What is the Best Tea to Lose Weight?

Tea has been a popular beverage for thousands of years, and not just because of its taste. Rather, different types of tea can lend unique health benefits, ranging from focus to relaxation, detoxification, and in some cases, weight loss.

But of all the different options at your disposal, what is the best tea to lose weight? We’ll share the ten top choices below and show you where each has its place:

1. Green tea
2. Oolong tea
3. Black tea
4. Ginger tea
5. Peppermint tea
6. Hibiscus tea
7. Rooibos tea
8. White tea
9. Puerh tea
10. Herbal tea

Keep in mind, though, that even the best weight loss tea isn’t enough on its own to generate lasting results. You need to round out your regimen with dietary adjustments, regular exercise, good sleep, and effective supplements. Learn more about all the best tea for weight loss!

Why Drink Tea for Weight Loss?

Whether you're looking for an energy boost or something soothing, the best tea to lose weight offers a simple and natural way to support your weight loss goals while promoting overall well-being. 

Teas like green, oolong, and black are rich in catechins and antioxidants that can help boost metabolism, burn fat, and improve digestion. Tea can also help curb cravings, making it easier to resist unhealthy snacks or overeating.

Most teas are calorie-free, too, making them excellent alternatives to sugary drinks. Even just the act of drinking tea can help you be more mindful and encourage you to slow down and focus on hydration, which is often mistaken for hunger.

Head to your local supermarket or browse online and you’ll quickly discover just how many options you have at your fingertips, which can quickly overwhelm you. Not all tea will offer the same weight loss benefits, so let’s narrow it down to the best tea to lose weight below.

 

What is the Best Tea to Lose Weight? 10 Top Choices for Healthy, Sustained Weight Loss

We wrote a separate guide on what tea is best for gut health, and many of those options turn out to be great choices for weight loss in general as well. Let’s start with what most agree to be the best weight loss tea ever, green tea.

Green Tea

This classic choice is loaded in catechins, particularly EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate). Catechins are antioxidants that have been shown to boost metabolism, improve fat oxidation, and help the body burn fat more efficiently. 

Green tea also contains a modest amount of caffeine, which works in tandem with catechins to burn more calories and fat. It has also been linked to improved digestion and better regulation of blood sugar levels, helping to control cravings and prevent overeating.

Oolong Tea

Oolong tea is a partially fermented tea that falls between green and black tea in terms of oxidation. Its unique polyphenol content promotes fat loss by enhancing metabolic processes. 

Studies suggest that oolong tea can increase energy expenditure, promote lipid metabolism, and reduce fat accumulation, all of which support weight management. It’s extra beneficial for those looking to lose weight through improved fat breakdown. 

Drinking oolong tea regularly may also help balance blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of cravings that lead to weight gain. Next time you feel snackish, try brewing up some oolong tea instead!

Black Tea

Another one of the best teas to lose weight is black tea. It’s rich in flavonoids, a group of antioxidants that aid in fat distribution and body weight management. 

Unlike other teas, black tea undergoes full oxidation. This gives it a more robust flavor and higher caffeine content, in turn stimulating metabolism and promoting fat burning. 

Black tea has also been found to support gut health by promoting beneficial bacteria growth, which can indirectly aid weight loss by improving digestion and nutrient absorption. Regularly drinking black tea may help you shrink your waist circumference and body mass index (BMI).

Ginger Tea

Ginger tea is an effective herbal remedy known for its thermogenic properties - meaning it helps raise body temperature and stimulate metabolism. 

The active compounds in ginger, most notably gingerol, have been shown to reduce appetite, improve digestion, and accelerate the breakdown of fats. 

Drinking ginger tea before meals can promote feelings of fullness too, helping you avoid overeating. It has digestive benefits and may help reduce bloating, making it an excellent option for those looking to slim down and feel lighter.

Peppermint Tea

There’s nothing like warm peppermint tea on a cold winter night - but there is also reason to make this type of tea a part of your regular rotation for weight loss benefits! 

Peppermint tea has appetite-suppressing properties, so you can use it to manage cravings and stay on track with a calorie-controlled diet. Meanwhile, the menthol in peppermint relaxes the digestive system to ease digestion and bloating. 

This tea has also been linked to stress relief, which can indirectly support weight loss by reducing cortisol levels. Bringing cortisol levels down may help you slim down belly fat specifically.

Hibiscus Tea

Hibiscus tea is packed with polyphenols and anthocyanins, compounds that aid in fat breakdown and prevent fat absorption. This vibrant red tea has diuretic effects as well that help flush out excess water and reduce bloating.

This tea is also known for regulating lipid metabolism, which can help reduce body fat over time. Its slightly tart flavor can also curb the desire for sweet, sugary drinks, making it a natural alternative to help you manage cravings.

Rooibos Tea

This type of tea is native to South Africa and completely free of caffeine naturally, which is why we consider it one of the best weight loss teas for bedtime. 

