Green tea edges black coffee for weight loss in research, but neither is a magic fix
A 2024 review in the British Journal of Nutrition found green tea helped slightly with weight loss, while coffee showed no notable change.
Rising weight has become a worry for many people. Weight goes up very fast but comes down very slowly. Overeating, poor eating habits and lack of exercise are common reasons for weight gain. Certain drinks are often considered beneficial for weight loss, and green tea and black coffee are the names that come up most. The question is which one to pick if only one drink is to be chosen, and which can help lose weight faster.
Take green tea first. Green tea contains an antioxidant called catechin. It also contains a compound called EGCG. Green tea also has some caffeine. Both of these can affect how the body uses energy and fat.
According to the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), green tea helps considerably with weight loss. However, it says the effect does not last for long. This means relying on green tea alone for weight loss is not right. Expecting it to reduce belly fat is also not right.
Now black coffee. Black coffee contains caffeine, which helps drive away sleep and relieve fatigue. Caffeine also affects the body's energy expenditure. This is why some people prefer to drink black coffee during a workout. Even so, black coffee is not a magic remedy for weight loss. Drinking coffee helps reduce belly fat, but it does not offer much benefit for losing weight. On the contrary, your weight depends on how many calories you take in each day and how many you burn.
Now let us see what research says. The British Journal of Nutrition published a systematic review and network meta-analysis in 2024 that looked at the difference tea and coffee make to weight. It covered 22 randomised trials and 1,710 adults. The research showed that green tea helped a little with weight loss. However, the quality of the evidence was weak. Coffee, on the other hand, showed no notable change in weight.
This suggests that between coffee and green tea, green tea proves more beneficial for weight loss. But this alone is not enough to lose weight. A little exercise and nutritious eating also play an important role.
