We all have a favourite beverage of choice to kick start our day. How will you feel if I tell you that this very beverage can bring a positive change in your life? Green tea benefits your health in more ways than you can think. If you just replace your coffee or other sugary drink with green tea, you will look younger, your metabolism will be faster, and it might also protect you from diabetes.
People have been drinking tea for centuries. It’s believed that the consumption of tea started in China. China is the largest producer of tea in the world, followed by Japan.
Green tea is chiefly famous for its weight reduction properties. However, the list of green tea benefits is long. Read on to know the benefits of including green tea in your daily routine.
Contents
10 Benefits Of Drinking Green Tea
All four types of teas come from the plant called Camellia sinensis. Green tea comes from the light green colour formed when the unprocessed and unfermented leaves are brewed. To know the range of health benefits of green tea, keep reading.
FYI: Every 100-150ml of water should be added with 2 grams or a tablespoon of tea leaves for the ideal mixture.
Benefits Of Green Tea For Weight Loss
Without a doubt, green tea leads to weight loss. The polyphenol in green tea boosts metabolic rate. Increased metabolism means your body will convert food into calories at an intensified speed. This helps you digest food fast and reduces the deposition of fat.
You can include green tea in your daily routine by making it your start of the day beverage. Results are at times fast in some cases due to switching from a sugar-based drink. If you are already consuming a non-sugar based drink, the results wouldn’t be speedy. (Source)
Green Tea Benefits For Skin
Green Tea gives a glow to every type of skin. But, if you suffer from acne-prone skin, green tea extract is the next big thing for you. Without a doubt, drinking green tea will help reduce acne over time. To give the process a push, we have a shortcut for you.
Try applying the cooled down green tea to your face or spraying it on your face. This will fasten the process of acne reduction. You will observe a gradual change in your blemishes and scars. The process might take 7-8 weeks. (Source)
Green tea has proven beneficial in removing signs of ageing like wrinkles and fine lines. Green tea prevents collagen from breaking down and hence gives skin longevity.
Health Benefits Of Green Tea In Boosting Immunity
The antioxidants of green tea extract have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral capabilities. These capabilities make it a strong immunity booster.
Not only that, but green tea also increases bone density. With time and age, your bones start getting weak. The consumption of green tea promotes bone density and protects us from fractures. (Source)
Polyphenol rich foods like green tea prevent your bones from damage rendered by oxidation of bones.
Green Tea At Night
Green tea is rich in theanine. Theanine is an amino acid that provides a relaxing effect (Source).
Due to your presence in front of multiple screens all day long, your sleep might have been gravely hampered. At times due to worries, tensions, and screen time, your mind might decline to fall asleep.
When consumed at night before falling asleep, green tea gives a tranquillizing feeling and helps get a calm and peaceful sleep. People suffering from depression consume it.
Matcha Green Tea Benefits For Boosting Brain Function
Matcha green tea is a variety of green tea cultivated in the shade and controlled climate. The chlorophyll level in the leaves is higher than normal green tea.
Along with theanine, green tea has some parts of caffeine too. When both the compounds work side by side, they improve the functioning of the brain.
The compounds together enhance the memory, cognitive abilities and refresh the mood. So no doubt people in green tea commercials look very happy; their mood actually is uplifted. (Source)
Not only this, a component found in tea, namely CAGTE or “colon available”, has been shown to prevent and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. Green tea protects brain cells from dying and decaying.
Advantages of Green Tea With Lemon For Bad Cholesterol
Green tea loves to multi-task; it’s no surprise by now that green tea has anti-inflammatory properties; it even guards you against oxidative stress.
Green tea protects your heart by reducing the bad cholesterol level, triglycerides, or blood fats in layman’s terms. This leads to strengthening your artery system, which protects you from other cardiovascular diseases.
The consumption of tea twice a day has proven to drop the chances of stroke too. (Source)
Green Tea Benefits In Killing Cancerous Cells
Studies have found the consumption of green tea prevents cancer. Polyphenols are just as magical as they can get. Polyphenol in green tea decreases the formation of cancer or tumour by protecting it from Ultraviolet UVB radiations.
It has been observed that countries with a high level of green tea consumption have shown a drop in cancer cases.
Consuming green tea prevents bladder, ovarian, oesophagal, lung, prostate, skin, stomach and breast cancer. So, all in all, everything that green tea touches have become cancer-free. (Source)
Consuming Green Tea Helps In Reducing The Risk Of Heart Disease
Studies have found that consuming green tea regularly can prevent stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. (Source)
Along with a few positive lifestyle changes like working out every day and keeping your body hydrated, if you add a little green tea to your dietary habits, you can prevent your body from cardiovascular diseases.
Green Tea Benefits In Preventing Tooth Decay
Green tea contains another chemical antioxidant called catechin. Catechin is known for its virus and bacteria-fighting abilities.
Catechin is responsible for preventing tooth decay, throat infections and other dental conditions. It also has anti-inflammatory properties to take the irritation away.
When severe throat infections, it is recommended to gargle the throat using green tea for a speedy recovery. Consumption of green tea even prevents oesophagal cancer. (Source)
Drink Green Tea To Reduce The Risk Of Diabetes
Diabetes is one of the most prevalent health issues that people are suffering from around the globe. Studies have found that the consumption of green tea can control diabetes. Lowering blood sugar helps with blood pressure related issues too. (Source)
Consuming green tea helps in reducing fasting blood sugar levels. Drinking green tea might also help in the prevention of developing the risk of diabetes. So, if you come from a genetic line where your ancestors have had diabetes, you should definitely move to green tea from other sugar-based drinks.
