Drinking tea is a great way to lose weight. Whether it be a diet tea, a slimming tea, or a simple stress-free cup of tea, it still comes from one source, the Camilla Sinensis plant (which, if you look at it, is the mother of all teas). But adding herbs to the tea, ah! There’s the clincher.

Many people believe that diet tea and herbal tea are one and the same. In reality though, it isn’t. A cup of tea can be called herbal when any herb that doesn’t come from the Camilla Sinensis is infused into the brew – hence becoming more than just your regular cup.

Tea taken in its natural form is already effective in itself. But tea with added herbal ingredients can also help a lot. For example, green tea has antioxidant properties and helps slow the aging process by stimulating a cell’s regenerative function – not to mention its natural laxative qualities that help with the elimination of toxins. Combine it with ginseng and you’d have your normal body weight back in no time.

Cayenne pepper can also be added to tea to curb your appetite and increases metabolism. It also gives a little something to your tea, giving it a little boost. Peppermint gives out a little minty aftertaste, but more importantly, it relaxes an upset stomach and lessens that bloated sensation that you get when you’ve had a big meal.

Some herbs that aid in losing weight (by detoxifying the digestive tract, gives you more energy so the body can burn more calories, and increasing metabolism and blood flow throughout the body) are the following:

• Alfalfa
• Ginger
• Anise
• Hops
• Aloe vera
• Cinnamon
• Dandelion

Ma Huang (This herb is effective, but it is a very strong stimulant just like Ephedra, which has been pulled out from the market as of late. Should you decide to use this, you should consult your health care provider first and know that extreme caution must be taken if this is to be used.)

There are certain risks however, when you mix and match. Take green tea and ginseng. They are safe to use but it should not be used for more than 6 months so as not to make the body’s waste elimination system dependent on it. You can experiment with herbs as long as you monitor your body’s reaction to it. If it gives you nausea, dizziness or any discomfort, discontinue using it.

Admittedly, most people are concerned about body weight, and it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white (as a late pop star might say). If you’re one of us, then why don’t you try having a tea diet, specifically an herbal tea diet? It’s simple, less costly, effective, and most importantly, safe.