Herbal Tea: A Safe and Healthy Way to Lose Weight Naturally

Tea is a traditional beverage known for its natural, healthful qualities and as an excellent aid for natural weight loss.

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Losing weight has long been a goal for many people from different backgrounds. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) offers a variety of herbal teas, including those made with lotus leaf charcoal, which can help reduce water retention, eliminate excess fat, and eliminate phlegm and dampness, ultimately leading to healthy weight loss and the reduction of unwanted belly fat.

In TCM, phlegm and dampness are considered the primary causes of obesity. These substances accumulate as excess waste due to imbalances in the organs. They encompass fat cells and pathological products like high cholesterol and high blood sugar. Therefore, when addressing obesity, TCM often begins by regulating the internal organs’ functions, aiming to expel harmful substances from the body.

Tea has been a traditional beverage in Chinese culture since ancient times, known for its natural and healthful qualities and as an excellent aid for natural weight loss. This article will introduce the formulas for several effective weight-loss teas.

1. Slimming Tea: Eliminates Excess Belly Fat

If you have an “apple-shaped” body characterized by excess weight in the upper body and extra fat around the waist, consider trying Slimming Tea, which contains cassia seeds, hawthorn, and tangerine peel.

In TCM, many illnesses are believed to be caused by external pathogenic factors (wind, cold, heat, dryness, dampness, and fire). When “dampness” invades the body, it can lead to dysfunction of the internal organs, preventing the expulsion of excess moisture. This, in turn, can result in conditions like edema.

Cassia seeds can clear internal dryness and alleviate internal heat, promoting bowel movements and aiding the body in expelling excess moisture and waste. Therefore, individuals who already have regular bowel movements should avoid excessive consumption of cassia seeds, as it may lead to diarrhea. Hawthorn can stimulate fat breakdown, alleviate food stagnation, and improve blood lipid levels. Tangerine peel contains volatile oils that can regulate digestive functions and dispel intestinal gas.

Instructions

Place 15 grams of cassia seeds (adjust based on constipation severity) and 4 grams each of hawthorn and tangerine peel into a filter bag. Insert the bag into a thermos. Next, add 600 milliliters (about 2.5 cups) of boiling water and steep for 10 to 15 minutes before consumption. After consuming about half of it, you can top it off with hot water and enjoy it throughout the day until the herbs lose flavor.

Suggestion: You can utilize the tea-steeping time to incorporate a 10-minute workout, such as dumbbell exercises targeting the upper body, to enhance the fat-burning effect.

Caution: Individuals with stomach issues or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) should avoid drinking this tea because hawthorn is rich in fruit and citric acid, increasing stomach acid and irritating the gastric mucosa. Additionally, pregnant women should consume it cautiously, as hawthorn possesses blood-activating and stasis-removing properties, and excessive consumption during pregnancy may pose a risk of miscarriage or premature birth. Lastly, drinking this tea on an empty stomach is not advisable.

2. Anti-Bloat Body Tonic: Improves Lower Body Obesity

If you have a “pear-shaped” body characterized by excess weight in the lower body, wide hips, and bulky calves, consider trying this Anti-Bloat Body Tonic, containing Poria cocos, Codonopsis, and pink rose buds.

Poria cocos can invigorate the spleen, dispel dampness, and alleviate edema. Codonopsis can tonify qi. In TCM, the term “qi” can be understood as the “energy” or “life force” that constitutes the human body’s life essence. This energy flows throughout the body, sustaining vital life functions; ailments or other conditions arise when there is an imbalance or insufficiency of qi within the body. Pink rose buds can soothe the liver, regulate qi, promote blood circulation, remove stasis, aid in metabolism, and boost skin health.

Instructions

Place 12 grams of Poria cocos, 3 grams of Codonopsis, and four to six pink rose buds into a filter bag and insert it into a thermos. Then, add 600 milliliters (about 2.5 cups) of boiling water and steep for 10 to 15 minutes before consumption.

Similarly, you can complement this with lower body exercises, like squats, to boost the fat-burning effect. Squats engage muscles such as the glutes, hamstrings, and abdominal muscles. Since 60 percent to 70 percent of the body’s muscles are concentrated in the lower body, squats can effectively help with fat burning and slimming, especially for individuals with lower-body obesity and bloating.

