The health benefits of green tea are quite popular, with origins from China dating back to more than 4000 years ago. Even if you are not a tea drinker, you can still benefit from this refreshing beverage, as it needs no milk or sugar to be tasty.
What is so special about green tea?
The leaves and buds of a small evergreen shrub (Camellia sinensis) are used to make green tea. It is how these leaves are processed that allows the antioxidant compounds to remain intact. These bioactive compounds are the all-important ingredients which offer various health benefits.
What is Oxidation?
Certain chemicals react together and oxidize. For example rusting which turns apples brown. The human body oxidizes when burning out old cells and during muscle movement. Oxidation is an important process, and fundamental to the functioning of the human body. On the bad side oxidation produces Free Radicals, which are unstable molecules. The body’s defense against these is Antioxidants, which prevents and controls them.
What are the benefits of Antioxidants?
Antioxidants deal with the Free Radicals during oxidation and protect our cells from damage.
How can we consume antioxidants?
Certain foods are natural suppliers of antioxidants, one of which is green tea.
Doesn’t Green tea have caffeine?
It does, but in less quantities than coffee. It also has an amino acid (L-theanine), which compliments the effects of caffeine, and improves the functioning of the brain.
What other benefits does green tea have to offer?
Increases fat burning hormones and boosts metabolism. This results in improved physical performance and helps with losing weight.
Lowers the risk of prostate, breast and colorectal cancers. The oxidative damage we mentioned earlier, contributes to the growth of certain cancer cells. This is where the antioxidants in green tea perform at their best, breaking down those excess rogue cells. Studies have shown that people who drink green tea have a lower percentage risk of developing these types of cancer.
Lowers the risk of brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s< /a> disease. Green tea contains a compound called catechin, an antioxidant which protects the neurons from degenerating.
Lowers blood sugar levels. Studies in Japan have shown that green tea decreases the risk of Type II Diabetes by a whopping 42%.
Reduces cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes. Once again, the effects of antioxidants help to lower cholesterol levels, which decrease the possibility of cardiovascular diseases by 31%.
Many studies show the positive effects of this natural food source, so it makes sense to include it as part of your daily dietary intake.