Green tea is a beverage that is known for its wide array of health benefits. Green Tea has been consumed in Eastern countries since ancient times for its health effects. It is now consumed globally as a favoured beverage and has become the favourite of many people. The health benefits of green tea are attracting many people around the globe. Many people are replacing their normal tea with green tea. Green tea is a powerhouse of powerful antioxidants and has a wide range of health benefits. Green tea should be consumed in moderate amount (2-3 cups per day) for maximum benefits.
WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF GREEN TEA?
Let’s go through the green tea benefits:
1. Helps you relax – Reduce stress
Green tea is known for reducing stress and helps you relax. L-theanine, a relaxing amino acid found in green tea displays anti-anxiety effects by increasing dopamine levels in the brain and appears to decrease blood pressure. A study published in Trends in Food Science & Technology found green tea produces relaxing effects without drowsiness only 40 minutes after ingestion.
2. Strengthen the Immune system
Green tea is said to improve the immune system .Polyphenols, potent plant antioxidants found in green tea provide its immune-boosting effects. The immune system is the body’s defense against infections and foreign invaders. The immune system takes action and attacks organisms and substances that attack body systems and cause infections and diseases. If your immune system is boosted, there are fewer chances of falling sick.
3. Abundant in Antioxidants
Antioxidants are substances that may prevent or delay some types of cell damage. Green tea has the abundance of antioxidants which eliminate damaging free radicals in the body and protects our body from Cancer. Green tea contains about 30% polyphenols by weight, including large amounts of a catechin called EGCG. Catechins are natural antioxidants that help prevent cell damage and provide other health benefits as well.
Catechins polyphenols can reduce the creation of free radicals in the body, thus protecting cells and molecules from free radical damage. These free radicals are known to play a role in aging and all sorts of diseases.
4. Helps you flight illness, cough, and cold
Green tea suppresses bacterial, fungal and viral invaders including the flu virus. This happens because of the EGCG antioxidant (polyphenol catechin) that naturally occurs in high doses (about 30% by weight) in green tea. So, Green tea can help you fight cold and flu viruses. Green tea provides your immune system with the capabilities it needs to boost its defensive system. These properties include antioxidants which help to fight off infections and free radicals in the body.
5. Improves Metabolism and Aid Weight Loss
Green Tea is known to improve metabolism, thus aiding in your weight loss goals. Riboflavin is found in green tea which is known to improve metabolism. Metabolic rate refers to how fast your body breaks down the food you consumed into energy. Metabolic rate is this rate that determines how fast or slow your overall metabolism is and how your body weight is affected. Healthy metabolism can aid weight loss. Green tea promotes healthy metabolism which is vital for weight management.
6. Cancer Prevention
Green Tea reduces the risk of cancer as it contains substances called polyphenols that has an ability to generally kill the cancer cells without damaging the healthy tissues around them. Green tea is also known for positive health outcomes as it is full of antioxidants which has proven to have a protective effect on certain cancers like breast cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer.
7. Good For Heart
Green Tea helps in the lining of blood vessels by keeping them stay relaxed and protects against the formation of blood clots, which are the cause of heart attacks. Green tea has been shown to improve blood flow. As per many studies, Green tea has helped for prevention a range of heart related problems, from high blood pressure to congestive heart failure. Thus green tea can also dramatically increase the oxidation capacity of the blood, thereby protecting the LDL particles from oxidation.
8. Boosts brain functions
The compounds in Green Tea like caffeine, amino acid L-thenaine can improve brain functions and make you even more smarter. According to the researchers, it consistently says that green tea improve various aspects of brain functions, reaction time, memory, mood, energy levels. By drinking green tea you are least likely to have cognitive impairments. Green tea just strengthens your brain cells and protects them from dying while restoring the damaging brain cells, also it prevents from the brain diseases.
9. Cures Tooth Decay
The chemical antioxidant catechin in green tea can destroy bacteria and viruses that causes throat infections, dental caries and other dental conditions. Also studies indicated that green tea may reduce oral bacteria which in turn can promote the health of teeth and gums. The antioxidant catechins are strong anti-bacterial and anti-viral agents which make them effective from treating everything in the body from teeth to muscles.
10. SkinCare
Green Tea has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory activities that helps with the signs of ageing and wrinkles. Also it can topically reduce sun damages of your skin. By drinking green tea, which contains EGCG antioxidants helps to fight skin cancer promoting DNA repair. It also means that green tea potents anti-aging ingredients that combat signs of aging, consuming green tea can make an effective treatment for acne and oily skin too.
Especially women’s should consume Green Tea, appears to have a lower risk of developing ovarian cancer, breast cancer as it contains powerful substances that help kill the cancer cells. Also it keeps you from aging and results in maintaining a good skin that is acne and oil free.
Apart from the above benefits, Green tea has other benefits as well.
- Green tea is said for uplifting the mood.
- It is believed to improve digestion and it may help in other digestive disorders like gas.
- Green tea boosts your stamina and keeps you going.
HOW TO PREPARE GREEN TEA?
Green tea provides best results when consumed without milk because the proteins will bind to the polyphenols (if milk is added) making polyphenols ineffective.T o get maximum benefits of green tea, you should use just boiled water and infuse green tea leaves or a tea bag for 2-5 minutes. If you don’t like the bitter taste of green tea then you can minimize bitterness by adding little lemon and honey.
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO DRINK GREEN TEA ?
According to the studies, the best time for drinking Green Tea is in the morning and before the workout sessions. Starting your day with green tea is the best and healthy way that will keep you going very well throughout the day. Don’t have your green tea before getting to your bed atleast consume it 2 hours earlier because tea holds the properties that can keep you awake and this is the lowest metabolism moment and the green tea can increase it.
WHY GREEN TEA IS BAD FOR YOU ?
Green tea is bad, if you consume it at high level (8-10 cups in a day) then it is possibly unhealthy and can cause liver and kidney problems in some cases. Drinking at a greater amount will cause side effects on the body due to caffeine.
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