It’s rich in aspalathin, a unique flavonoid shown to reduce stress hormones like cortisol. Since elevated cortisol levels are linked to weight gain in the abdomen, rooibos tea works wonders for stress-related weight management. 

Rooibos also contains antioxidants that assist in fat storage reduction and fat metabolism optimization. Similar to hibiscus tea, it has a natural sweetness that can help curb cravings for sugary snacks and drinks.

White Tea

White tea is the least processed of all teas, making it a must-consider for anyone seeking the best tea to lose weight. 

It retains a high concentration of catechins and other antioxidants that promote fat loss. Studies have shown white tea breaks down fat cells and prevents the formation of new ones. 

Its subtle flavor and lower caffeine content make it a soothing option for those who want to boost metabolism without overstimulation. White tea is also believed to force the body to use stored fat as energy, further supporting weight loss efforts.

Puerh Tea

Puerh tea is a fermented tea that is often consumed after meals to aid digestion and reduce fat accumulation. The fermentation process produces unique compounds that help regulate lipid metabolism and lower cholesterol levels. 

This tea has been shown to suppress the synthesis of fatty acids. This prevents weight gain and promotes fat loss. Its earthy flavor and digestive benefits make it a must-try for anyone looking to support their weight loss journey through improved digestion and fat breakdown.

Herbal Tea

Last but certainly not least on our list of the best weight loss tea, we have herbal tea - which is a bit vague, since you can find a wide variety of herbal teas. Options range from chamomile to dandelion, fennel, and more.

These share the common goal of supporting weight loss by promoting digestion, reducing bloating, and acting as natural diuretics. They may not directly boost metabolism the same way other options on this list do, but make no mistake - they have their place for detoxification. 

Herbal teas are caffeine-free and can be enjoyed throughout the day, helping you stay hydrated and reducing the urge to snack on unhealthy foods. 

A Word of Warning on Weight Loss and Detox Teas

There you have it, the best weight loss tea options at your disposal! But if you’re interested in undertaking a gut health detox, we want to quickly touch on products branded as “weight loss” or “detox” teas.

Many of these teas claim to be able to help you lose weight rapidly, but they do this through laxatives or diuretics. This can lead to weight loss, but it’s just short-term water loss rather than true fat reduction.

So not only are you not getting a long-term solution, but you’re putting yourself at risk of dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and potential digestive issues. In other words, it’s not worth it!

Many find these types of teas leave them feeling jittery since they contain so much caffeine, too. This can affect your heart rate and sleep patterns. 

At the end of the day, anything claiming to be a magic bullet is probably too good to be true. Stick with the best tea to lose weight paired with a holistic approach to weight management. Speaking of which…

More Ways to Safely Lose Weight in Addition to Tea for Weight Loss

Drinking tea to lose weight is just one of the many tactics you have at your disposal for sustainable, steady weight loss. You should pair these teas with other lifestyle changes, from diet and exercise to sleep and stress management. Here are some quick tips:

• Eat a Balanced Diet: Prioritize whole foods rich in nutrients like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Avoid processed foods high in sugar and unhealthy fats.
• Maintain a Caloric Deficit: Perhaps more importantly, your calorie intake should be less than your calorie expenditure to lose weight. Track your intake and adjust as needed to stay within a healthy range. A safe gauge to lose 1-2 pounds a month is to consume 100-200 calories less than you need to maintain your weight daily. Slow and steady wins the race!
• Exercise Regularly: Combine cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises and aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week.
• Stay Hydrated: Drinking water supports weight loss by boosting metabolism and reducing overeating, especially when consumed before meals. It’s just sound advice in general - get 6-8 cups daily.
• Get Quality Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night, as poor sleep can lead to weight gain by affecting hunger hormones and lowering energy levels.
• Manage Stress: Chronic stress can lead to emotional eating and weight gain, so practice like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing to ease your mind and live an overall healthier, happier life.

You might also look into the best gut healing supplements to create a stable base for long-term results. After all, sustainable weight loss starts with a healthy gut. 

Parting Thoughts on the Best Tea for Weight Loss

As simple as it sounds, making the best tea for weight loss a part of your daily routine can make a dramatic difference in your transformation. From green tea’s metabolism-boosting properties to ginger tea’s appetite control capabilities, there are plenty of options to choose from.

You can learn more about how to lose weight without counting calories or how to increase GLP-1 naturally in our blog, with resources on juice cleanse to lose weight, does B12 help you lose weight, homemade drinks to lose weight fast, natural alternatives to semaglutide, how to reduce Ozempic side effects, how much is GLP-1 without insurance, best fruit for gut health, vitamins for bloating, and more.

 

Whether you need a prebiotic or probiotic supplement or both we’ve got clinically studied solutions waiting to be discovered. 

 

¹GLP-1 boost seen in prebeet® human cellular studies.