Is Green Tea Really ‘Nature’s Ozempic’?

Question

Being curious about weight loss and health benefits, I decided to do some research on the topic and saw that the upcoming "trend" of Ozempic, a prescription medication for weight loss, has been gaining popularity for its potential benefits, and then came across this article stating green tea has been touted as 'Nature’s Ozempic’. When looking into this article further and seeing that green tea has been bandied about as a diet hack for centuries and seeing several studies stating In ancient China 2,000 years ago, people touted the beverage as a weight loss tool. In modern times, the drink has been a staple of diet books and meal plans in sources like Women's Health and Men's Fitness. I began to wonder if green tea could be a natural alternative to Ozempic for weight loss.

Comments

This claim was curated by many claims (especially on tiktok) pertaining to a common theme that consuming green tea leads to weight loss (aka “Natures Ozempic”).The real issue with this claim is the reference to Ozempic (Semaglutide, “an antidiabetic medication used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and an anti-obesity medication used for long-term weight management” ). The fact that green tea can help with weight loss is valid, however comparing it to a medical grade medication is false and construdes readers.
The New York Times issued an article digging deeper into this claim, “Is Green Tea Really ‘Natures Ozempic’?”, and found that while some components of green tea can hypothetically help you lose weight, there is no substantial evidence of a cause/effect relationship. “While there is some research into green tea and weight, the evidence on whether a mug (or several) can melt away pounds is unclear, said Dr. Jyotsna Ghosh, an obesity medicine doctor at Johns Hopkins University.”

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I like how you directly state what the article says and provide quotes It helps the reader acknowledge that you understand the importance of the information being stated! Along with mentioning what Ozempic actually is, this check would be even more credible if you include the link to the article cited!! Thanks!!

Answer 1

The claim that green tea is 'Nature's Ozempic' is misleading. Green tea has been proven to have health benefits due to the antioxidants it has, whereas black teas generally have less because the leaves are oxidized, according to The Today Show. Green tea also has naturally low occurring levels of sugar, fat, sodium, carbs, and fiber, and is mostly made of water, making it much healthier than a soda or sugary drink. 

A study conducted by The Cochrane Systematic Review and summarized by the National Institute of Health found that green tea preparations, meaning the active ingredients of catechins and caffeine were extracted from the green tea, showed little impact on weight for those in the trials. The green tea preparations also have a higher content of these active ingredients than a brewed cup of green tea, meaning brewed green tea will have even less of an impact on weight. 

Overall, green tea does have good health benefits when consumed without added sugar or cream, but the impact on weight loss is insignificant. 

Sources: https://www.today.com/health/diet-fitness/green-tea-benefits-rcna141328 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4025876/

Comments

This is a very well-rounded answer and provides various sources that back up your answer. I believe with the various sources from trusted webpages, especially given by the National Institute of Health adds much to the answer.

Answer 2

The claim that green tea is a natural Ozempic is somewhat true as they both help with weight loss but in very different ways. Ozempic is a popular medication used to increase insulin production in patients suffering with diabetes type 2 that allows people to feel full faster. According to UC Davis Health, Ozempic itself is not approved for weight loss, however, a larger does under a different name is. As for green tea, Medical News Today suggests that green tea contains a flavonoid called catechin, an antioxidant. Catechin helps break down excess fat and green tea itself is linked to a higher metabolism allowing the body to burn calories quicker. 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320540#:~:text=Green%20tea%20contains%20caffeine%20and,of%20energy%20the%20body%20uses.

https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/ozempic-for-weight-loss-does-it-work-and-what-do-experts-recommend/2023/07

Answer 3

The claim that green tea is a natural Ozempic is somewhat true as green tea can help with weight loss. Medical News Today suggests that green tea contains a flavonoid called catechin, an antioxidant. Catechin helps break down excess fat and green tea itself is linked to a higher metabolism allowing the body to burn calories quicker. Green tea also has caffeine in it which can help increase the body's metabolism as well.  

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320540#:~:text=Green%20tea%20contains%20caffeine%20and,of%20energy%20the%20body%20uses.

https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/ozempic-for-weight-loss-does-it-work-and-what-do-experts-recommend/2023/07

Answer 4

The claim that “Green tea is ‘Nature’s Ozempic’ is not completely true and is exaggerated and misleading. Green tea is one of the most common natural ingredients that can help with weight loss. You can read about a study that ran studies on overweight people and they reported you might lose, on average 0.2 to 3.5 kg in over 12 weeks. More information about this study is down below.

Whereas Ozempic is used to help adults who are obese to lose weight. It is a weekly injection that lowers blood sugar by helping the pancreas make more insulin. Ozempic tends to work by mimicking a naturally occurring hormone and shares more dramatic results.

Sources used: https://blog.nasm.org/green-tea-for-weight-loss

Study for weight loss using green tea:  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4025876/

What is Ozempic?: https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/ozempic-for-weight-loss-does-it-work-and-what-do-experts-recommend/2023/07