Honestly, I don’t consider myself a fan of taking Green Tea, until I had this extrinsic motivation. Green Tea has proven to have more healthy benefits other than Coffee, But that doesn’t stop my intake of coffee; I only create a balance time frame for both.
Earlier, I discussed the benefits of taking coffee daily as an unapologetic coffee junkie that I am, but what if I told you that Green tea has more proven benefits than Coffee would you throw your coffee packs away? Well, I wouldn’t because I have both (Green Tea and Coffee) and I take them periodically.
Green Tea!
For centuries and counting, people have used Green Tea for lots of health related issues, and being one of the most sought after healthiest tea on the planet, it is loaded with powerful antioxidant that helps;
- improve the brain function
- reduce fats in the body
- protects against cancer
- lowers the risk of heart disease
- reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Green was originated from China some other persons disagree though, they believe it originated from Japan. Well, study has revealed that the true origin of Green Tea is China, additionally, Tea drinking originated from China during the reign of mythological Emperor Shennong.
According to a report from the International Institute of Sustainable Development, tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world, after water.
What is Green Tea?
Simply, Green Tea is from a green leaf, Camellia sinensis plant, (actually several teas are made from dried leaves or buds of Camellia sinensis but the level of fermentation of the leaves determines the type of tea formed).
Green tea is prepared by steaming and pan-frying the Camellia sinensis leaves and then drying them. Green tea is not fermented, so it is able to maintain an important molecules called polyphenols, which seen to be responsible for many of its health benefits. It also contains caffeine.
5 Proven Benefits of Green Tea
1. To boost the Brain Performance:
Green tea can help keep you alert, and may also help boost brain function. The main active in green tea ingredient is caffeine, which is a known stimulant.
Although, It doesn’t contain much caffeine as coffee, but has enough to produce a response without causing the jittery effects associated with taking in too much caffeine.
Study has shown that caffeine affects the brain by blocking an inhibitory neurotransmitter called adenosine. This way, it increases the firing of neurons and the concentration of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine.
Additionally, caffeine isn’t the only brain-boosting compound in green tea. It also contains amino acid L-theanine. L-theanine increases the activity of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, which has anti-anxiety effects. It also increases dopamine and the production of alpha waves in the brain.
The combination of both caffeine and L-theanine can have particularly powerful effects in improving the brain function.
2. Aids Weight Loss
Well, recall earlier I made mention of an extrinsic motivation, Yeah! this was it. I actually wanted to lose belly and side fat, so i had to incorporate green tea to my diet, yes it worked.
An evaluation of several research discovered that catechins found in green tea and caffeine may have a role in increasing energy metabolism, which may lead to weight loss.
3. Prevents Inflammatory
Adding green tea to my meal plan, I occasionally observed the inflammation that keeps occuring on my face reduced because of it contains anti-inflammatory properties.
An Evaluation carried out in 2019 showed that tea extract use in cosmetics supported this. The researchers were determined that solutions including tea extracts promoted anti-inflammatory responses when applied topically. They also found that skin microcirculation improved in the affected areas.
4. Helps fight Cancer
It has been observed, countries where the consumption of green tea intake is relatively high, some cancer rates tend to be lower there. However, scientific research have not shown consistent evidence to prove that drinking green tea reduces the overall risk of cancer.
A 2020 database reviewof epidemiological and experimental studies in humans produced inconsistent results as well as limited evidence of the benefit of green tea consumption for lowering the risk of cancer. The researchers assessed 142 completed studies, including 1.1 million participants.
However, the topical application of green tea polyphenol extracts may have a role in protecting the skin from UVB radiation. A 2018 review of in vitro, in vivo, and human studies demonstrated the potential benefits of tea polyphenols in the chemoprevention of UVB-induced skin cancer.
Animal and test tube cell studies have suggested some positive impacts on the following types of cancer:
- breast
- bladder
- ovarian
- bowel
- throat
- lung
- prostate
- skin
- stomach
Overall findings from numerous human studies have yielded inconsistent results and limited evidence of the benefit of drinking green tea on the overall risk of cancer.
5. Lowers Cholesterol
A concluded research carried out in 2011 found that consuming green tea, either as a beverage or in capsule form, was linked to significant but modest reductions in total low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Nutritional Value of Green Tea
Naturally, unsweetened brewed green tea contains 3 calories per cup.
Green tea contains a relatively small amount of caffeine (approximately 29 milligrams [mg] per 8-ounce cup) compared with black tea (around 47 mg per cup) and coffee (about 95 mg per cup).
The caffeine in a cup of tea can vary according to the duration of infusing time and the amount of tea infused.
Side Effects of Too Much Intake
There are few known side effects associated with drinking large amount green tea in adults. However, it is important to note:
- Caffeine sensitivity: People with severe caffeine sensitivities could experience insomnia, anxiety, irritability, nausea, or an upset stomach after drinking green tea.
- Liver damage: Consuming a high concentration of green tea extract may negatively impact liver health in rare cases.
- Other stimulants: If a person consumes green tea alongside stimulant drugs, it could increase their blood pressure and heart rate.
Additionally, drinking more than 8 tea cups of green tea daily is possibly unsafe. These side effects can range from mild to serious and include headache and irregular heartbeat.
Generally,
Green tea is seen to have numerous health benefits that has helped;
improve the brain functions
reduce fats in the body
protects against cancer
lowers the risk of heart disease
reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Green tea contains one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants compared to many tea. It is naturally low in calories and contains less caffeine than black tea and Coffee
Every Tea intake requires moderation.
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