Read the Label on Your Chinese Weight Loss Tea
Just like when you are shopping for any sort of supplement, medication, or even packaged food, the first thing that you need to do is read the label.  The only difference is that instead of looking at the calories or amount of carbs or salt, you are looking specifically at the ingredient list and whether any warnings are included.

Tea may be a healthy, wholesome product, but it is still a processed item that could have potentially been altered somewhere down the line.  In the case of some Chinese weight loss tea, you will find that some nasty things have been added to boost its effect.

Herbal Fen-Phen
Herbal fen-phen is a manufactured herbal product that is made by combining St. John’s Wort and Ephedra.  St. John’s Wort has been widely regarded as being more or less safe, but the case is not the same when it comes to Ephedra, which has been reported as one of the primary components of the compound in pharmaceutical fen-phen that caused serious heart valve problems in those who look it.  If your weight loss tea contains herbal fen-phen, it should be skipped.

Check for Natural Laxatives
Many so-called Chinese weight loss tea producers will add natural laxatives to their tea.  This is done because when laxatives do what they do, the person in question tends to lose a little bit of extra weight due to the fact that they are spending so much of their time in the bathroom.  This is a false concept because rather than reducing the number of calories that are absorbed or boosting metabolism, all these compounds do is flush the already digested food out of the colon.

Natural laxatives that many weight loss teas contain include: senna, castor oil, aloe, rhubarb root, cascara, and buckthorn.

These effects are compounded frequently by people who are new to the world of weight loss tea or those who fail to read instructions before they drink.  If you steep the tea too long or if you drink too much of it, you can cause yourself serious, if usually temporary, digestive discomfort.

Still, that does not mean that Chinese weight loss tea is bad for you.  In fact, you don’t even need to purchase actual “weight loss teas” in many cases to receive the benefits that they have to offer.  The beneficial compounds and antioxidants are available in any high quality green or white tea.  Just remember to always read the labels and you’ll be able to enjoy that hot cup of tea and be secure in the knowledge that you are promoting good health.