Losing weight is hard, but losing fat around your belly is even more challenging. That's because most belly fat is different from fat around the rest of your body.
Most belly fat is called visceral fat, which lies deeper than other types of body fat and surrounds the organs in your abdomen. This makes belly fat more dangerous than other types of body fat because carrying too much fat increases your risk of diseases such as heart disease or diabetes.
No single food or drink can fight belly fat, but some contain compounds, vitamins and nutrients that research has shown can help reduce belly fat as part of a balanced diet. Some teas help reduce belly fat because they contain various antioxidants and plant compounds that have been linked to a variety of health benefits, some of which include helping to reduce belly fat.
1. Green tea helps burn belly fat
Green tea is one of the most notable teas for burning belly fat. According to a 2022 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (USA), participants who consumed large amounts of green tea (4 or more cups per day) had a 44% lower risk of belly fat than participants who did not drink green tea.
A 2008 study found that obese participants who regularly drank green tea lost more overall body weight than participants who did not drink it at all.
A 2009 study published in the American Journal of Nutrition found that consuming catechins, an antioxidant found in green tea leaves, can help reduce belly fat when combined with exercise. The study found that most of green tea's weight loss properties are due to its richness in polyphenols, and a subset of these polyphenols called catechins has been linked to increased metabolic rate. Green tea has the highest concentration of these metabolism-boosting plant compounds.
Oolong tea is effective in reducing belly fat.
2. Oolong tea helps reduce belly fat
Another tea that has been shown to help reduce belly fat is oolong tea. Oolong tea comes from the same leaves as green and black tea, but it is partially oxidized, while green tea is not oxidized and black tea is fully oxidized. Oolong tea is made by drying the leaves in the sun until they wilt and curl.
Research shows that oolong tea also contains polyphenols that are linked to faster metabolism and reduced belly fat. An animal study published in the American Journal of Nutrition found that polyphenols in green, black, and oolong teas all helped reduce visceral fat tissue.
A 2020 study from the University of Tsukuba (Japan) also found that oolong tea increased fat breakdown by about 20% and continued even during sleep for study participants.
3. Black tea has anti-obesity properties
Fans of all things black tea will be happy to know that research has linked black tea to weight loss and reduction in visceral fat. A 2016 report published in the journal Molecules said that the polyphenols found in black tea have both anti-obesity properties and help reduce body weight and visceral fat.
Black tea has anti-obesity properties and also helps reduce body weight and visceral fat.
Participants in a 2014 study published in the journal Food & Function who drank three cups of black tea per day for three months lost more weight and waist circumference (also known as belly fat) than those who did not drink tea.
4. White tea increases fat oxidation, helping with weight loss
White tea is known as the most refined and least processed type of tea. White tea contains high amounts of antioxidants, polyphenols, catechins, flavonoids, and tannins. However, it contains less caffeine than other types of tea, such as black tea and green tea.

White tea is effective in weight loss as well as reducing visceral fat.
White tea, along with green tea and oolong tea, has been shown to speed up metabolism, increase fat oxidation, and help with overall weight loss or control.
A recent 2023 report published in the American Journal of Food Safety and Health also concluded that white tea is effective in weight loss as well as visceral fat reduction in particular.
5. Pu-erh tea reduces belly fat
A fermented Chinese black tea called pu-erh tea has been linked to weight loss or fat loss in some studies. Pu-erh tea is made from the leaves of the ancient Shan Tuyet tea plant, which are pressed into cakes and allowed to ferment naturally.
Pu-erh tea reduces belly fat and body fat.
Pu-erh tea has the effect of reducing cholesterol, reducing blood fat, supporting weight loss, preventing arteriosclerosis, reducing toxins from cigarettes...
A 2014 study published in Phytotherapy Research found that male participants with metabolic syndrome who drank pu-erh tea saw a slight reduction in body fat and BMI.
Another study from Nutrition Research found that pu-erh tea extract reduced body weight, BMI, and visceral fat in Japanese adults.
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