The 2-Ingredient Iced Tea Proven To Power Off Over-50 Midsection Fat — Fast!

You’ve likely heard about all the benefits of drinking green tea — everything from keeping your heart healthy to boosting memory. And lots of folks use the drink to help speed metabolism and slim down. So we were excited when we recently discovered what may be our favorite weight-loss tea recipe ever. Why is it so great? It pairs green tea with the ‘skinny syrup’ TikTok is raving about for a drink that’s easy to prepare, deliciously sweet and packed with potent micronutrients that can help enhance fat loss. 

Just ask 66-year-old Susan Powers, who used the sweet tea to lose 87 lbs and 14 inches from her waist. She tells Woman’s World the tasty sip made all the difference in curing her cravings and helping her reach her happy weight. Keep reading to learn about the best green tea for weight loss could help you: 

Why green tea is best for weight loss

Both green tea and the black tea more commonly used to make the South’s beloved sweet tea come from the same plant (Camellia sinensis), but they are processed differently and have distinct characteristics in terms of flavor, appearance, caffeine content, and health benefits. After harvesting, green tea leaves are typically steamed or pan-fired to prevent oxidation (the process that turns the green leaves brown). This helps retain the green color of the leaves. A cup of green tea contains 20 to 45 mg of caffeine and has a grassy flavor.

Black tea is fully oxidized. After harvesting, the leaves are withered, rolled, oxidized (sometimes referred to as “fermented,” although it’s not true fermentation), and then dried. This oxidation process gives black tea its characteristic dark color and rich flavor. Black tea typically has 40 to 75 mg of caffeine per cup and more robust, almost malty flavor.

Because green tea doesn’t undergo oxidation, it retains a vivid hue and more antioxidants than black tea. Green tea is particularly rich in a category of antioxidants called catechins — green tea boasts up to 400% more than black tea. The all-star of catechins in terms of weight loss is called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is distilled out of green tea and sold as a weight loss supplement. (Click through to learn more about taking a green tea phytosome to increase fat burn and how trading black tea for green is a food swap that wards off diabetes.)

Among many waist-shrinking benefits, catechins have been shown to temporarily speed fat burning by up to 35%. And according to 60 Seconds to Slim author Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, catechins also help slash stress hormones, which can result in far fewer carb and sugar cravings. Three additional health bonuses: green tea helps end bloating and green tea has been shown to help prevent kidney stones and green tea can help you live longer.

Perhaps the best news of all: Tufts University scientists found catechins “ignite” belly fat when we’re active. In fact, folks given a catechin-rich drink were able to burn off midsection flab 25 times faster than those given diet soft drinks. Green tea is “a perfect way to jump-start weight loss,” says Cook.

The skinny syrup secret that boosts results

TikTok has gone crazy for Jordan’s Skinny Syrup and similar brands that jazz up water or tea with fun flavors like dragon fruit, cotton candy and even glazed donut. What makes them “skinny”? They contain zero sugar and zero carbohydrates. While some are made with all natural ingredients, many do use artificial flavors and sweeteners.

If the word “artificial” raises concerns, here’s some good news: When University of Colorado researchers had study participants drink either 24 oz. of plain water or 24 oz. of an artificially flavored zero-calorie drink daily, the zero-cal drinkers lost three times more weight.

Click through for more on how skinny syrups help weight loss and skinny syrup recipes that are easy to make at home.

How much tea to drink for weight loss

Even if you only add two cups of green tea a day, experts say you’ll likely see a difference on the scale. But to maximize results, aim for 4 to 6 cups daily, being sure to switch to decaf after 3 pm. Add lemon, nondairy creamer and/or your low-cal sweetener of choice. Skip dairy, which can block absorption of tea antioxidants. And if you don’t want to drink that much tea, read on for three tasty alternatives: 

1. Sprinkle on tea powder

Matcha green tea powder makes it easy to add tea to whatever you’re eating. Stir it into to smoothies and soups, dust it on popcorn or even sprinkle on ice cream. It adds a lovely herbaceous flavor, and just one teaspoon equals a cup of brewed green tea. (Click through to learn more about the health benefits of matcha.)

