Are you on the Optavia program, but dreaming of a warm cup of tea to sip while snuggled up on the couch?
(We’ve all been there.)
While it may feel like chugging Optavia smoothies and counting calories are the only way to reach your health goals, don’t put away those tea bags just yet!
Read our latest post to find out if tea is allowed – or even encouraged by the Optavia diet.
Can you drink tea on Optavia?
Ah, tea. That wonderful, calorie-free beverage that soothes your soul in times of stress is somehow promoted as having weight loss benefits.
But can it really help with losing weight?
The answer is, it depends.
While it’s true that tea can be a calorie-free beverage that can help reduce stress, the weight loss benefits are not as clear-cut.
The benefits of tea for weight loss
Studies have shown that the polyphenols in tea can interact with cells that control metabolic processes, helping to speed up the metabolism and break down fats more quickly.
What’s more, tea is a low-calorie beverage, so consuming it instead of high-calorie drinks like soda and juice can help you cut calories.
Research suggests that catechins found in tea may reduce body fat.
Catechins are a type of antioxidant thought to have beneficial health effects, including weight loss and fat burning.
Finally, certain teas may provide appetite suppression benefits which can aid weight loss by helping you eat fewer calories throughout the day.
Drawbacks
According to the article published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, “green tea might help people who are overweight or obese lose a tiny amount of weight, but not enough to be clinically important.”
The journal mentioned that green tea doesn’t seem to help people keep the weight off.
Not only that.
“Some people who drink green tea have side effects like feeling sick, but most side effects are mild to moderate and don’t require hospitalization,” states the journal.
Drinking tea on the Optavia diet plan
Ultimately, drinking tea won’t guarantee weight loss.
But consuming it in place of higher-calorie drinks can certainly aid in reducing your overall caloric intake.
You can drink tea on the Optavia diet, as long as it’s unsweetened and doesn’t have any calories.
For me, drinking tea is not so much about weight loss, but more about hydration.
Drinking plain water can feel, well, dull and tedious.
And while I’m not a huge fan of plain herbal teas, I can see how they could be beneficial for keeping me hydrated.
Optavia cites numerous benefits from staying properly hydrated, such as:
- Increased energy levels
- Improved ability to focus
- Better digestion
- Elimination of waste from the body
- Better skin health
That said, some teas do have higher caffeine content than others, so keep an eye out if that’s something you’re trying to watch.
Caffeine may help you to “suppress hunger and lead to less energy consumption at the next meal,” according to Appetite Journal.
On the contrary (ironically) caffeine is a natural diuretic, so it may increase urine production and cause dehydration.
How much tea can I drink on Optavia?
When it comes to herbal teas, there’s no set limit.
According to Optavia hydration guidelines, you should be drinking 8 glasses of calorie-free beverages, regardless if it comes from plain water, coffee, or unsweetened herbal tea.
However, it is important to do your research before purchasing any tea.
Many “green” and “herbal” teas marketed as healthy can actually contain high levels of sugar, while black or oolong teas can often be loaded with caffeine and/or artificial sweeteners.
Here’s the photo of the herbal tea drink from Walmart’s Great Value brand.
A single serving of this “tea” has 70 calories, 10g of carbs, and… 7g of sugar.
So before you put any tea into your shopping cart, make sure you read the labels.
While there are no calories in the teas that you brew yourself at home, buying ready-to-drink teas can certainly have 80-100 calories per serving.
So keep that in mind.
List of Optavia approved tea
While Optavia doesn’t sell weight-loss teas, they included green teas in their approved drink list.
Some of the most popular options include:
- Herbal Tea
- Loose Leaf Tea
- Green Teas
- White Teas
- Oolong Teas
- Yerba Mate Tea
- Tulsi Tea
- Hibiscus Tea
- Lemongrass Tea
- Chai Latte
- Matcha Green Tea
- Ginger RootTea
- Peppermint tea
- Herbalife Tea
I personally like Lipton Diet Green Tea available in Walmart. It has zero calories and tastes great with no added sugar or other unhealthy ingredients.
Either hot or cold.
You can even add a splash of your favorite fruit juice for a tasty twist!
My wife likes to drink green tea from Starbucks, among other Optavia approved Starbucks beverages.
Here’s the photo she send me recently.
Although I like the fact that this tea has no calories and (probably tastes delicious), I cannot imagine myself paying $3.75 for a Venti green tea. (No way.)
Just remember to stay within the recommended calorie budget and enjoy your tea the healthy way!
Does the Optavia diet approve of Herbalife Herbal Tea Concentrate?
Yes, Herbalife tea is approved for use on the Optavia diet, as it contains only 5 calories per serving. Herbalife tea can be calculated as one condiment in the Optimal weight 5 and 1 plan.
The bottom line
You can drink tea on Optavia as long it’s calorie-free and you be careful with the caffeine.
Always make sure to read the label so you know what you drinking.
There are a lot of great options for drinks that are approved by Optavia. Check out the list to see all of the delicious options.
