Green Tea Weight Loss,
The Theory on How it Works

Green Tea, Oolng Tea (wulong) and White tea may have potential in accelerating the metabolism.  
Factors on how the green tea work:
Green tea contain up to 150mg of caffeine and 270mg of epigallocatechin gallate 
(EGCG the main active component in green tea) EGCG may aid in an increase of the metabolism as much as 4%. Though this may not seem as much this translates to.   By drinking 2 cups of green tea a day, not changing your eating or exercise habits, you could loss up to 8 pounds in 1 year.  Let's rethink this, so if nothing is done except drinking the tea, just think of the possibilities when you add a walking routine, or possible reducing sugar and processed foods from your meals.  Not to mention the other benefits from Green Tea may reduce LDL which is the bad cholesterol, and may protect from certain cancers.

A Study on Green Tea & Oolong Tea (Wulong):

In today's medication definitions, obesity does not merely mean being overweight. Obesity is defined as an "excess accumulation of fat in the human body," indicating that "the amount of fat within the body has increased beyond its normal range."  The normal range of fat weight is 15-20% for a man and 20-25% for a woman. A man will be diagnosed as being obese if he has a fat-to-weight ratio of 25% or more, and for a woman, if she has a ratio of 30% or more.
Note that these values are in percentages, and not pound measurements.  A Chinese  pharmaceutical book called the Bencao Shiyi (The Compendium of Materia Medica) states, "Drinking tea for a long time will make one live long to stay in good shape without becoming too fat and too heavy.  

So how is this possible?

Polyphenol in oolong tea is effective in controlling obesity...Polyphenols makes this possible  How can tea be a wonder beverage?  It is all due to the high levels of polyphenols found in oolong (wulong) green and white teas.  Polyphenols are one of natures most powerful anti oxidants.   Polyphenols are a class of phytochemicals found in high concentrations in green tea, and have been associated with heart disease and cancer prevention. The slight astringent, bitter taste of green tea is attributed to polyphenols.  In particular, it activates the enzyme that is responsible for dissolving triglyceride. It has been confirmed that the continuous intake of oolong tea contributes to enhancing the function of fat metabolism and to controlling obesity.  A clinical test was carried out on 75 people between 22 and 68 years old who were obese merely because of overeating and/or lack of physical exercise. They were asked to consume a drink made by infusing two packs of oolong tea in water, once in the morning and once in the afternoon for six weeks. They were also asked to refrain from receiving any dietary treatment or taking any exercise. Through the animal and clinical tests, it was confirmed that the continuous intake of oolong tea promotes the function of fat metabolism and contributes to controlling obesity.

Research aimed at finding the active compounds in green tea revealed that its protective effects are due chiefly to catechins. Tea contains four main catechin substances: EC, ECg, EGC and EGCg, all of which are inclusively called catechin. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the most powerful of these catechins. EGCG as an antioxidant is about 25-100 times more potent than vitamins C and E. Green tea is rich in bioflavonoids and may protect against digestive and respiratory infections.  One cup of green tea provides 10-40 mg of polyphenols and has antioxidant effects greater than a serving of orange juice, grapefruit, spinach, carrots, or strawberries. The high antioxidant activity of green tea makes it beneficial for protecting the body from oxidative damage due to free radicals. Research shows that green tea may help the arterial wall by reducing lipids. Green tea can protect against experimentally induced DNA damage, and slow or halt the initiation and progression of undesirable cell colonies.  Dr. Michael B. Chancellor, a professor of urology and gynecology at UPSM says though further studies are needed to confirm the results the indications are that herbal supplements from green tea could be a treatment option for various bladder conditions that are caused by injury or inflammation.  Studies show evidence that green tea provides immunoprotective qualities, particularly in the case of patients undergoing radiation or chemotherapy. White blood cell count appear to be maintained more effectively in patients consuming green tea compared to non-supplemented patients. Green tea increases bone density according to a recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine (May 13, 2001).
For further information please see Green Tea and Thermogenesis
or Oolong Tea