Green tea is one of the healthiest beverages known to us. It is also known as an “anti-aging beverage.” You must have heard a lot about the benefits of green tea, it is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that are known to be great for your body and mind. Green tea has been used for its therapeutic properties for the longest time; it may have originated in China but is now widely used across Asia. Some of the most prominent benefits of green tea include its ability to help in lowering blood pressure and fighting free-radicals in the body.
The reason that green tea has more health benefits than black tea is due to the way it is processed. Black tea is processed in a way where it is exposed to oxidizing more than green tea. The exposure to oxygen can alter the benefits of tea leaves and this is what happens with regular black tea. In fact, it has a dark appearance because of the oxidizing the leaves go through. As a result, green tea retains the maximum number of antioxidants and polyphenols, the two substances that give many benefits of green tea.
Green tea is made from unoxidized leaves. The level of oxidation determines the type of tea.
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Watch: Factors That Make Your Green Tea The Best
Nutritional Values Of Green Tea
Nutrition |
Nutrition Value Per 100 g |
| Energy | 4 kJ (0.96 kcal) |
| Carbohydrates | 0 |
| Fat | 0 |
| Protein | 0.2 g |
| Water | 99.9 g |
| Caffeine | 12 mg |
Source: USDA
Why Should We Drink It?
- The caffeine present in green tea acts as an agent that has been shown to aid fat burning and improve activity performance in various studies.
- The loaded antioxidants known as catechins help burn fat and boost your metabolism that is key to weight loss.
- Green tea comes with fewer calories; so, you can easily include green tea along with your evening snacks.
- Increase in metabolic rate – Green tea helps elevate metabolic rate, increase fat oxidation (fat reduction process) and even improve insulin activity inside your body.
- It also contains an ingredient known as L-theanine. It is a type of amino acid that helps in stress reduction by providing a calming and relaxing effect on the brain. It may also help improve memory retention.
- May help to reduce the risk of dementia – Green tea may help boost brain function. Studies have shown people who consume green tea in moderation have a lower risk of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Green tea is a healthy drink full of antioxidants. You can consume it anytime you want to with some honey and lemon if you like the taste.
It is very important to understand that drinking green tea alone wouldn’t help lose weight, but some amount of exercise and a healthy diet along with consuming green tea should be considered if you want visible results.
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A To Z list of Antioxidant Rich food items to fight free radicals.
19 Benefits Of Green Tea That Can Help To Transform Your Overall Health
A fresh lemon green tea in the morning, or one cup after eating food or just before sleeping, the health benefits of green tea are many. Due to the high antioxidant content found in green tea, it is also recommended that no milk should be added to the beverage. Adding milk to green tea will reduce the antioxidant effect.
1. Improves Heart Health and Regulates Cholesterol Levels
With the fast paced lifestyle and extreme work related stress, heart disease has become as common as the flu. A lot of people suffer from heart disease at an early age due to bad lifestyle choices and bad eating habits. Cardiovascular disease is fast becoming a stress and lifestyle related disease that not only affects the old, but the young too.
Consumption of green tea is often associated with lowering the risk of heart disease and cholesterol levels and improving the overall health of the heart. Drinking green tea can help lower bad cholesterol levels in your body, which plays a direct role in contributing to heart diseases. When the antioxidant capacity of the blood increases, it prevents heart attacks caused by reactive oxygen species. Studies suggest there is a link between consumption of green tea and moderate reductions in cholesterol levels.
Reduced risk of stroke – Tea drinkers have some good news! Drinking green tea may also help in lowering the risk of stroke.
2. May Reduce the Risk of Cancer
Catechin is a natural antioxidant which is present in green tea. A specific catechin called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in green tea helps reduce free radicals in the body which further lead to prevention of cancer and other diseases. Studies on animals have shown significant decrease in tumor growth according to National Cancer Institute.
While research in this regard is still ongoing, several studies have shown the positive influence of green tea over managing free radicals in the body. Antioxidants, present in green tea, act as free radical scavengers, helping to counter and minimize the effect of these unhealthy free radicals in the body.
When the body’s normal cell cycle of growing and dying is broken, cancer cells begin to form and grow rapidly, resulting in tumors that can occur in different parts of the body, causing the different types of cancers like breast cancer, ovarian cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, stomach cancer.
