I’m sure we’ve all seen those advertisements for slimming teas, detox teas, and the sort. Many of these teas are heavily marketed on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok along with many others as a weight loss supplement as well as a way to help cleanse the body, but is it really possible to drop that weight you’ve dying to lose by simply drinking tea?
Many of the companies that sell these teas claim that their products can aid in digestion as well as increase the metabolism and help you shed unwanted weight without changing anything else in your routine. Some of them even claim to be able to rid the body of impurities by assisting the natural detoxification process.
In this article, let’s talk about the types of slimming teas available, whether they actually help with weight loss, the benefits, and the potentially harmful side effects.
Types of Slimming Teas
There are a surprising number of slimming teas out there and they all offer various flavors and properties with a multitude of claims as to how and why these teas work. A few of the most common types of slimming teas include:
- Metabolism Enhancers
- Body Fat Preventers
- Hunger Suppressors
According to the companies that promote these products, these teas can help you lose weight in a few different ways. One way is by suppressing your appetite with the goal of eliminating your need to snack on unhealthy foods in between meals. This also means you consume fewer calories in a day which is meant to put you in a calorie deficit, thus helping you lose weight.
Another way they claim to promote weight loss is by helping your body release toxins. They are often marketed as a quick and easy weight loss solution with some of them even being promoted by celebrities or social media influencers.
In reality, these types of teas function as diuretics which cause fluid loss by way of frequent urination or bowel evacuation. While this can result in immediate weight loss, it is likely, not fat loss and is typically temporary.
Do They Really Work?
The bottom line is no. Slimming teas alone does not make you lose weight. While they can be helpful as a pre-exercise drink due to their high caffeine content and energy-supporting ingredients, there is in fact very little proof that they actually do all that they claim to.
Most of the studies that these companies reference are very small and sometimes they’re not even based on the tea’s activity inside a person’s digestive system. Instead, they analyze the tea’s activity in a test tube. Obviously, these findings do not factor in the complexities of the human body and all the different elements present in the digestive system.
Benefits of Slimming Tea
Though there may not be sufficient evidence to support the claim that slimming teas can help you lose weight, there are other benefits to drinking certain teas depending on the type of blend they are and the quality of the ingredients used.
Green tea, for example, is known to be quite beneficial for those who wish to lose weight more quickly as it contains antioxidants that have been shown to increase metabolism as well as fat burning.
Additionally, if utilized safely and alongside a healthy diet, certain teas can help your weight loss journey by curbing the appetite, supporting your body’s fat-burning process, and even helping with constipation issues as many of these slimming teas contain ingredients that act as a laxative. This said it is important to use caution and not rely on a slimming tea if you are having digestive issues.
If you are experiencing constipation, you should talk to your doctor about this as there are different causes for this issue, and depending on their findings, they will likely suggest that you use a laxative that they’ve prescribed for your specific needs. Slimming teas are not intended to treat constipation and you should not attempt to do so.
Harmful Side Effects
There are numerous harmful side effects associated with slimming teas. Often times these teas contain an ingredient known as senna which can be used as a laxative but is also understood to cause major irritation to the large intestine.
Some of the most potentially dangerous side effects include:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Severe Dehydration
- Stomach Cramping
- Muscle Cramping
- Lowered Levels of Potassium
- Lowered Levels of Electrolytes
- Colon Function Weakened
Though most of the ingredients are often harmless, some of them can potentially interact with certain medications. Additionally, many of these slimming teas contain ingredients that are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nor do they have any legitimate scientific studies to back up their miraculous claims.
All the while, these companies insist that they use all-natural ingredients that usually include some sort of exotic new ingredient you’ve probably never heard of before.
They employ a common, but effective sales tactic claiming that this revolutionary ingredient is what all the celebrities have been using to stay thin and beautiful. That you can look like them too if you just buy their slimming tea that oftentimes doesn’t have any proven studies done by a third party that wasn’t funded by the company selling the product.
Conclusion
All in all, while there are a few different types of slimming teas out there touting various flavors, ingredients, and methods for achieving weight loss, ultimately there is little to no evidence that these claims are even remotely true.
While some of the ingredients included in these slimming teas do actually provide some benefits with respect to mildly increasing metabolism and assisting to alleviate constipation, mostly they are a risky venture that experts advise against taking as they have many adverse side effects that could be potentially life-threatening.
As with anything, you should do a lot of research on your own before deciding to take a new supplement. Especially if you are currently taking any medications as the ingredients in these slimming teas have been known to cause drug interactions with certain medications.