Do diet teas actually work? Expert dishes the SKINNY on slimming teas that claim to be loaded with properties designed to help with weight loss

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Who among us hasn't fallen prey to the notion that there's a quicker, easier way to lose weight other than eating moderately and exercising?

And while they're all the rage with celebrities, there's an ongoing debate as to whether skinny teas actually do all they claim, and actually help promote faster weight loss.

Speaking to FEMAIL, Sydney-based dietitian and exercise physiologist Gabrielle Maston revealed while some slimming teas have health benefits, not all do the job they claim.

Dietitian and exercise physiologist Gabrielle Maston (pictured) revealed slimming teas don't always offer everything they may claim

Slimming teas seen on the market tend to only give the allure of weight loss, Ms Maston said. 

'While the numbers might go down on the scales, the only thing you are losing is fluid,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

Slimming teas mainly have a laxative effect and the only thing people lose is water (stock image)

'They mainly have a laxative effect but all people are losing is water.' 

A recent study of a group of 300 adults at high risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease compared weight changes against those given green tea, a fermented tea called Puehr or tea extracts and those given a placebo. 

The findings showed that those at most risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and who also ate healthily and exercised more, as well as drinking tea lost four kilograms more than the control group was given a placebo or no tea at all. 

Commenting on the research, Ms Maston said there's some thinking which suggests that those who drink tea may be healthier overall.

'So is it the tea that's causing the healthy eating or is it that healthy people drink tea?,' she said.

Ms Maston said there's some thinking which suggests that those who drink tea may be healthier overall (stock image)

The expert also believes there could be something to the 'placebo effect' slimming tea offered those wanting to lose weight.

'The placebo effect on supplements is quite big. Studies have shown that a person is given a sugar pill and told it had extraordinary abilities to help with performance, people, on the whole, performed three per cent better,' she said.

She said the same thinking could be applied to skinny teas in that for some it could put them in the right frame of mind to act on healthier behaviors.

A study revealed tea drinkers, in combination with eating well and exercising, lost four kilograms more than non-tea drinkers (stock image)

Though the dietitian said people can use the (slimming) teas alongside making sustainable lifestyle changes, her larger concern is that the teas can trigger other more problematic behaviors. 

The expert explained laxative use and skinny teas tend to be used by people with eating disorders, and highly restrictive dieters.

While Ms Maston points out the use of slimming teas don't cause problematic eating behavior patterns per se, she did note they 'certainly contribute to it'.

 'They can get quite abused quite quickly,' she added.

Sustainable weight loss is a combination of food and exercise, and relying on teas that have a laxative effect can lead to problematic eating behaviors (stock image)

'If people can add skinny teas into their diet and adopt a healthy eating plan there's no problem with that, but the weight loss will be caused by healthy eating plan rather than the tea itself.' 

For those wanting to make lifestyle changes through diet and exercise, Ms Maston recommends choosing either black, green or Matcha teas as none of these have a laxative effect.

'They all have zero calories, so if you drink them or not they are not going to affect weight because they have no energy in them. 

Black tea, green tea and matcha teas are all recommended by the dietitian as they have no calories whatsoever

'If anything you're getting antioxidants out of the tea and the volume of water is giving you a satiety (feeling of fullness) effect.'

As far as skinny teas are concerned though, Ms Maston outlined her position in no uncertain terms.

'A lot are herbal based and the herbs don't really have any scientific evidence behind them.

'I just see it as more of a weight loss marketing gimmick,' she concluded.