3. Lowers the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Studies supporting the relationship between green tea consumption and lowered risk of type 2 diabetes are not consistent.
Some studies suggest that the catechins that are present in green tea also help in reducing insulin resistance. This happens because it decreases the rate of absorption and digestion of carbohydrates. While some studies suggest that, a few others have found no relationship between green tea and diabetes.
4. Regulates Blood Pressure
Problems with blood pressure are usually due to an enzyme that is produced by the kidneys, called Angiotensin-Converting enzyme.
5. Helps Relieve Arthritis
EGCG in green tea helps in limiting the creation of those molecules that leads to arthritis, pain, and inflammation. It can also improve the health of the cartilage and bones.
6. Boosts Immunity
One of the benefits of drinking green tea with honey is that it boosts the immune system. Green tea is rich in antigens and the catechins that are able to kill the influenza virus. The antioxidants in green tea can also keep you safe during the flu season and minimize your risk of developing a cold.
7. Promotes Longevity
People who drink green tea not only live longer but are less likely to suffer from disabilities or serious illness in their old age due to the many health benefits that green tea offers.
8. Promotes Cognitive Functioning
Caffeine has the ability to inhibit adenosine, which acts as a depressant for the central nervous system and promotes sleep. Caffeine can counteract this and promote the functioning of the brain.
Not only that, drinking green tea may help improve brain function and reduce the risk of common neurodegenerative disease like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Some studies even suggest that the catechin compounds in green tea may help lower the risk of dementia. That said, more research is needed to support this.
9. Promotes Digestive Health
Green tea may help with digestive health due to the digestive enzymes present in them. One of the many benefits of the antioxidants in green tea is that it helps to promote healthy digestion.
10. Promotes Weight Loss
Green tea may help reduce body fat and promote weight loss. How? Let’s learn more about it. The benefits of green tea for weight loss are well known. The antioxidants present in green tea aid in boosting the metabolism, and the hormones that burn fat are stimulated due to its active compounds.
In a study done on healthy men, researchers noticed that men who had an intake of green tea extract burned more calories and fat oxidation as compared to those who didn’t.
11. Helps Fight Depression
People who drink a minimum of four cups of green tea daily are also less likely to show signs of depression. Green tea contains amino acid L-theanine, which encourages the release of serotonin and dopamine in the body.
12. Cures Hangovers
Drinking green tea is also known to help recover from a hangover; the trick is to consume it before you start drinking or the day after. The antioxidants in green tea can help prevent liver damage, and it can also help detoxify the liver after a night of heavy drinking.
13. Promotes Oral Health
Drinking green tea daily works wonders for oral health and has been found to be able to prevent cavities, bad breath, and even gum disease.
14. Treats the Symptoms of Down Syndrome
Although there is no actual cure for Down Syndrome, a recent study has shown that drinking green tea may help provide a better quality of life for those with this condition.
15. Improves Endurance and Energy
The catechins in green tea help increase a person’s energy and endurance.
16. Helps Treat Puffy Eyes and Dark Circles
There are many benefits of green tea for the skin. Puffy eyes and dark circles are something that most people suffer from at some point or the other.
17. Helps Treat Acne
The antioxidants present in green tea help in fighting free radicals and in repairing damaged skin. Drinking green tea also boosts the immune system, cuts down sebum production, and reduces inflammation, all of which help fight against acne internally.
18. Anti-aging
Say goodbye to the signs of aging as the antioxidants in green tea as well as the anti-inflammatory properties will help reduce signs of wrinkles and fine lines. Green tea can help protect against skin damage caused by UV rays also.
Related Reading:
Know when to drink green tea to obtain all its benefits. Making a tea time table can help you to avoid over-consumption.
19. Helps Cure Sunburn
To treat sunburn, all you have to do is, brew a pot of green tea, strain it, and allow it to cool. After that, soak a piece of cloth in the tea and use it as a cold compress for sunburned areas. The antioxidants in green tea protect against the harmful ultraviolet rays.
