10 Amazing Health Benefits of Green Tea

green tea image — (Source: menulist.menu)

Green tea is widely popular for aiding in weight loss and is considered the healthiest beverage. Accordingly, switching your go-to calorie-rich beverage with green tea will show splendid results only if continued for a long time.

Numerous commercials claim that drinking green tea will quickly make you drop a pound or so. Although this seems tempting, it is important to remember that it cannot give overnight results. However, there is more to it than meets the eye.

So, to know the actual health benefits of green tea, keep reading.

What Are the Top 10 Health Benefits of Green Tea?

1. Protects Against Diseases

Green tea has higher polyphenol content than any other kind of tea. Polyphenols have protective attributes. These are known for safeguarding the body against diseases. These antioxidants are generally found in various fruits, vegetables, and unprocessed food. Green tea falls under the last category, and hence, it offers a number of health benefits.

2. Aids in Losing Weight

Drinking green tea is favoured by most people because it is popularly known for its weight losing properties. However, people often expect to get immediate results, which is impossible. The thermogenic properties of green tea help boost metabolism, which leads to burning the fat accumulated in human bodies.

3. Prevents Cancer

Studies show that cancer rates are surprisingly low in those countries where green tea intake is higher. That is why scholars have interlinked both the information. As per researchers, when the polyphenol extract of green tea is applied topically, it has shown evidence of protecting the skin from UVB radiation. Furthermore, trials on animals and test tube cells have results impacting certain types of cancer. For example:

Skin
Stomach
Colorectal
Ovarian
Breast
Oesophageal
Lungs
Prostate
Bladder

4. Good for the Heart

Years of experiments and research have concluded that drinking green tea is good for the heart. The polyphenols present in it are responsible for lowering blood pressure and inflammation in blood vessels. In addition, it also enhances epithelial function and eventually helps to lower heart risks.

5. Improves Memory

One of the lesser-known health benefits of drinking green tea is that it helps improve cognitive functions and memory. Researchers are working to find a satisfying result to conclude green tea can cure dementia and other cognitive impairment.

6. Helps to Reduce Bad Breath

Catechins compounds in green tea are known for their ability to work on oral health. Experiments have shown that these chemical compounds can affect the growth of bacteria, thus decreasing the chances of oral infections. In addition, this same component can help in reducing bad breath.

7. Keeps Type 2 Diabetes in Check

Diabetic patients suffer from hiked blood sugar levels caused due to the inability to produce insulin. Nevertheless, the elements present in green teas are known for their properties impacting insulin sensitivity. This indicates that drinking green tea helps in lowering blood sugar levels.

8. Minimises Cholesterol

Green teas are rich in antioxidants, which are responsible for lowering total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. Therefore, it has been observed that those who regularly drink this tea have a lesser risk of developing any kind of cardiovascular disease.

9. Reduces Skin Inflammation

Clinical studies have shown it contains an epigallocatechin-3-gallate component. This is an anti-inflammatory property present in green teas. It is also a major reason why the extract of this tea variant is used for skincare products.

10. Good for Hair Care

For ages, green teas have been considered a beverage that can cure any ailment. Moreover, it has gained popularity in recent times because of its hair care benefits. Some of the well-known hair care advantages are as follows:

Prevents hair fall
Promotes growth of hair
Delivers proper nutrients to hair roots

What Are the Nutritional Qualities of Green Tea?

Herbal teas are richer in certain qualities than other varieties of teas. In the case of green teas, it contains specific components which work towards improving the health of an individual consuming this beverage. Some of them are as follows:

Caffeine
Chlorophyll
Theanine
Catechins
Vitamins-C, B2, E, Folic acid, β-carotene
Saponins
γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
Fluorine
Minerals- Calcium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Manganese

Here is a table illustrating the nutritional values of the basic elements in green tea, as per one-cup serving (245 g).

Elements	Nutritional Values
Calories	2.5 g
Total Fat	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	2.5 mg
Carbohydrates	0 g
Protein	0.5 g
Potassium	20 mg
Caffeine	29.4 mg

How to Include Green Tea in Your Daily Diet?

To gain the health benefits of green tea, you must include it in your daily diet. These are some of the ideas which will help you add this healthy beverage to your regular diet.

1. Drink A Cup Before Breakfast

Having green tea first thing in the morning is the easiest habit you can establish. However, try it as your pre-workout drink if this seems less favourable.

2. Make A Smoothie

Brew some green tea, and then add bananas, spinach leaves, yoghurt, and strawberries, and top it with some nuts. This smoothie is probably the easiest way to drink a tastier version of green tea.

3. Add Green Tea With Rice

Instead of boiling rice in plain water, try doing the same in green tea. This will add all the necessary nutrients to rice.

4. Make The Perfect Fizzy Beverage

Add your cold brew tea with your favourite juices, and mix some plain soda. A healthy mocktail is ready to be served.

5. Try Matcha Green Tea

Matcha green tea contains more nutrients than regular green tea. It also has the properties of preventing pre-mature ageing and improving skin from within. So experiment with this magic powder, add some with your cookies and enjoy a healthy snack.

How to Make the Perfect Green Tea?

The process of making green tea is the same as any other tea. It is divided into some very simple steps.

Step 1: Choose from the variant of green tea. Make sure to get a good quality of tea leaves for the best flavour.

Step 2: Heat the water. Since the flavours of green teas are more sensitive, adding them to boiling water will lead to a bitter taste.

Step 3: Let it steep. If you are wondering how long you should steep green tea for its health benefits, the correct answer is 3 to 5 minutes. Make it certain that it is not steeping for too long. Otherwise, it will develop a bitter flavour.

Step 4: Add lemon, cinnamon or honey as per your taste, and enjoy the perfect green tea.

Who Should Avoid Drinking Green Tea?

Although there are several health benefits of green tea, some people cannot consume this beverage. People who have the following tendencies must avoid green tea.

Intolerance towards caffeine
Chronic stomach issues
Iron deficiency
Anaemic patients
Prone to anxiety
Acute liver diseases
Severe heart issues
Diarrhoea and IBS
Glaucoma
Osteoporosis

The health benefits of green tea remain the same, no matter in which form it is consumed. For instance, one can brew it simply as tea or use its capsule for medicinal purposes. This antioxidant-rich and low-calorie drink is perfect for those who want to switch to a healthier lifestyle.

Frequently Asked Questions

✓ What is the maximum dosage of green tea capsules for any adults?

250-500 mg per day is the recommended amount for green tea capsules consumption.

✓ Can pregnant women drink green tea?

Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should avoid green tea because it contains caffeine, catechins and tannic acids. These components are linked with pregnancy risks.