Suggestion: Opt for hot beverages whenever possible and avoid consuming cold drinks and desserts. Consider carrying a thermos with you, as drinking warm water can warm your body from within. This, in turn, will speed up your metabolism, allowing it to burn more calories and help you maintain a healthy physique.

Caution: Pink rose buds possess blood-activating and stasis-removing properties, making this tea unsuitable for pregnant women or those planning to become pregnant.

3. Blood-Circulating and Fat-Reducing Tea: Clears Blood Vessel Debris

This tea is an excellent choice for individuals prioritizing healthy weight loss and cardiovascular well-being. Its main ingredients include hawthorn, Panax notoginseng, rose buds, and chrysanthemum.

Panax notoginseng can promote blood circulation, remove stasis, reduce visceral fat, and aid in clearing long-accumulated phlegm and dampness. Rose buds can soothe liver qi. Chrysanthemum can nourish the liver and brighten the eyes while also assisting in fat burning.

If qi or the spleen (the primary organ associated with qi production) is weak, bodily fluids cannot be transported and transformed properly, accumulating “dampness.” Dampness can condense into “phlegm” when it persists for an extended period. TCM addresses weight loss by fundamentally eliminating accumulated dampness and phlegm.

Instructions

Wash 10 grams of hawthorn and 3 grams of Panax notoginseng. Add them to approximately 1,500 milliliters (a little over 6 ¼ cups) of water and simmer for about 30 minutes until you have about one bowl of liquid left. Then, add five or six rose buds and five or six chrysanthemum flowers and simmer for an additional 10 minutes before consumption.

Suggestion: Drink this tea two or three times a week for optimal results.

Caution: Both rose buds and Panax notoginseng possess blood-activating and stasis-removing properties, so women shouldn’t consume this tea during their menstrual period. It is also not recommended for individuals with stomach issues or acid reflux due to the high acidity of hawthorn.

4. Lotus Leaf Tea: Lowers Cholesterol and Blood Pressure

Lotus leaves can improve blood lipid levels, making them beneficial for obese individuals with high cholesterol. When brewed as a tea, the leaves form a protective barrier on the intestinal walls that inhibits fat absorption in the body. This property not only aids in fat reduction but also helps lower blood pressure.

Instructions

Place 15 to 20 grams of lotus leaves and 6 grams of green tea leaves in boiling water and simmer for approximately 15 minutes before consumption.

Lotus leaf tea can promote urination and help reduce lipid levels. For individuals with facial puffiness or lower urine output, drinking this tea before meals can boost metabolism, aid detoxification, and contribute to weight loss.

Suggestion: Avoid excessive consumption, as it may lead to diarrhea.

5. Lotus Leaf Charcoal: Ancient Weight-Loss Secret

Lotus leaf charcoal, also known as lotus leaf extract, is a distinctive ingredient renowned for its effectiveness in enhancing digestion, promoting weight loss, and eliminating phlegm and dampness. Most TCM stores possess the expertise required to produce lotus leaf charcoal. Simply inform the proprietors of your needs, and they should be able to prepare it for you.

Dai Sigong, a renowned Chinese physician in the Ming Dynasty, documented the efficacy of lotus leaf charcoal in his renowned work “Zheng Zhi Yao Jue (證治要訣).” What he wrote about lotus leaf charcoal roughly translates to: “It can be used to treat edema caused by Yang water. Burn and preserve lotus leaves, grind them into powder, mix with rice water, and consume. Consuming lotus leaf charcoal in this way can make a person appear lean. If someone is pretending to be ill and wishes to create the impression of a weaker body, simply taking lotus leaf charcoal can help reduce swelling.”

The text clearly outlines the method of making and consuming lotus leaf charcoal and its benefits in body shaping and eliminating excess water.

Long-term consumption of lotus leaf charcoal will naturally reduce cravings for greasy foods and decrease appetite, thereby aiding in calorie control.

Instructions

Mix 5 to 15 grams of lotus leaf charcoal with rice soup and consume it once or twice daily. Continue this regimen for one month to achieve weight loss and reduce bloating.

Some herbs mentioned in this article may be unfamiliar, but they are generally available in health food and Asian grocery stores. It is important to note that treatment methods may vary depending on the individual. Please consult with a health care professional for a specific treatment plan.