and losing weight.
White tea
White tea is unprocessed and is considered very healthy. It has a high concentration of catechins and polyphenols which help with burning fat and preventing the formation of new fat cells the same way as green tea.
Oolong tea
Oolong tea is partially oxidized, but not as much as black tea. Oolong tea also has catechins, so it works in a similar way as green and white tea.
Puerh tea
Puerh tea is fermented black tea. There are studies done with Puerh tea extract which indicate that it helps with weight loss.
In a study where 70 men were given Puerh tea or placebo capsules 3 times a day, the ones who took Puerh tea capsules lost 2.2 pounds (1 kg) more weight during the 3 months of this trial.
Final Thought on Losing Weight with Herbal Teas
Based on my own experience and scientific research, I can say that yerba mate seems to be the best tea for helping you in losing weight and burning belly fat.
If you combine yerba mate with a healthy diet, regular exercise, and proper sleep, I am sure you will get amazing results!
But is there something that could be even more effective for weight loss than yerba mate tea?
Yes, combining it with other (herbal) teas. You can try the different teas introduced in this article and drink them in addition to yerba mate. Or mix some peppermint or ginger with your yerba mate.
I also think that it is important that you enjoy drinking the herbal tea that you are using as an aid to losing weight.
It makes no sense to frequently force yourself into drinking something you don’t like. Try different herbal teas to find the ones that you like, and start drinking them daily.
Best Herbal Teas for Weight Loss FAQ
What is the best herbal tea for weight loss and to burn fat?
Based on my own experience and research, yerba mate tea is the best herbal tea for losing weight and burning fat. It gives you more energy to exercise as well as helps you burn fat more efficiently, increases metabolism, and aids with suppressing appetite.
You can combine yerba mate with other herbs such as ginger, peppermint, and hibiscus, to make it even more effective.
Is peppermint tea good for weight loss?
Yes, peppermint tea can aid with weight management because according to research it aids with controlling appetite.
What is the best recipe for homemade herbal tea for weight loss?
There are many great recipes for a natural homemade weight-loss tea. Which herbs you should use, depends on your personal preference since the tea should also taste good.
One of my favorite recipes is to combine yerba mate tea with ginger and peppermint. You can also chill it to make a refreshing iced tea. Add some lemon juice and maybe a bit of honey to make it even tastier.
If you find that mate tea has a too strong taste, you can start with yerba mate tea bags. They produce a milder infusion which might be more suitable for beginners.
Here is a guide that introduces some of the best yerba mate tea bags and also includes products where yerba mate and other herbs are blended.
In addition to the teas mentioned here, I recommend that you read this article about ashitaba tea health benefits, as it is one of the best natural remedies for reducing visceral fat.
Please tell me about your favorite tea for losing weight and burning fat. Go ahead and post a comment below!
I love herbal teas. As an amateur herbalist, I use teas to treat several different ailments. I like to drink a caffeine-containing tea in the morning, an appetite suppressing tea in the afternoon, I wrap my day up by drinking Sleepy Time tea right before bed.
I use Ginger tea as my appetite-suppressing tea. It works ok. I am curious now about yerba mate. I have never heard of it before reading this article.
I am going to read that article now. I wanted to leave you a line on this article thanking you for providing so many different choices.
Hi Dovey!
Thanks for your comment. I am soon planning to write an article about teas that help with relaxing and sleeping.
Go ahead and read more about yerba mate on this site and try it yourself! I really love it and have been drinking it almost every day for a long time. It is really good for giving you energy and focus, burning fat and losing weight, and it’s also very good for health.
Best Regards,
Joonas
A nice page that explains the different products that are available to help you lose weight. I am intrigued!
Thanks for commenting Tom! If you are interested in yerba mate and herbal teas, go ahead read the articles on my site also.
-Joonas
This is a great article and it was a pleasure for me to read it!
Great to hear that you enjoyed reading my article Victoria!
Thanks for awesome article it can help people a lot. Very useful article that has useful information about burning fat and losing bodyweight.
Hi Albarni!
Thanks for commenting and glad to hear that found this article useful.
-Joonas
These all herbal teas are best for every person who wants to lose weight naturally. I have tried green tea & got great results. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Harvey,
Great to hear that you liked my article and that green tea has helped you with losing weight.
-Joonas
I love this article. It is full of great information. I feel better when I drink herbal teas. They give me a sense of well-being and seem to energize me. Just taking time for tea and it makes my day go better. The fact that some of them may also inhibit fat retention in the body is a bonus.
Thanks for commenting Michael! I also feel like herbal teas have really made me feel better, both mentally and physically.
-Joonas
Great article. In my opinion, ginger is one of the best weight loss herbs.
Nice to hear that you like my article Stacey. Yes, I agree, ginger is great for losing weight.
-Joonas
Dear everyone .I’m excited about this tea I need to loose weight badly .I have diabetes and broken back neck I want to buy the different kinds of teas since it’s only found in canada how can I buy it is there an online store for tea and other products I also know ALOT of women who’d be just as anxious to buy the teas also
Please help me .
How do I get in touch with this tea company is there a phone number
Please .truly Diannajoy stathos stathalopolous@gmail.com
Hi Dianna,
You can follow the links in this article to find my recommended teas. For example here is a link to my article with some great yerba mate teas. Just choose the one you like and click the link to find it on Amazon.
I hope this answered your question and you find a tea to help you with losing weight!
Best Regards,
Joonas