2. Use tea like an herb

If you open a tea bag, the finely cut leaves resemble oregano and they can be used just like the herb. We love it in a veggie scramble, on Greek salad or over seafood.  (Click through for how to use green tea to flavor vegetables.)

3. Cook with tea

Swap brewed green tea for water when cooking your next pot of beans, rice, pasta or quinoa. You can even use it in place of broth in soup. Experts say tea adds light herbal notes to food along with hefty doses of slimming antioxidants.

“I ended up healthier at 66 than I was years ago!” 

Ever since Susan Powers was a young mom, she’d struggled with extra pounds. She tried using shakes, frozen meals, group plans, even keto, and while she’d usually lose a little, she never managed to give up fast food, pasta or sweets for long. Little by little, they pushed her up to 237 pounds, her energy totally disappearing in the process. What’s the best diet for someone who’s really tired? she would wonder with a chuckle. Then she noticed her daughter’s friend Amy, a crazy-busy mom, having a lot of success on Weight Watchers. Susan thought if Amy could do it, maybe a tired retiree stood a chance. So she signed up for a version of the program using an app on her phone. 

Susan didn’t even have to go to the store to start. She began having things like eggs for breakfast, chili made with pantry ingredients for lunch and chicken with veggies and potatoes for dinner. Susan had shed 20 pounds by the time fate threw her family some curveballs. She and husband Ed ended up welcoming three of their four adult kids back home for several months. Amid the chaos, Susan’s cravings got the best of her, and she began regaining lost pounds. I’m not giving up, she told herself, signing up for in-person WW meetings. At one fateful meeting, someone suggested tea and skinny syrup might help with her appetite. 

The thought of sweet tea instantly conjured up happy memories for Susan. She recalled childhood summers when her mother would boil tea bags, add sugar and pour it over ice. It was their treat after they’d played outside all day. So when she found herself at T.J.Maxx, she grabbed a bottle of the Jordan’s Skinny Syrup everyone in her group was raving about. It was caramel, which she though would be nice in tea. 

Susan today: 87 lbs slimmer and living her best life

When a craving hit, Sue was ready. She’d brewed and cooled green tea, which she read could help with metabolism. Swirling in the syrup, she took a zero-calorie sip. It was delicious. And the mix of nostalgia, hydration and guilt-free caramel goodness made her craving vanish. 

In the coming days, drinking sweet tea helped cure Susan’s munchies again and again. So she ordered more flavors of syrup, including vanilla and iced cinnamon roll. She was soon in the habit of enjoying “sweet tea” a few times a day. “I wish I’d known how much this tea would help me sooner,” she shares. “I’m not fighting my cravings anymore!” 

Susan’s energy and mood kept shooting higher. And her tummy kept getting flatter. All told, Sue shed 87 pounds and lost about 14 inches from her waist. And she’s used tea to help her keep it off for three years. Says Sue: “I ended up healthier at 66 than I was years ago.”

Weight-loss tea recipes you’ll love

Want to see how green tea and skinny syrups could help you lose weight and feel better than ever? We’ve got the easy recipes to get you started:

Basic weight-loss tea recipe

For hot tea, steep 1 bag green tea in 8 oz. boiling water for 5 minutes. For iced tea, steep 5 bags in 24 oz. boiling water — then chill and add ice. 

Susan’s favorite sweet tea

This take on Susan’s go-to drink tastes like Starbucks iced peach green tea!

Ingredients:

• 6 cups water
• 12 mint green tea bags, such as Tazo Organic Zen
• 1 cup peach- or unicorn-flavored Jordan’s Skinny Syrup

Directions:

Remove bags and transfer to a pitcher; stir in syrup (sold at discount stores and SkinnyMixes.com). Chill. Enjoy over ice with desired garnishes. Serves 4–6

Want more delicious sips? Click through for easy green tea recipes.

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Click through to learn about more teas that slim:

The 9 Best Drinks for Weight Loss and Rapid Fat-Burning

The Delicious Sparkling Sweet Tea Juice That Can Heal Your Gut and Speed Weight Loss

6 Teas for Weight Loss That Aren’t Green Tea

A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.

This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.