Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea makes the news a lot, and often we’re told that we should drink more of it. The benefits claimed range from weight loss to cancer prevention, with seemingly more added on a regular basis. Here we’ve assembled some of the scientifically proven benefits that should entice you to start drinking green tea, and if you already do, to start drinking more of it.
Health Benefits

1. Serves as a Stimulating Drink:

Green tea can perk you up due to the caffeine it contains. This is caffeine from a natural source, not the kind you find in soft drinks, and in smaller amounts than in a cup of coffee. So you don’t have to worry about getting the jitters, unless you drink a ton of it. But it can provide a nice pick-me-up in addition to its other health benefits. It can serve as a healthier replacement to coffee and other “energy” drinks.

2. Hydrates The Body:

A team of scientists in Australia recently concluded that your eight glasses of water a day don’t actually have to be straight water. The water used to brew green tea would suffice, and since it doesn’t contain a lot of caffeine it won’t act to dehydrate the body as was once believed. This might make it easier to get your recommended fluids each day, and they also suggest that the water contained in foods like lettuce also count towards your fluid intake.

3. Helps with Toothache Pain:

Because of the antibacterial properties of green tea you can sometimes get toothache pain relief by swishing some in your mouth. Be sure that you brew a strong batch, letting the tea steep for a long time to get as much nutrients out of it as possible. This is not a cure, but a way to provide temporary relief to the area. You’ll still want to head to the dentist so that you can get the problem properly treated.

4. Fights Inflammation:

The EGCG in green tea not only helps with weight loss, it also helps to fight inflammation in the body, and therefore diseases and conditions that are brought on by it. The number of problems caused by inflammation is pretty long, and can range from chronic conditions like arthritis to cancer. That’s why it’s a good idea to combine green tea with a diet that is high in anti-inflammatory foods. There are even certain diets available that are geared towards fighting inflammation.

5. Reduces Stress:

The theanine in green tea has been shown to produce a calming effect. The only thing is that in order for you to feel less stressed from drinking green tea, you’ll have to drink several cups of it, up to six of them. By this point you’ll be up to the same amount of caffeine that’s in a cup of coffee, so if you don’t drink caffeine then you should probably stick to decaffeinated green tea to avoid getting too wired to feel the relaxing benefits.

6. Boosts Immunity:

Give your immune system a boost by drinking green tea! It’s the catechins, the same things that help prevent cancer also help keep you from getting sick. They do this by creating an antibacterial state within the body, leaving you less prone to bacterial and viral infections. This is big during cold and flu season, when everyone around you seems to be getting sick you can share you secret of enjoying a hot cup of green tea.

7. Provides Pain Relief:

The EGCG in green tea can help relieve certain types of pain. One proven way to help with arthritis pain is to drink a hot cup of green tea. You can do this twice daily for the best effects. While it may not help to treat acute pain, and doesn’t take the place of a consultation with your doctor to determine your best course of treatment, it can provide you with some pain relief.

Risk Reduction

1. Reduces Risk of Heart Disease:

Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States for both men and women. This is reason enough to start adding a daily cup of green tea to your routine. It’s been shown to be able to reduce the levels of bad cholesterol, increase the levels of good cholesterol, and generally improve the way your arteries function. The importance of a healthy heart can’t be understated, so taking steps to ensure that you’re drinking drinks and eating foods to help your heart is essential.

2. Inhibits Formation of Blood Clots:

Keeping the blood flowing smoothly provides a great benefit to the body. Not only does it reduce the chance of stroke and heart attack, but it should also make you feel more energetic and active. Blood clots are actually normal, and helpful when they are re used to help the body heal, but it is the abnormal blood clots that are the problem. These are responsible for many of the problems that affect those over 50, and so it you fall into that category you should add green tea to your daily diet.

3. Reduces Risk Of High Blood Pressure:

Blood pressure levels are one of the biggest indicators of how healthy you are. Good levels are usually associated with health and vitality, while bad levels are often a cause for alarm, or a wake-up call that you need to be more cautious about your lifestyle. Hypertension is often a precursor to serious conditions, and green tea has been shown to make noticeable improvements. They’ve also shown that the more you drink the better the results.

4. Reduces Unhealthy Blood Sugar:

Your blood sugar levels play a big part in your overall health, and should not be overlooked. They can mean the difference between weight loss and weight gain, and are often a precursor to conditions like diabetes. Green tea has been shown to keep them in check by lowering them due to the presence of polyphenols and polysaccharides. The catechins it contains also helps round things out, making this a great drink for maintaining healthy glucose levels.

Weight Loss

1. Helps with Weight Loss:

If you’re looking for a way to lose weight without changing anything else in your lifestyle, you might want to give green tea a try. Compared to a control group, those that took a green tea supplement were shown to have lost weight in several key areas measured, such as total pounds lost, waistline, and Body Mass Index. This means that without signing up for extra exercise or going on a radical diet, you could notice positive changes in your weight and overall health.

2. Rids the Body of Excess Fluid:

Getting rid of excess water weight is one way to lose weight, and provide a slimming effect. The diuretic effects of green tea have been used for centuries to help the body get rid of any extra fluid it’s not using. You might be surprised just how much better you look and feel when you aren’t carrying around extra fluid. When maintained as part of a daily process you should prevent excess fluid buildup as well.

3. Boosts Exercise Endurance:

Those catechins are at it again! Here they’re helping the body to burn up fat as fuel, so your muscles can take more punishment at the gym. Being able to exercise more means you’re burning more calories, leading to a caloric deficit, and an increase in lean muscle mass. This results in natural weight loss over time, eventually settling into the ideal weight for you. Compared to taking unknown supplements with ingredients that can’t be pronounced, a natural tem like green tea is preferable.