11 Miraculous Benefits of Green Tea
Tea, regardless of its type, is a nutritional beverage. Especially, green tea has an established reputation because of the health benefits it offers to the body. Green tea is rich in antioxidants and tea phytonutrients. Green tea also contains caffeine, theanine, potassium, and magnesium. Tea is more beneficial if it is taken without milk and sugar.
Green tea has a multitude of benefits as compared to black tea, and the reason lies in the processing. Black tea is more processed, and thus green tea retains more antioxidants (polyphenols) as compared to black tea, the main source of all health benefits associated with it.
Benefits of Green Tea
Green tea benefits the body in multiple ways. Let us discuss some key benefits that it offers to the body
1. Weight Loss
Most people add green tea into their routine because of its benefits associated with weight loss. Green tea is said to increase metabolism, the rate at which food is processed to make energy.
Its anti-oxidative properties help speed up the oxidation of fats and thus lead to weight loss. Green tea itself carries zero calories, so its intake can help to limit calorie intake and consequently lead to weight loss.
2. Cardiovascular Benefits
Green tea has a number of cardiovascular benefits as well. It is suggested that it works on keeping the lining of blood vessels flexible and relaxed, and results make blood vessels adaptable to changing blood pressure.
It also helps in keeping cholesterol levels low and ensures good blood flow. In addition, it is helpful in the prevention of clots formation and resultantly decreasing the rate of having heart stroke and heart attack.
3. Unhealthy Beverage Substitute
Green tea can prove a better replacement for harmful beverages such as alcohol, whiskey, and beer. Taken in excess, such beverages can have serious concerns. It is a good option to take green tea instead of these harmful drinks. It is also important for those who are dealing with withdrawal effects and cravings for alcohol and other such beverages.
4. Helpful To Prevent Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition caused by an inability to produce enough insulin. It works well for people with diabetes as it regulates levels of glucose in the blood by keeping blood sugar levels in control after eating food.
It also improves insulin sensitivity and reduces blood glucose. Green tea intake can help to manage both fasting glucose level and fasting insulin level to its minimal.
5. Helpful To Prevent Cancer
Green tea, based on one of its constituents, flavonoids, are also considered important in killing cancer cells without causing any harm to the healthy tissues around. It is helpful to prevent esophageal, breast, lungs, and colon cancer.
Green tea inhibits urokinase. It is the main enzyme that causes cancer cells to grow fast. If inhibited can cause a decrease in tumor size and making cancer cells unable to divide.
6. Improve Brain Function
A decline in cognitive abilities such as thinking and memorizing comes with aging. It is very common. Studies have suggested that green tea intake can help restore damaged brain cells, and furthermore, it can provide protection to brain cells from damage.
Theanine is considered anti-anxiety with increased activity of inhibitory neurotransmitters. This helps in boosting up cognitive abilities and helps with overcoming diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
7. Tooth Decay
Green tea is an excellent source to refresh the mouth. Catechins found in green tea are thought to kill viruses and bacteria in the mouth and throat. This helps to prevent many throat infections, tooth decay, gum issues, and cavities.
Green tea is also an important source to overcome oral issues such as bad breath. Both green and black tea has fluoride, which is helpful in preventing tooth decay.
8. Stress Reliever
Theanine, a main constituent of tea, is considered important as it renders relaxing and tranquilizing effects. Also, studies have suggested that using tea suppresses the stress hormone cortisol in the body. It helps to manage a good mood. These properties make green tea an important source of stress relief and to avoid depression.
9. Anti-viral And Anti-bacterial
It is catechins the main component of green tea, which makes it anti-viral in nature studies have shown that catechins in green tea help in the prevention of Hepatitis C, it is considered to disrupt and inhibit the infection of HIV, and it is helpful in preventing influenza virus.
Green tea is also anti-bacterial in nature, and it inhibits the growth of streptococcus, a disease-causing bacteria. It also prevents the growth of diarrhea-causing bacteria, E Coli.
10. Skincare
Green tea is considered important because of its anti-aging properties. Its oxidative nature helps to overcome signs of aging (wrinkles). Its anti-inflammatory properties help to prevent and repair sun damage on the skin. It helps to hydrate the skin and give it a natural glow. It also protects the skin from the harms of bacteria and other issues associated with it.
11. Live Longer
Based on the number of healthy components, green tea can help live longer. One of the main reasons is that it is helpful in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and many viral and bacterial infections. Thus ensures a healthy and long life.
A study conducted on Japanese employed about 40 thousand adults who consumed 4-5 cups of green tea a day. The results showed that very few of those who consumed green tea passed away that year.
Conclusion
Green tea is a wonderful beverage with no serious harm and a variety of health benefits. Taking green tea can prove a wonderful substitute for unhealthy beverage consumption. It is composed of useful polyphenols and catechins, which increase its oxidative properties making it a good antioxidant. It is helpful for the overall cleansing and detoxification of the body. Managing moderation in its usage is essential to retain maximum benefits.
