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Diets

Dandelion Tea Can Help Speed Weight Loss and Boost Liver Function

Korean researchers report that it can work as well as a prescription weight loss drug

When we think about sipping an herbal tea, calming thoughts usually come to mind. A large body of research shows that steeped herbs can reduce stress and improve sleep. Certain teas, however, can do much, much more. That includes dandelion tea, which is packed with immune-boosting phytonutrients. And if you’re looking to set yourself up for weight loss and optimal health this year, dandelion root tea is an excellent remedy.

Dandelion tea optimizes liver function

Flavonoids in dandelion root tea (an earthy, bittersweet herbal brew) work to break up fatty deposits and heal damaged cells in the liver. This improves the organ’s ability to process toxins and burn fat for fuel. All told, these effects help dieters who drink this brew to lose weight up to 30 percent faster than those who don’t.

Polyphenols in the dandelion tea block fat storage

Sipping dandelion root tea can help keep indulgences from going to your waistline as effectively as the weight-loss drug Orlistat, report Korean researchers in Nutrition Research and Practice. Credit goes to the brew’s polyphenols. These plant compounds block the activity of an enzyme needed to break down fat during digestion, preventing up to 25 percent of fat consumed from being absorbed.

Dandelion tea can help flush false fat

Dandelion root contains diuretic compounds that spur the kidneys to release excess water weight, according to research in The Journal of Complementary Medicine. The payoff: Women who sip the tea can flush up to five pounds and two belly inches in 48 hours.

Curious about other healthy teas? Check out the healing benefits of green tea (reduce the risk of kidney stones!), ginger tea, and seven other delicious brews.

This story originally appeared in our sister print magazine, First for Women

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