Drinking green tea is often recommended to promote digestion. But the virtues of green tea are numerous and at the same time unknown.
Why green tea?
Green tea has been known for its medicinal benefits for millennia. We find its origins in China. But it is consumed throughout Asia for its many virtues.
Its importance is crucial in the daily life of Asians. It is a drink that has many uses and benefits, ranging from reducing blood pressure to treating cancer. It is also credited with detox properties. And it is also used as a grandmother’s remedy to cleanse the liver. And why not black tea, then?
Good question, because both come from the same plant: the tea tree!
What is green tea?
The difference between black tea and green tea is in the processing of the leaves. Black tea is made in such a way that there is a fermentation of the leaves. On the contrary, green tea is processed to avoid this fermentation. The result is that green tea preserves its natural levels of antioxidants, in the form of polyphenols. It is these antioxidants that will give green tea its natural benefits.
Here’s a list of the surprising benefits of green tea – benefits you probably didn’t know about.
1. It contains antioxidants
Tea contains three main families of antioxidants catechins, theaflavins, and thearubigins. There would be in a cup of green tea up to 400 mg of polyphenols. Thanks to these compounds, tea is considered the drink with the strongest antioxidant activity, two cups would thus represent the equivalent of seven glasses of orange juice.
2. Fights diabetes
Green tea would prevent type 2 diabetes by reducing blood sugar spikes. One of its components, epigallocatechin 3 gallate (EGCG), can play an important role in lowering blood sugar spikes. Black tea has almost equivalent properties although it is slightly less concentrated in polyphenols.
3. It reduces stress
Tea contains L-theanine, an amino acid used by the body to release certain neurotransmitters. It thus increases the level of dopamine (the hormone of happiness) and regulates the emotional state, which makes it possible to reduce stress and increase good humor.
4. It helps to make the brain work well
Memory and attention would be boosted 30-60 minutes after drinking a cup of green or black tea. Tea has many benefits on brain activity (concentration, alertness, etc.), which have been measured and proven using an electroencephalogram.
5. It reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
Studies tend to show the preventive effect of tea on cardiovascular diseases such as stroke. Consuming two to three cups of green tea a day would reduce the risk of having a stroke by 14%.
6. Cholesterol
Doctors distinguish between good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL). Green tea lowers bad cholesterol. In addition, it improves the good cholesterol / bad cholesterol ratio.
7. Weight loss
Surely you have heard of metabolism. This is the process by which our body burns calories. However, green tea increases our metabolism. This is one of its significant advantages! Green tea polyphenols will intensify fat oxidation. They will also convert our food into calories.
8. Reduce Hypertension
Do you have high blood pressure? Do not hesitate to drink green tea in the morning for breakfast to start the day well, in order to reduce your rate.
9. For the skin
Green tea is also said to be good for fighting wrinkles and aging skin. Indeed, green tea is an antioxidant which in addition would also act as an anti-inflammatory. According to several studies, the local use of tea would also protect the skin from sunburn.
10. Live Longer
Used for thousands of years as one of the best-known medicinal plants in the world, green tea would act on the life span as its benefits on our health are numerous. Drinking a cup of green tea every evening would thus prolong our life expectancy, so we don’t hesitate!
The amounts to drink
OK, you are convinced about the benefits of this miracle drink. Now the important question – how many cups should you drink per day?
Research is not unanimous. Most recommend drinking 2-5 cups of tea a day. On the other hand, note that tea contains theine! If you react badly to caffeine, take care to limit yourself to 1 cup a day, preferably in the morning.
Be careful, tea also contains tannin. And tannin can reduce the absorption of iron and folic acid.
It is therefore best to avoid it if you are trying to get pregnant (or if you already are)! This is one of its drawbacks.
Finally, you can also try mixing green tea with other ingredients with surprising virtues, such as ginger for example. Well, if you look closely at these virtues, you might wonder why you would drink anything other than green tea! 🙂
Image Credit: Photo by Maria Tyutina from pexels.com
