You’ve probably heard someone touting the benefits of green tea. It’s considered to be one of the healthiest beverages in the world. Regularly consuming green tea has been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and inflammation.
The Western world is on a health kick. Consumers are reading ingredient labels; they want healthy, delicious food that nourishes their bodies rather than taints it with chemicals. People are falling in love with green tea and green tea-flavored treats. Human beings have been consuming tea for a very long time but a lot of Westerners are never introduced to the beverage.
If the taste of unsweetened green tea is too strong, you can try letting your taste buds grow accustomed to the new flavor. You can buy green tea chocolate or you can sweeten your tea and slowly reduce the amount of sugar that you add over time. There are a lot of options.
What is Green Tea?
Black, oolong, and green teas are derived from the same plant. Green tea leaves are saturated with antioxidants because they haven’t been fermented. In some cultures, regularly imbibing green tea is thought to be essential.
Here are some of the benefits.
Protect Your Brain
Green tea is thought to provide long-term protection to your brain. Research indicates that the antioxidants stuffed in the leaves may ward off degenerative brain diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
It can also provide short-term benefits. The caffeine will keep you sharp and allow your brain to function.
Green tea is loaded with L-theanine, an amino acid capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier and having an effect on neurotransmitters. Scientists suspect that L-theanine and caffeine are even more effective when combined.
Burn Fat
Multiple studies suggest that green tea can help pump up your metabolism. If you’re trying to burn excess fat, this is exactly what you want.
There is a lot of anecdotal evidence can green tea can help satiate you so you’re less prone to overeating.
Kill Bacteria
The catechins in green tea can help kill the harmful bacteria in your mouth, protecting you from tooth decay and bad breath. The beverage is closely linked with improved oral health.
Lower Your Risk of Type II Diabetes
As the West grapples with an obesity crisis, the rate of people being diagnosed with Type II diabetes has begun to soar. The disease afflicts hundreds of millions of people across the globe.
Green tea has been shown to help stabilize your blood sugar. People with diabetes develop insulin insensitivity, which hampers with the cells’ ability to absorb sugar from your blood.
Look Younger
Green tea reduces inflammation. This will help keep your cells healthy and young-looking. Your skin may develop a glow or appear brighter and softer.
You don’t have to be a tea drink to get the benefits. There are green tea-based oils and creams that you can apply to your skin.
Reduce Pain
If you have aches and pain caused by inflammation, they can be relieved by green tea. In a university study looking at the effects of green tea on mice, researchers found that when the animals were given the equivalent of multiple cups a day they had a reduced reaction to a drug that produces rheumatoid arthritis. The mice in the control group were far more likely to develop symptoms.
Lower Your Risk of Cancer
Drinking tea, particularly green tea, has been linked to a reduced risk of developing cancer. It’s believed that the polyphenols in the leaves are responsible for the effect. Cancer researchers have previously shown that polyphenols can reduce tumor growth in animal studies.
Improve Your Heart Health
People who drink at least cup of green tea per day have been shown to have a significantly lower risk of developing heart disease. This is despite the caffeine in the beverage.
Green tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. It’s associated with a number of significant health benefits. Green tea is so good for you that it would be reasonable for you to drink it even if you couldn’t stand the taste.
Fortunately, there are many different ways to prepare a mug of tea. Keep experimenting until you find something that you enjoy. Adding sugar to your tea mitigates some of the health benefits. For instance, if you’re trying to control your blood sugar, you don’t want to dose yourself with a sugary drink.
However, drinking green tea with sugar added is still better than never drinking it at all.