Green Tea And Keto: A Match Made In Heaven?

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that aims to shift the body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. With its weight loss and health benefits, keto dieters must be mindful of their beverage choices, as sugary drinks are off the menu. So, what about green tea? The good news is that pure tea, including green tea, has no carbohydrates and can be consumed when practising the keto diet. In fact, green tea is widely regarded as one of the best teas to drink while on a keto diet due to its beneficial antioxidants, weight loss properties, and ability to increase lean body mass and strengthen muscles.

Green tea is keto-approved

If you're on a keto diet, you'll know that it can be challenging to find drinks that are both tasty and approved. The good news is that green tea is one such drink. Not only is it keto-approved, but it also has numerous health benefits.

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that aims to get your body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. To achieve ketosis, you need to drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake and increase your consumption of fats and proteins.

Tea is a natural option that is keto-friendly, as long as it is pure tea with no added sugars or carbohydrates. Most herbal and green teas are extremely low in carbohydrates, typically containing less than 1 gram of net carbs per 8-ounce cup. This makes green tea an excellent choice for those on a keto diet.

Green tea is a powerhouse of antioxidants, particularly EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), which is known for its fat-burning properties. This makes it a great addition to a keto diet, as it can enhance the metabolic shift from glucose to fat for energy, aiding in weight management. Green tea also offers other health benefits, such as improving heart health and brain function.

How to consume green tea on a keto diet

When drinking green tea on a keto diet, it is important to avoid adding any milk or sugar, as these can contain carbohydrates and sugars that can interfere with ketosis. Instead, you can sweeten your tea with keto-approved sweeteners like monk fruit, stevia, or erythritol. You can also make bulletproof tea by adding MCT oil, coconut oil, or grass-fed butter to your tea to increase your intake of healthy fats and provide sustained energy.

Other keto-friendly teas

In addition to green tea, there are several other types of tea that are keto-friendly. These include black tea, oolong tea, and herbal teas such as peppermint, chamomile, ginger, and hibiscus. These teas offer a variety of flavours and health benefits, making them excellent choices to add to your keto diet.

Loose leaf tea is best

Green tea is keto-approved, and loose leaf tea is best. Loose leaf tea is superior in terms of quality and taste. The leaves are larger and more intact, and the tea can be used multiple times. The more intact the leaf, the better the flavour. The leaves used in tea bags are often broken fragments, and the tea is usually stale as it is exposed to air.

Loose leaf tea offers more control over the brewing experience. You can measure the perfect amount of tea, watch the steeping process, and judge when it is ready. The leaves have more room to expand in the water, and the resulting tea is smoother and creamier.

Loose leaf tea is also better for the environment. Tea bags create waste and microplastics, which are released into the drink and end up in landfills.

Loose leaf tea is usually better quality and higher grade, and it is often the only way to access high-quality, premium teas. While there is a higher price tag for premium loose leaf tea, there is not a significant gram-for-gram price increase over tea bags until you reach the premium offerings.

Avoid bottled tea

Green tea is keto-approved, but not all teas are created equal. While loose-leaf tea is keto-compliant, bottled tea is not always keto-friendly and should be avoided.

Bottled tea often contains a lot of added sugar, which can hinder your keto journey. Sugar is a carbohydrate, and to reach the ketosis state, you must avoid almost all carbohydrates. Even if you opt for an unsweetened variety, bottled tea may not offer the same health benefits as brewed tea. One study found that you would need to drink 20 bottles of store-bought tea to get the same amount of antioxidants present in just one home-brewed cup.

Additionally, companies tend to add more water than brewed tea to their products, diluting the tea and reducing its health benefits. The quality of tea used in bottled tea is also often lower than what you would use at home, and the bottling process itself can degrade the health benefits over time.

Therefore, it is best to avoid bottled tea and opt for brewing your own tea at home. Not only will you save money, but you'll also be able to control the ingredients and ensure your tea aligns with your keto diet.

Green tea has health benefits

Green tea is keto-approved and has many health benefits. Firstly, green tea contains very few calories and negligible carbohydrates, making it suitable for a ketogenic diet. It also contains beneficial antioxidants, which can help to prevent damage that may occur during ketosis. In addition, green tea may aid weight loss efforts, increase lean body mass, and strengthen muscles.

Green tea has been associated with numerous health benefits beyond its keto-friendly status. Here are some of the key advantages:

• Improved Cognition: Green tea contains caffeine and L-theanine, which have been linked to improved brain function, mood, and cognitive health. Studies suggest that regular consumption may lead to a lower risk of cognitive impairment in middle-aged and older adults.
• Fat Burning: Green tea may positively influence metabolism and enhance the fat-burning process, especially when combined with aerobic or resistance exercise.
• Cancer Prevention: While the evidence is mixed, some studies suggest that drinking green tea may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, including lung and ovarian cancer.
• Brain Health: The bioactive compounds in green tea, such as EGCG and L-theanine, may help protect the brain from aging and lower the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
• Oral Health: Research indicates that drinking green tea or using green tea extract could contribute to better oral health.
• Blood Sugar Management: Green tea may help regulate blood sugar levels, especially for individuals with type 2 diabetes. It has been shown to lower fasting blood sugar and HbA1c levels.
• Heart Health: Regular consumption of green tea may lower risk factors for heart disease, including blood pressure and lipids.
• Weight Loss: Green tea contains catechins, antioxidants that help break down fat and increase metabolic rate, which can aid in weight loss.
• Longevity: The polyphenols in green tea act as antioxidants, offering anti-aging effects and potentially contributing to a longer life.
• Stress Relief and Improved Mood: Green tea contains L-theanine, an amino acid that can help alleviate anxiety and stress while improving mood.
• Bone Health: The high concentration of antioxidants in green tea may enhance bone formation and protect against bone mass loss, thus reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

Add milk alternatives

While green tea is keto-approved, those following a keto diet must avoid almost all carbohydrates and eat a diet high in fat and protein. This means that if you are adding milk to your green tea, it should be low-carb and free from sugar and other carbohydrate additives.

There are many milk alternatives that you can add to your green tea that are keto-friendly. Here are some suggestions:

Oat Milk

Oat milk is a thick, oatmeal-like tasting milk made from whole oats. Many people believe it tastes much better than cow's milk, and it is certainly better for your body. It also tastes much better in green tea than cow's milk, although not as good as normal green tea with nothing in it.

Coconut Milk

Coconut milk has just a small amount of sweetness and tastes great in just about everything. It is better tasting in green tea than cow's milk, and adding a little honey will make it almost worth ruining the green tea for.

Soy Milk

Soy milk is often a better choice than cow's milk when mixing with green tea, as it contains lecithin instead of casein. Casein in cow's milk can bind with catechins, reducing their health benefits. Soy milk, with its different molecular structure, does not interfere as much with catechins, allowing you to retain more of the tea's health benefits. Additionally, soy milk can be a good option for those who are lactose intolerant or prefer plant-based alternatives.

Almond Milk

Almond milk is a massively inefficient milk alternative due to the amount of water almond trees take and how many almonds are needed for a gallon of almond milk. It is also nutritiously horrendous. However, it is better for you than cow's milk and will almost certainly taste better in green tea. Almond milk is best in matcha, but it has never been tried in green tea.

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