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Tea is well regarded as a healthy source of caffeine which, depending on which type you drink, can help to boost your metabolism and provide your body with ample energy to get through the day. However, as with every good thing, there are preparation mistakes which may negate the health benefits of your tea, increasing the calorie content and making it more difficult to maintain a deficit for weight loss. Not sure if your tea is helping or hurting your diet? Doctors agree it all comes down to how much sugar you’re adding.
Sweet Tea
First and foremost, it’s important to be aware of the impact that tea can actually have on your metabolism. Due to its high caffeine content, tea can help to naturally reduce your appetite while also providing your body with added energy which will increase your overall caloric output when balanced with how much you’re eating.
“Tea contains a flavonoid called catechins that may have beneficial effects on appetite and metabolism as well. It only aids with weight loss when combined with other lifestyle interventions, but could help people to stick with their plan,” explains Angela Fitch, MD, FACP, FOMA and chair of Jenny Craig’s science advisory board.
Catechins can reduce inflammation in the body on top of the effect it may have on your metabolism, and are often also low in calories, giving you a boost without counting towards your daily intake. That being said, sweet tea, while admittedly delicious, can make it significantly more difficult to lose weight when consumed regularly over an extended period of time.
Iced sweet tea may be a refreshing summer staple, but loaded with excess sugar it can lead to unexpected weight gain if you aren’t aware of the ingredients included. “It is important to try not to add any sugar to your tea as this will decrease the health benefits,” warns Fitch. “I am not aware of any tea that is worse than others per se, unless you consider "sweet tea" which is tea with a lot of sugar.”
Ultimately all tea can be of great benefit to your health (weight loss tea aside). However, any tea, even green tea, can lose out on valuable nutrients when overloaded with sugar. Sweet tea may be delicious, but once you add sweetener it’s no longer a zero calorie boost of energy, but rather a sugar bomb which can slow your metabolism, cause a crash of energy, and even create inadvertent weight gain if you assume this drink is low calorie and consume it in excess.
For the most positive effects on your body without the energy crash, skip the sugar and sweeten your tea with a little bit of honey or lemon for added flavor. While it may no longer satisfy your sweet tooth, this tea preparation will make room for a healthier you in the future, and cutting out sugar from your tea may even help to reduce cravings down the line.
