It’s trendy to drink green tea these days. But when we know about the benefits, uses, and side effects of green tea, we can better understand how it impacts our overall health. So, let’s discuss:

 

1. What is green tea?
2. Benefits of green tea.
3. Adding green tea to food.
4. Side effects of drinking green tea.
5. How much green tea can be consumed in a day?
6. Drinking green tea on empty stomach.

 

1. WHAT IS GREEN TEA?

 

 

Let’s look at tea in general before we dive deep into understanding a few things about green tea. Most of us drink variations of black tea. We add different ingredients to the tea like milk, ginger, tulsi leaves, cardamom, etc. Either we drink black tea or tea with milk – with different variations. What is the difference between this usual tea and green tea and what are the health benefits?

 

 

 

 

Tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis bush. This plant is found in two varieties. One that grows in China, which is utilized in white and green teas. The second type is found in India. It is used for black tea and oolong tea.

 

Green tea has the most flavonoids and they are plant-based antioxidant chemicals. When green tea is processed it gets least oxidized thus, it is believed to be extremely beneficial.

 

No wonder it is believed to be the healthiest beverage. It can be steeped to make tea or sipped whole. Tea and leaves can be used while cooking.

 

2. 10 Benefits of green tea:

 

• Abundant of antioxidants:

 

Green tea has polyphenol antioxidants that help in reducing inflammation in the body, which triggers premature aging. Antioxidants proactively protect cells from getting damaged. When cells get damaged it leads to chronic illnesses. Thus, green tea helps to protect our health.

 

• Supports immunity:

 

Antioxidants in green tea have an antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral effect and this helps in supporting our immunity.

 

 

Antibacterial properties fight bad breathe too. Green tea acts like a prebiotic, it is good for gut bacteria that is connected to healthy immunity.

 

• Supports brain health:

 

It elicits an alert calm and provides caffeine. Green tea has amino acids known as L-theanine and this makes you calm. Since it has caffeine and L-theanine it helps to optimize brain function by enhancing working memory, elevating your mood and cognitive performance.

 

Green tea counters oxidative stress. Thus, it is a protector against neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

 

• Helps support weight management:

 

Green tea revives metabolism and stimulates fat burning. It is linked to curbing your appetite and prevents fat gain through a process called angiogenesis, which means the formation of new blood vessels – on which depends the growth of fat tissues.

 

 

• Protects skin from aging:

 

According to research, polyphenols in green tea protect your skin from the impact of ultraviolet rays.

 

 

This helps in preventing the process of aging and in addition fights cancer and has anti-inflammatory benefits. Green tea compounds defend us against wrinkles since they can break down collagen and elastic fibers. This stalls the loss of skin elasticity.

 

• Supports bone density:

 

The antioxidants that are abundant in green tea protect against bone loss and reduce the risk of having a fracture. Research shows that consuming green tea in moderate amounts benefits bone health as it improves bone strength and quality.

 

Phenols influence bone mineral density as it prevents oxidation induced damage to bone cells. It reduces inflammation and helps in bone building.

 

• Prevent diabetes:

 

A published study probed into the relationship between green tea, blood sugar control, and sensitivity to insulin among humans. Researches found that the effect is favorable. Tea assists in reducing fasting blood sugar levels and even the average blood sugar measured over the previous three months.

 

 

• Green tea protects against cancer

 

 

 

Green tea manages to defend you against cancer in many ways. It protects you against the damage that triggers uncontrolled cell growth that can lead to mutations of cancer. The anti-angiogenesis effect helping to prevent fat gain works to stop cancer from spreading further.

 

 

• Protects heart health:

 

 

Green tea can multitask. It has anti-inflammatory effects and can protect you against oxidative stress, and reduce total cholesterol, bad LDL, blood fats or triglycerides, and blood pressure.

 

 

It can prevent the oxidation of LDL, which can then trigger and contribute to the hardening of artery and heart disease. You become less susceptible to stroke.

 

• Live a long life:

 

Regular green tea drinkers have younger biological age as compared to non-drinkers by about five years. Research reveals that green tea drinkers live longer.

 

3. Adding green tea to food:

 

You can do much more than sipping green tea. It can be used to make smoothies, can be used in oatmeal or overnight oats, steam veggies, or rice.

 

 

 

Steeped green tea can be used in stews, sauces, and soups. Steeped green tea is also called Matcha powder, which can be added to hummus, pancakes, hummus, baked goods, etc. You can get a bit creative to add it to some innovative dishes.

 

 

4. Side effects of drinking green tea:

 

Drinking a lot of green tea may lead to side effects. So, you have to cut back on your consumption in case you drink a lot of green tea. Observe how much you drink in a day. Keep it moderate.

 

• A lot of caffeine can make you jittery.
• Tea is a diuretic so it might lead to dehydration.
• Excess to green tea can lead to headaches.
• A lot of caffeine affects sleep.
• You might experience stomach upset if you drink a lot of green tea.
• If you are iron deficient drink green tea one hour after meals or in between meals.

 

 

5. How much green tea can be consumed in a day?

 

One cannot say how much green tea should be consumed during a tea to get the best out of its benefits. It depends on every individual and their health. Varying amounts of green tea each day benefits you in many ways.

 

How much green tea consumption is good for you depends on how much you can tolerate it. You might not be able to drink 4 cups in a day. But, you can add green tea in your diet that can benefit you. If you are drinking one or two cups of it in a day its good enough.

 

7. Drinking green tea on empty stomach:

 

Green tea has its benefits but drinking it on empty stomach is not good. It can lead to nausea. Tannins in the tea cause problems as they can elevate acid levels in your stomach. This can make you feel sick and lead to stomach aches. Drink tea in between meals.

 

Don’t drink green tea while having food as it will affect and interfere with your iron intake.

 

Visit Navmi website www.navmi.co.in to buy natural foods as our focus since inception has always been serving customers with natural foods of the best quality. All our products like coconut oil, flaxseed oil, ghee, A2 milk, different types of natural honey, jaggery, turmeric, etc are chemical-free. Unprocessed foods contain higher amounts of antioxidants, they reduce the risk of heart disease, cancers, and other health issues.

 

Visit our site (Nirlesh Foods Private Limited or Navmi) www.navmi.co.in to know more about nutritionally pure and unprocessed food. Make a conscious and healthy choice of foods.

 

 

 

Read Similar Article: 

 

 

Our lifestyle and food habits are harming our health

 

 

7 Common myths about healthy weight loss

 

 

Is jaggery powder a safe sugar alternative for diabetics?

 

 

 

 

@Nirlesh Foods Pvt. Ltd.