11 Benefits of Green Tea That You Didn’t Know About
May 9 by Ciara Conlon in Lifestyle | 8.5K Shares
Not for the love of the taste — no way! I drink it because I’m told it’s good
for me…or, to be honest, the real reason I drink it is because I believe it help
keeps my weight in check. But recently I decided to look into it a bit deeper
and see what are all these other benefits of green tea people talk of.
Why Green Tea?
Green tea has been used as a medicine for thousands of years, originating in
China but widely used throughout Asia this beverage has a multitude of uses from
lowering blood pressure to preventing cancer. The reason that green tea has more
health benefits attached to it than black tea is (apparently) due to the
processing. Black tea is processed in a way that allows for fermentation whereas
green tea’s processing avoids the fermentation process. As a result, green tea
retains maximum amount of antioxidants and poly-phenols the substances that give
green tea its many benefits.
Here’s a list of some of its amazing benefits — benefits that you may not
have been aware of. Some of these benefits are still being debated, so please do
your own research if you want to use green tea for medicinal purposes.
- Weight Loss. Green tea increases the metabolism. The
polyphenol found in green tea works to intensify levels of fat oxidation and the
rate at which your body turns food into calories. - Diabetes. Green tea apparently helps regulate glucose
levels slowing the rise of blood sugar after eating. This can prevent high
insulin spikes and resulting fat storage. - Heart Disease. Scientists think, green tea works on
the lining of blood vessels, helping keep them stay relaxed and better able to
withstand changes in blood pressure. It may also protect against the formation
of clots, which are the primary cause of heart attacks. - Esophageal Cancer. It can reduce the risk of
esophageal cancer, but it is also widely thought to kill cancer cells in general
without damaging the healthy tissue around them. - Cholesterol. Green tea reduces bad cholesterol in the blood
and improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol. - Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It is said to delay the
deterioration caused by Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Studies carried out on mice
showed that green tea protected brain cells from dying and restored damaged
brain cells. - Tooth Decay. Studies suggests that the chemical antioxidant
“catechin” in tea can destroy bacteria and viruses that cause throat infections,
dental caries and other dental conditions - Blood Pressure. Regular consumption of green tea is thought
to reduce the risk of high blood pressure. - Depression. Theanine is an amino acid naturally found
in tea leaves. It is this substance that is thought to provide a relaxing and
tranquilizing effect and be a great benefit to tea drinkers. - Anti-viral and Anti-bacterial. Tea catechins are
strong antibacterial and antiviral agents which make them effective for treating
everything from influenza to cancer. In some studies green tea has been shown to
inhibit the spread of many diseases. - Skincare. Green tea can apparently also help with
wrinkles and the signs of aging, This is because of their antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory activities. Both animal and human studies have demonstrated
that green tea applied topically can reduce sun damage.
How Much?
These are some of the many benefits but the reality is one cup of tea a day
will not give you all the abundant gains. The jury is out on how many cups are
necessary; some say as little as two cups a day while others five cups — and
more still say you can drink up to ten cups a day. If you are thinking of going
down this route, you may want to consider taking a green tea supplement instead
(it would keep you out of the bathroom).
Another thing to point out is that there is caffeine in green tea — so if you
are sensitive to caffeine then one cup should be your limit. Green tea also
contains tannins (which can decrease the absorption of iron and folic acid), so
if you are pregnant or trying to conceive then green tea may not be ideal for
you. You can try mixing green tea with other healthy ingredients such as ginger.
For the rest of us with all these abundant benefits…it’s a wonder we drink
anything else.
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