Is green tea nature’s Ozempic?

Green tea has become a hot topic on social media as some influencers tout it as ‘nature’s Ozempic.’ Of course, people are asking if this is true. The short answer is no. To understand why, we must break down what Ozempic® and green tea are, and what they do.

What is green tea and how does it affect the body?

Green tea comes from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, which is native to East Asia and Southeast Asia. There are two components of green tea that may impact weight loss:

• Polyphenols which may help with fat oxidation, how your body turns fatty acids into energy, and
• Caffeine which may increase the rate your body burns calories while at rest. It can also function as a laxative and cause an increase in bowel movements.

Green tea has benefits

The antioxidants found in green tea can have a positive impact on your heart health, cholesterol levels and cognitive function. Those benefits also depend on how much green tea you consume. Green tea extract has a higher concentration of caffeine and polyphenols than your average bag of green tea. Too much green tea can lead to side effects such as a lack of sleep and increased heart rate.

Does green tea impact weight loss?

While we need more studies, there is research that shows people who drank green tea lost three to four pounds over a 90-day period.

What is Ozempic?

Ozempic is a GLP-1 medication developed to help patients diagnosed with diabetes. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved it for weight loss. (Wegovy®, another GLP-1, is FDA approved for weight loss.)

GLP-1 is a naturally occurring hormone that tells the pancreas to release insulin needed to lower blood sugar levels. Medications such as Ozempic behave like insulin, helping patients with diabetes control their blood sugar levels. The medication also slows the digestion of food and creates a feeling of being full, causing the person using Ozempic to eat less.

How does Ozempic impact weight loss?

Although the main purpose of medications like Ozempic is to trigger the insulin that controls blood sugar levels, appetite suppression is one of the effects. Users can experience an 18% to 20% weight loss over a 90-day period.

The bottom line on green tea and Ozempic

Green tea can be a good addition to your healthy diet, but it is not comparable to GLP-1 medications for weight loss. It has been attributed to a few pounds of weight loss, which is minimal in terms of health benefits. 

Green tea is among a list of natural remedies that you can incorporate into your diet. However, there is no short cut to weight loss. The best combination for weight loss success is physical activity, managing stress levels and eating a diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and minimal ultra-processed foods.