In 2006 researchers Kristel Diepvens, Klaas R. Westerterp, and Margriet S. Westerterp-Plantenga published a research paper entitled “Obesity and Thermogenesis Related to the Consumption of Caffeine, Ephedrine, Capsaicin, and Green Tea.” This article reviews information about the three substances in relation to metabolism.
Spicing up Food
Several studies indicate that capsaicin (red pepper) is an appetite suppressant that can slightly increase metabolism. Spicing up one’s favorite foods with capsaicin-containing spices and using red pepper as a condiment can aid in increasing the rate of fat burning or thermogenesis.
Thermogenics are substances that consume calories and produce heat as they are ingested. They are often described as"fat burners." Green tea is another substance classified as thermogenic.
Drinking Green Tea
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published an article entitled “Ingestion of a Tea Rich in Catechins Leads to a Reduction in Body Fat and Malondialdehyde-modified LDL in Men” written by Tomonori Nagao and a team of six researchers. The rather lengthy title summarizes the results of the research; green tea can aid in weight-loss.
Green tea also has other health benefits which include antioxidant effects and contributions to heart health. Profit-seeking companies have tried to capitalize on these benefits by incorporating green tea in commercial products ranging from chewing gum to soft drinks, but not all green tea products contain the same level of catechins.
Catechins
Researchers believe that catechins are responsible for the health benefits of green tea. Catechins are plant-based substances classified as polyphenols “that have been shown to have antioxidant, anticancer, and antiviral properties” (WebMD). Accordingly, the individual who endeavors to implement green tea in a health regimen needs to establish a catechin-rich source of green tea.
Supermarket Savvy has published a newsletter that provides some information about the content of some green tea products. Determining the nutritional content of such products is important because the product must contain a sufficient level of the active ingredient to have a thermogenic effect.
Best Source of Green Tea
The study from the Journal of Clinical Nutrition pertaining to green tea catechins concluded that, “Daily consumption of tea containing 690 mg catechins for 12 (weeks) reduced body fat, which suggests that the ingestion of catechins might be useful in the prevention and improvement of lifestyle-related diseases, mainly obesity.”
Thus to derive benefit, the consumer has to ensure that he or she daily consumes 690 milligrams of catechins in the form of green tea. Independent information source such as Supermarket Savvy can aid the consumer in evaluating his/her purchases for nutritional content.
Additionally, "In a recent study (Oolong Tea Increases Metabolic Rate and Fat Oxidation in Men), 102 Chinese women who drank four cups of oolong tea per day (the brew from four 2 g teabags) lost over a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight during a 6-wk period," so possible thermogenic effects of oolong tea are also being researched. And even chewing gum may have thermogenic effects.
Chewing Gum
Andre Platzman in the article “Burn Calories without Breaking a Sweat: Use these Seven Tips to Make your Metabolism Work Overtime Even While you're Resting” quotes Dan Bernardot the author of Nutrition for Serious Athletes and notes that “researchers at the Mayo Clinic have found that chewing gum will burn an additional 11 calories per hour…It's estimated that if you chew noncaloric gum during waking hours, and if you do not make any changes to your eating or exercise routines, you can lose 10 pounds of body fat in a year.”
The drawback of this metabolism booster is that gum-chewing is prohibited in some areas and workplaces; nonetheless, the strategy may be useful. Additional metabolism boosters include coffee (without calorie-laden additives) due to its caffeine content and capsaicin in combination with caffeine.
Red Pepper and Caffeine
The British Journal of Nutrition published an article entitled “Combined Effects of Red Pepper and Caffeine Consumption on 24 Hour Energy Balance in Subjects Given Free Access to Foods” and the authors of the study (Yoshioka M et. al) concluded that “the consumption of red pepper and caffeine can induce a considerable change in energy balance when individuals are given free access to foods.”
How Much Red Pepper to Increase Metabolism?
In the study, “8.6 and 7.2 g red pepper were also added to lunch and dinner respectively. Red pepper and caffeine consumption significantly reduced the cumulative ad libitum energy intake and increased energy expenditure. The mean difference in energy balance between both conditions was 4000 kJ/d” (4000 kilojoules = 955 calories).
To rephrase, almost 1000 additional calories per day were burned by combining caffeine consumption with substances containing red pepper. The group participating in the study consumed 19 grams of red peppers throughout the day (an average of 6 grams of “red peppered snacks” or food at each meal) and 200 mg. of caffeine consumed in a cup of coffee at each of three daily meals. Note: 300 mg. is the recommended daily limit of caffeine consumption although individuals vary in tolerance.
The New York Daily News published an article, “ 15 Fat-burning Foods,” about the capsaicin and caffeine combination that simply states “men who consumed coffee and red pepper-packed snacks and meals burned almost 1,000 more calories a day than the control group.”
So green tea, caffeine, red pepper, iced water and calorie-free chewing gum are several proven metabolism boosters that individuals seeking weight loss can employ.
References:
Diepvens, K., Westerterp, K., Westerterp-Plantenga, M. Obesity and Thermogenesis Related to the Consumption of Caffeine, Ephedrine, Capsaicin, and Green tea. American Journal of Physiology.
Rumpler, W., Seale, J., Clevidence, B., Judd, J. et. al. Oolong Tea Increases Metabolic Rate and Fat Oxidation in Men. Journal of Nutrition. 131:2848-2852, November 2001
Yoshioka, M., Doucet, E., Drapeau, V., Dionne, I., Tremblay, A. Combined Effects of Red Pepper and Caffeine Consumption on 24 Hour Energy Balance in Subjects Given Free Access to Foods. British Journal of Nutrition. 2001. Volume 85, pages 203±211.
Warner, Jennifer. Green Tea Fights Fat, Green Tea Ingredient May Promote Healthy Weight Loss. WebMD Health News.
Marian Henderson - I was in the Marine Corps for 12 years, and after completing my last four-year enlistment, I became a Merchant Marine. I worked aboard ...
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