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A couple of girls asked me if they could slim down just by drinking “diet tea”. Well any unsweetened, natural tea or simply plain water can promote weight loss. Herbal tea or water does not have some magical property that burns fat, but it definitely helps to avoid overeating. Many people confuse thirst for hunger, so if you stay hydrated, that false cue won’t happen. If you drink herbal tea, that also means that you are not consuming any sugary, caloric beverages that are full of calories, which again may influence your weight control positively.

So you may ask yourself or me, why on earth they promote certain teas as “diet tea”. Many of them share one common ingredient called Senna which is a strong laxative. Senna stimulates muscles in the intestine to contract and push stool through your system. However, laxatives just clean out your colon, you have already consumed the calories. So basically you may lose some weight due to water loss, but you will gain it back when you eat or drink again. What’s more, if you use this laxative tea for too long, your bowel muscles may lose their normal tone and be unable to work on their own.

I suggest you read the ingredient labels carefully. If it has Senna, added sugar or sweeteners, put it back on the shelf. Check if your tea has caffeine in it. It is certainly less than in coffee, but if you are drinking a lot of tea, it adds up. You can avoid insomnia or nervousness by shortening the brewing time or just sticking to herbal teas.

When you drink tea, make sure you have it plain. Cream, milk, sugar and biscuits should not be part of your tea routine. But fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains or nuts are perfect matches for your herbal tea. Make it a ceremony: buy a mug that you like to drink from, arrange some healthy snacks beautifully and take a break from your busy life – sit down and drink tea!