1. Is white tea better than green for weight loss?
2. Will drinking “fiber water” help me lose?
3. Which cooking method best preserves vitamins?

Is white tea better than green for weight loss?  Lately I’ve been hearing a lot about white tea for fat burn. I don’t know much about the stuff, and it’s harder to find at grocery stores. Is it really all that it’s cracked up to be?

White tea hasn’t been studied extensively as a weight-loss aid, but the latest news is promising: A study in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism shows that the tea inhibits the production of new fat cells and stimulates fat burn in existing fat cells. Since white tea is made from the buds and first leaves of the tea plant, it contains more epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) than green tea, which is made from older leaves. But it’s unclear if this difference is significant enough to make white tea a superior pick for slimming. My take: If you want to try white tea and happen to find tea bags at your local supermarket (Celestial Seasonings offers five varieties of white tea, $4 for 20 bags), by all means drink three cups daily. (Avoid processed bottled versions.) But if it’s easier to find green tea, go ahead and drink that—three cups daily is proven to help women shed up to five pounds a week.

Will drinking “fiber water” help me lose?  I was on a message board online where women said they lost weight by drinking a glass of water with Fibersure before meals. I want to try that because I feel like once I start eating I just lose control and can’t stop. Is it safe to do?

Yes, drinking fiber-infused water is a safe appetite suppressant that helps you eat less at meals. While there are a variety of fiber supplements that can be mixed with water, Fibersure ($10 for 34 servings, with 5 grams of fiber per serving, at grocery stores) has an added bonus because it is a form of fiber made from inulin. This prebiotic feeds healthy gut bacteria to help them thrive, which leads to weight loss and improved immunity and GI health. Simply drink 8 oz. to 10 oz. of water with 1 tsp, of Fibersure 10 to 30 minutes before meals. This gives the body enough time to register satiety and ensures the fiber doesn’t hinder absorption of the food’s nutrients.

Which cooking method best preserves vitamins?  Because there’s a history of cancer in my family, I’ve been trying to eat as much raw produce as I can to get the antioxidants. Problem is, I just don’t really care for most raw foods—veggies taste so much better cooked, and I know I’d eat more that way. Do you have any suggestions for presenting nutrients while cooking veggies?

Griddling (cooking on a flat metal surface with no oil) and microwaving (with no water) were found to maintain the highest levels of antioxidants in veggies, according to findings in the Journal of Food Science. But some fat is needed to maximally absorb antioxidants, so I recommend drizzling 1 Tbs. olive oil on griddled veggies just before serving. And since microwaving seems to deplete veggies of digestive enzymes, make a point to eat lots of raw fruit, which will ensure you get enough enzymes to assist in the breakdown and absorption of food. Also, note that the two methods typically linked to the largest antioxidant losses were boiling and pressure-cooking (both of which cause nutrients to seep into the water).