If you drink green tea every day and expect it to automatically lead to weight loss or a major improvement in metabolism, you may be a little disappointed. Yes, green tea has a positive effect on human health, but it cannot help in some ways on its own. However, certain ingredients can change that. Do you know what happens when you add regular pepper to tea?

Studies suggest that green tea on its own has only mild positive health effects. However, when combined with spices such as black pepper, these effects can be amplified. Why is this a promising combination? How do the substances work together on the body and how can they help?

How green tea affects the body

Green tea is rich in catechins, which have been repeatedly studied for their effects on metabolism and fat burning. Regular consumption of four cups of green tea a day for 12 weeks has led to weight loss of up to three kilograms, according to studies. In addition, if the tea is strong enough, the BMI is also significantly reduced.

Yet research warns that the effect of green tea alone is usually small and in most cases lags far behind the effects of dietary changes or regular exercise. So, simply put, tea helps, but it is certainly not enough on its own.

Pepper is an ingredient that can turn green tea into the perfect medicinal drink. ━━ Pepper is an ingredient that can turn green tea into the perfect medicinal drink. ( Source: Anas Alhajj /  Unsplash+ )

Adding pepper to tea

Spices, especially black pepper and its main constituent piperine, offer an interesting modifier of the effects of tea. Research shows that piperine can increase the bioavailability of catechins from the beverage. For example, in mice, studies have shown an increase in maximum concentration when tea is administered together with pepper.

Furthermore, piperine exhibits separate metabolic effects. In high-fat diet experiments in animals, it led to a 12-15% reduction in body weight. Thus, this dual combination, i.e. catechins + piperine, may not just be a marketing gimmick, but a science-based approach to using green tea more effectively.

Try peppermint tea for yourself

Many people sip green tea with great anticipation. But the truth is that if a person wants to be healthy, they need to focus on lifestyle first and foremost. Eat healthy, move around, maintain sleep hygiene. The drink can then help you lose weight, especially when you add freshly ground pepper or let the whole black peppercorns infuse in it.