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Slimming teas

Can you really drink yourself thin with slimming teas? Our intrepid reporter Andrea Wren investigates

Victoria Beckham, Jerry Hall and Joss Stone are among the many celebrities who are said to be staying slim through drinking Pu'er Tea, an ancient Chinese brew which is thought to raise the body's metabolism so that it burns more calories with minimal exercise. Call it a hunch, but my guess is that Victoria Beckham is not pigging out at the chippy the rest of the time!

With its celeb status, it is the Chinese Pu'er (or Pu'erh) tea that has received the most attention when it comes to weight loss. Others include green tea, 'hoodia' and various tea blends, such as 'Figuro' by Birt&Tang, which combines Pu'er with other Chinese herbs such as Cassia tora, Water Lily leaf, cinnamon and cloves (herbs which have apparently been used in China for centuries to warm the stomach, stimulate digestion, and eliminate retained fluids and stagnant chi energy).

Another slimming tea on the market, which is based on the principles of Ayurveda, is 'Women's Fitness Tea' by Yogi Teas. This has been formulated with ingredients including rosemary, nettle, rooibos and green mate, the South American plant and natural energiser that, it is claimed, promotes a healthy metabolism.

And there is even a slimming aid coffee, CoffeeSLENDER, made from raw, unroasted (or green) coffee beans, and which has some backing in research. Norwegian scientist Dr Erling Thom participated in a study involving CoffeeSLENDER, which was published in 2007 in The Journal of International Medical Research. Dr Thom concluded that: 'Green coffee bean extract supplemented coffee has a significant effect on the absorption and utilisation of glucose from the diet. This effect, when CoffeeSLENDER is used for a reasonable period, has shown to aid a significant reduction in body weight and body fat.'

But can you really drink your way thin through a cuppa? Natalie Willis, 31, a customer designer from Bristol, has been drinking Dragonfly Organic Pu'er tea for six months and swears by it.

'I wasn't expecting any miracles from a simple tea, but I noticed the effects within a month after drinking it ceremoniously three-times-a-day with just a normal, balanced diet and the odd naughty treat,' she explains.

'I lost 10lbs in a month and went from a size 16 to a 14. Five months down the line, I'm very content with my curvy size 12 frame, and although I know that my new healthy living lifestyle has contributed to my weight loss greatly, I have no doubt that Pu'er has been instrumental in my successful long-standing fight against the flab.'

Still, Natalie's experience wasn't part of a clinical trial. I've been drinking a variety of these so-called slimming teas and coffees several times a day for a fortnight, and other than enjoy their lovely flavours, I have not dropped a dress size (or even an ounce).

Commenting on the teas alone, celebrity nutritionist Jeanette Jackson (www.jeannettejackson.com) thinks we shouldn't rely on these drinks as 'miracle' weight-loss methods, although she stresses that they are certainly beneficial to health.

'I would never suggest the tea is used as a slimming aid. They purport to aid weight loss, which has never been scientifically proven.

'The weight loss aspect probably comes from the fact that milk and sugar are not added to the drink and also, when people buy these teas, they may be at a stage where they are making other changes to diet as well, so weight loss is a consequence of a change of routine.

'However, many of these teas can offer tremendous health benefits and have been known to reduce cholesterol and aid digestion. They also contain high amounts of antioxidants and so are healthy from that perspective. The teas can, and do, offer health benefits and so could be included in a daily diet, but to lose weight and keep it off, you need a healthy diet.'

And, of course, you need a healthy relationship with food, which drinking a tea can never teach you. Surinder Phull, head nutritionist at Eat Well adds: 'Effective weight loss is a complex issue which involves dealing with both physical and emotional factors.

'In certain cases, a particular food may be useful as part of a whole weight management programme, but the magic bullet for weight loss simply does not exist in the form of any food, drink or quick-fix diet.'

Weight loss for many people is hard work, she says, which involves tackling individual issues that may be preventing someone from losing weight and looking at the reasons why someone may be over-eating.

'Although a particular food may help boost the metabolism of certain individuals, it certainly will not work alone,' she concludes.

Interested in trying these teas?

• Dragonfly Organic Pu-er or green teas available from: www.dragonflyteas.com
• Slender Pu'erh tea, £8.99 per box available from: www.lifes2good.co.uk or 0845 399 0042
• Women's Fitness £1.89 per box available from health food stores, Holland & Barrett or www.teaworld.co.uk or www.yogitea.nl
• CoffeeSLENDER £11.95 for a box of Sachets available from Boots and www.CoffeeSlender.co.uk
• Birt & Tang Figuro, £1.99 per box, available from Sainsbury's, health food shops or www.birtandtang.co.uk

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