Green Tea Benefits For The Skin
Skin cells can get damaged easily due to pollution, UV rays and over exposure to the sun. To help protect our skin cells from excessive damage, it is important to nourish it with natural face masks and regular kitchen ingredients like milk, tomatoes and green tea. Let’s have a look at the 6 benefits of green tea that help protect your skin and rejuvenate skin cells –
1. Protection Against UV Rays
Drinking green tea protects the skin from the harmful ultra violet rays of the sun. It is a fact which is proven in a study published by British Journal Of Nutrition, which states that consumption of green tea reduces the redness and inflammation caused due to the harmful UV rays.
2. No Puffy Eyes & Dark Circles
Green tea shrinks the blood vessels, hence, reducing puffy eyes and dark circles. It has tea tannins and caffeine which makes your skin glowing.
3. Exfoliation Of The Skin
Green tea improves any dead skin which makes you look dull. It gently exfoliates the skin by producing new skin cells in the place of dead skin cells.
4. Acne Treatment
The major skin problem faced by people is acne. Green tea reduces the clogged pores and removes blackheads without any side effects. This was proven in a study published in the Saudi Medical Journal in which the use of 20% green tea lotion was examined for treatment of acne and it worked.
5. Treatment Of Oily Skin
Green tea has tannins which are responsible for binding the amino acids in the body. They directly work as skin toners and evens out the appearance of the skin.
6. Anti-Aging
Green tea has antioxidants which ensure there is no premature aging and the skin cells get repaired quickly.
Green Tea Benefits For Hair Loss
Green tea prevents hair loss because of the following:
- Presence of natural catechins which are a cause for hair loss.
- It has all the essential vitamins that treats split ends and also works as a hair softener.
- Breakdowns plaque in the blood vessels, resulting in proper flow of blood in the scalp.
- Another cause of hair fall is increased cholesterol and green tea reduces the bad cholesterol in the body.
- If you wash your hair with green tea, it will kill all the bacteria and the fungal parasites.
- Green tea ensures your hair is dandruff and itch free.
Side Effects Of Drinking Green Tea
Everything, if consumed in excess, can have side effects. There are some side effects of drinking green tea which are not known, such as:
1. Increased Blood Pressure
If green tea is consumed with other drugs or stimulants, it results in increase in blood pressure and heart rate. It is recommended that people with heart problems regulate their intake of green tea.
2. Blood Thinners
People who take blood thinners should cautiously drink green tea as green tea has high content of vitamin K, which is a threat if consumed with blood thinners. People with chronic heart conditions, consuming blood thinners, should not consume green tea.
3. Caffeine Consumption
Even green tea has caffeine in it, just like coffee. If you are sensitive to caffeine then you might face insomnia, anxiety, nausea, upset stomach, irritability on frequent consumption of green tea.
Related Reading:
Are you drinking green tea on an empty stomach? Know here why you shouldn’t.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here’s a few interesting questions we have answered about green tea and its effects.
1. Is green tea bad for you?
Green tea is healthy but excess of anything is bad. Excess consumption of green tea will be bad for you because it still contains caffeine and hence more than 3 cups a day is not recommended. Along with that, it can leave you dehydrated as well. If green tea is consumed in excess it will start eliminating essential elements and the benefits in it too which you can get.
2. What are the side effects of drinking too much green tea?
Green tea is rich in antioxidants which increase the production of detoxifying properties. It also boosts the immune system and helps protect the liver from toxins like alcohol.
3. Can green tea cause an upset stomach?
Drinking green tea on an empty stomach can cause an upset stomach in some people. Green tea contains tannins which are acidic in nature. This increases the stomach acidity levels which then leads to stomach aches, nausea, burning sensation or even constipation.
4. Does green tea help lower blood pressure?
Green tea helps the blood vessels relax. This allows blood to flow more freely through them. Research has shown the positive effect of green tea on blood pressure. Green tea can help lower systolic blood pressure.
5. Can green tea help you stay alert like coffee?
Although green tea generally does contain caffeine, it does not wake you up like a coffee would. It contains L-theanine, an amino acid, which helps you relax.
Final Words
Green tea is rich in nutrients and antioxidants that may have many benefits to our health. More research will be required to learn the extent to which it may help with weight loss and the best method for its consumption. Green tea is not harmful, and it has been used for centuries. As such, it may be a useful addition to a healthful diet and exercise regime for weight loss and overall health.
Please seek medical advice or consult a certified nutritionist if you are on any medication or are suffering from any chronic illness before making any drastic changes in your diet.