In 2004, Oprah Winfrey reported in one of her TV shows, that you could loose 10 lbs if you switched from drinking coffee to green tea. This resulted in the whole world taking notice of green tea as a weight reduction tool, rather than just a 'pleasant beverage'. 

The benefits of green tea

Green tea has been used by the Chinese for centuries as a way of reducing weight and looking after your body. There is a lot of scientific evidence that drinking green tea increases your metabolism, burns fat and helps you eventually loose weight.

The green tea leaves are less processed than the normal black and white tea that is drunk the world over. reportedly contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols. Antioxidants are substances that scavenge free radicals -- damaging compounds in the body that alter cells, tamper with DNA (genetic material), and even cause cell death. Free radicals occur naturally in the body, but environmental toxins (including ultraviolet rays from the sun, radiation, cigarette smoke, and air pollution) also give rise to these damaging particles. 

Scientists believe that free radicals contribute to the aging process as well as the development of a number of health problems, including cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants such as polyphenols in green tea can neutralize free radicals and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage they cause.

There is popular research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.

How to use Oprah's green tea diet

If you want to follow her diet, simply substitute green tea with your normal beverage. Start with 2 cups of tea a day (one in the morning and one in the evening) and gradually increase by a cup or two over the following weeks.

This should not mean that you just diet by tea alone. You must continue eating your normal food, but increase the number of raw fruits and vegetables in your diet.

You may experience some uncomfortably higher bowel movement, but this is just temporary as your body gets used to the natural ingredients in green tea,