The simple mantra of your life can be: 2 green tea bags a day can keep diabetes away.
Green Tea Benefits and Side Effects
By now, you know that there are several benefits of consuming green tea. It is working for you on the outside and inside too. At one place where it clears your skin, it makes you lose weight and promotes a more healthy body mass index.
Green tea is clearing your bad cholesterol, preventing you from cancer, lowering your blood sugar levels and preventing your teeth from decaying too.
Green tea is a wonderful drink, but there are some downsides to it too. When not consumed in moderation, it might make your stomach upset.
Excess consumption of green tea might lead to constipation. It might, in a few rare cases, lead to liver and kidney issues. The key is always moderation. Like coffee, it has caffeine, you might even feel mild headaches. (Source)
Though all these issues can be easily avoided by consuming green tea in limited amounts. Two cups a day is good. Three cups a day is doable. Four cups a day, you are pushing it. Five cups a day, you want it to be harmful.
What Not To Eat With Green Tea
Green tea has another component called tannin, which can lead your body to absorb less iron. So try to avoid iron-rich foods or within an hour of consuming green tea. Drink green tea at least 1 hour after eating iron-rich foods.
If you are a pregnant woman or trying to conceive, green tea might not be the best option for you. As it’s recommended to control your caffeine consumption during pregnancy, green tea has caffeine. (Source)
Know Your Tea
Camellia sinensis bush is the mother bush of all types of teas. The variation in its oxidation level leads to different teas for us.
There are four types of teas, namely oolong tea, black tea, white tea and green tea. Among all the four, green tea benefits your health the most because it’s made using unoxidised tea leaves. All these varieties contain antioxidants. Flavonoid is the chief antioxidant found in all teas known for reducing coronary inflammation.
There are mainly four types of teas, namely:
White Tea
White tea is obtained from the unoxidised buds of the bushes. One of the least processed teas, white tea is usually exposed to a controlled environment and light.
White tea finds its origin in China in the empirical ages, known for its delicacy, aroma and flavours.
Here are a few tips for storing your white tea with care.
- Store your tea in a dark and cool place
- Try using an opaque, airtight jar.
- Don’t refrigerate it.
- Please do not place it with other spices and coffee, as they can overwhelm the aroma of your tea.
Oolong Tea
Oolong tea is obtained from highly oxidised tea leaves. The leaves can be either long, curled or open. The speciality of oolong tea is that it imparts almost zero bitterness. The flavour of the oolong tea chiefly depends on the time given for oxidation.
Though several other factors impact the flavour of the time, like time of harvest, place of cultivation and method of cultivation, oolong tea originates from the beautiful and hilly Fujian province of China.
The storage of oolong tea is a bit special too.
- Store it in an airtight jar.
- Keep the jar in a cool and dry place.
- Do not store it with other spices.
Black Tea
Black tea is prepared by steeping the completely oxidized leaves in hot water. It is the best alternative for the ones who are trying to replace coffee. Like green tea, it’s a great source of polyphenols that prove helpful.
Though it also originates in China, it has found itself the most popular in Western cultures. The tea produced in India, i.e. in Assam and Darjeeling, is black tea.
The storage of black tea is not all that complicated. However, one should keep it in an airtight jar. It’s not very delicate, but letting it sit around for a prolonged time, might make it stale.
Green Tea
It is obtained from unoxidised tea leaves. Green tea is available in multiple flavours these days.
Chamomile green tea benefits are relaxing to the nerves and helping you fall asleep. Tulsi green tea benefits your throat, and green tea with lemon and honey benefits in slimming the belly fat you dearly want to cut on. Ginger green tea benefits in increasing brain activity and keeping your mind and body fresh.
There are no special storage tips for green tea. They are easily available in the market in small tea bags.
Conclusion
Green tea has several benefits, such as making your face firm and removing acne. It benefits your body by making it internally strong. It helps you boost your immunity and works on your bad cholesterol.
Green tea helps to control your blood sugar and protects you from Type 2 diabetes. It boosts your brain functioning and prevents Alzheimer’s. Green tea even helps kill cancerous cell growth.
If you are looking to give your life a positive turn, turn to green tea for help. Sugary drinks are making you hollow from inside out. Several studies and scientists have declared green tea is a friend for your health.
FAQ
Can green tea benefits affect iron levels?
Green tea has a compound called tannins which prevents the absorption of iron. Avoid eating iron-rich foods within one hour of consuming green tea. All teas have the same compound. So if you are a dry drinker, try avoiding tea within an hour of an iron-rich meal.
What are the benefits of green tea in the morning?
Green tea uplifts the mood and enhances your brain functioning. Drinking green tea in the morning will put a smile on your face for the whole day. It even gives your metabolism a push in the right direction in the morning.
What are the benefits of drinking green tea for skin?
Green tea is very effective when it comes to acne reduction. Bacteria P acnes is responsible for the formation of acne on your face. Green tea boosts the white blood cells in your body, which fight the bacteria. Green tea also reduces fine lines and wrinkles and makes you look younger.
When to drink green tea?
You can drink green tea at any time of the day. Drink only 2 cups of green tea a day, mostly right in the morning and before sleeping. As far as you have a controlled consumption of green tea, it wouldn’t have any side effects.