The more and more popular decaffeinated green tea is basically the same as green tea but with the caffeine removed. Many critics claim that when removing the caffeine the goodness is also removed although this is not necessarily the case as there are two main ways that this type of tea is decaffeinated and they each create different results nutrition wise. Decaf green tea benefits may be reduced slightly by the decaffeination process but decaf tea still offers substantial health benefits in terms of the presence of polyphenols such as catechins which still act as antioxidants.
Decaffeinated Green Tea Weight Loss
Drinking this tea is a great way to enhance your body’s natural fat burning ability by introducing caffeine and polyphenols to the body such as catechins which speed up your metabolism which speeds up weight loss. Such a tea still contains catechins and therefore retains most of the normal weight loss effects of regular tea.
How is Decaf Tea made?
The first of the two methods used to make decaf green tea involves introducing a chemical solvent (ethyl acetate) to extract the caffeine in the tea. Unfortunately this process removes around 70% of catechins naturally found in green type of tea but still offers a certain level of health benefit and is especially good for those who want to avoid caffeine whilst enjoying the healing power of this tea. The second method of removing caffeine involves the harmless use of carbon dioxide and water (effervescence) to remove the caffeine from the tea. This process is referred to as the C02 decaffeination method and is the more positive decaffeination method leaving most of the antioxidants intact (95%).
Decaf vs. Normal Green Tea
The benefits of drinking caffeine free tea are the same as drinking normal tea only that one type of decaf possesses much less antioxidants than the normal blend. Drinking the C02 decaffeinated blend of tea achieves practically the same health benefits as normal green tea but with less harmful caffeine which is great for those who need to avoid caffeine for health purposes.
Is Green Tea Decaffeinated Naturally?
There are products marketed as naturally decaffeinated green tea but one should be careful with the term “naturally.” In fact, the term “natural” merely refers to the type of decaffeination process using ethyl acetate because this tea contains a small amount of ethyl acetate anyway and that is it. The process itself is not natural and the ethyl acetate used is not derived from tea itself but rather from an external chemical compound. The best decaf is probably a matter of personal choice so long as it does not have and artificial additives and you like the way it tastes.
Decaffeinated Tea Products
For those who do not want to brew and drink green tea to enjoy its benefits there are always the option of taking the tea extract in tablet form. Always consult your doctor to make sure you do not exceed the recommended daily amount of ECGC polyphenols if you are pregnant. Arizona decaf tea is a great idea for those people wanting to avoid caffeine but who love ice tea and want the benefits of green tea. However, think carefully about buying such a products that have been adapted for convenience such as cold drinks and tablets. Because a large part of the ease and benefits of this type of tea is when it is simply drank and enjoyed both for health and relaxation.