Because good health is the greatest blessing of life.
This post will be part of a multi-part post on what green tea is, why you should drink green tea, and how you should enjoy a perfect cup of this popular tea.
Green tea is made from Camellia sinensis leaves, originating from China. Traditionally, it has been used to treat everything from headaches to depression. Hailed as a superfood for being rich in antioxidants and nutrients, green tea has become a very popular drink today.
The major nutrients in green tea are:
- Catechins
- Caffeine
- Theanine
- Vitamins (C, B2, Folic acid, β-carotene, E)
- Saponins
- Fluorine
- GABA
- Minerals (Potassium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Manganese, etc.)
- Chlorophyll
How do these nutrients affect you? Here are a few benefits of green tea:
1. Green Tea can make you smarter
According to research, the consumption of green tea has been shown to have a positive effect on the brain’s cognitive function, particularly working memory.1 When used in higher-than-usual doses in another study, green tea was also shown to be able to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.2
2. Green Tea can clear your skin and give you a brighter smile
Researchers found that green tea can be used to treat dry, red, flaky skin caused by inflammatory skin diseases by slowing the growth of skin cells and affecting a gene that regulates the cells’ life cycles.3
Studies have also found that catechins can inhibit the growth of the harmful bacteria Streptococcus mutans (cavities), and drinking more green tea can help improve dental health.4,5,6
3. Green tea can help you lose weight
Green tea has also been shown to help decrease body fat percentage, body weight, waist circumference and even belly fat, according to a 12-week randomized controlled trial.7,8,9
4. Green Tea can lower your cholesterol
Another analytical study showed that the consumption of green tea in either beverage or extract form reduced total cholesterol (TC) and “bad” cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) concentrations, but showed no difference on the “good” cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol).10
5. Green Tea can reduce your risk of stroke and heart disease
Green tea is also shown to have a positive impact on cardiovascular health. A study following 40,000 participants (aged 40 to 79) for 11 years showed that the participants who drank at least 5 cups of green tea per day had a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than those who drank less.11
According to the journal Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association, consumption of green tea and coffee is associated with a lower risk of CVD and stroke. 12
6. Green Tea can help you live longer and healthier
Research shows that polyphenols, which are compounds in teas that affect it’s flavour and texture, take up approximately 30% of green tea by weight,.13 Included within this category is a particular catechin called Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is found in large amounts within green tea, which have the potential to prevent cell damage.14
In another study following 40,530 participants over the course of 11 years, those who drank 5 or more cups of green tea resulted in a 23% lower risk of death in women and 12% lower risk of death in men.15
Given all these benefits and hype, it is difficult not to hail green tea as a ‘superfood’. However, it is also important to note that some studies are inconclusive and may not show a statistically significant benefit. As such, some information needs to be taken with a grain of salt.
Considering all these benefits of green tea, will you be making green tea a regular part of your life?
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