10 Proven Benefits of Green Tea (No. 3 is Very Impressive)
This mild beverage is great for helping shrink your waistline as well as for decreasing inflammation. The flavonoids in this tea have natural anti-inflammatory properties. And the compound EGCG in green tea has been shown to help reduce body fat.
Green tea
is the healthiest beverage on the planet.
It is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients
that have powerful effects on the body.
This
includes improved brain function, fat loss, a lower risk of cancer and many
other incredible benefits.
Here are 10
health benefits of green tea that have been confirmed in human research
studies.
1.
Green Tea Contains Various Bioactive Compounds That Can Improve
Health
2.
Green tea is
more than just green liquid.
Many of the
bioactive compounds in the tea leaves do make it into the final drink, which
contains large amounts of important nutrients.
It is loaded
with polyphenols like flavonoids and catechins, which
function as powerful antioxidants .
These
substances can reduce the formation of free radicals in the body, protecting
cells and molecules from damage. These free radicals are known to play a role
in aging and all sorts of diseases.
One of the
more powerful compounds in green tea is the antioxidant Epigallocatechin
Gallate (EGCG), which has
been studied to treat various diseases and may be one of the main reasons green
tea has such powerful medicinal properties.
Green tea
also has small amounts of minerals that are important for health.
Try to
choose a higher quality brand of green tea, because some of the lower quality
brands can contain excessive levels of fluoride That being said, even if you
choose a lower quality brand, the benefits still far
outweigh any
risk.
Bottom
Line: Green tea is loaded with bioactive compounds that can have various
beneficial effects on health.
2. Compounds in Green Tea
Can Improve Brain Function and Make You Smarter
Green tea
does more than just keep you awake, it can also make you smarter.
The key
active ingredient is caffeine, which is a known stimulant.
It doesn’t
contain as much as coffee,
but enough to produce a response without causing the “jittery” effects
associated with too much caffeine.
What
caffeine does in the brain is to block an inhibitory neurotransmitter called Adenosine.
This way, it actually increases the firing of neurons and the concentration of
neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine
Caffeine
has been intensively studied before and consistently leads to improvements in
various aspects of brain function, including improved mood, vigilance, reaction
time and memory
However… green
tea contains more than just caffeine. It also has the amino acid L-theanine,
which is able to cross the blood-brain barrier
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
Studies show
that caffeine and L-theanine can have synergistic effects.
Thecombination of the two is particularly potent at
improving brain function
Because of
the L-theanine and the smaller dose of caffeine, green tea can give you a much
milder and different kind of “buzz” than coffee.
Many people
report having more stable energy and being much more productive when they drink
green tea, compared to coffee.
Bottom
Line: Green tea contains less caffeine than coffee, but enough to produce
an effect. It also contains the amino acid L-theanine, which can work
synergistically with caffeine to improve brain function.
3. Green Tea Increases Fat
Burning and Improves Physical Performance
If you
look at the ingredients list for any fat burning supplement, chances are that
green tea will be on there.
This is
because green tea has been shown to increase fat burning and boost the
metabolic rate, in human controlled trials
In one
study in 10 healthy men, green tea increased energy expenditure by 4%
Another
study showed that fat oxidation was increased by 17%, indicating that
green tea may selectively increase the burning of fat
However,
I’d like to point out that some studies on green tea don’t show any increase in
metabolism, so the effects may depend on the individual
Caffeine
itself has also been shown to improve physical performance by mobilizing fatty
acids from the fat tissues and making them available for use as energy
In two separate review studies, caffeine has
been shown to increase physical performance by 11-12%, on average
Bottom
Line: Green tea has been shown to boost the metabolic rate and increase
fat burning in the short term, although not all studies agree.
4. Antioxidants in Green Tea
May Lower Your Risk of Various Types of Cancer
Cancer
is caused by uncontrolled growth of cells. It is one of the world’s leading
causes of death.
It is well known that oxidative damage contributes to the
development of cancer and that antioxidants can have a protective effect .
Green tea
is an excellent source of powerful antioxidants, so it
makes perfect sense that it could reduce your risk of cancer, which it appears
to do:
·
Breast
cancer: A meta-analysis of observational studies
found that whomen who drank the most green tea had a 22% lower risk of
developing breast cancer, the most common cancer in women
·
·
Prostate
cancer: One study found that men drinking green
tea had a 48% lower risk of developing prostate cancer, which is the most
common cancer in men
·
·
Colorectal
cancer: A study of 69,710 Chinese women found that
green tea drinkers had a 57% lower risk of colorectal cancer
·
Multiple
other observational studies show that green tea drinkers are significantly less
likely to get various types of cancer
It
is important to keep in mind that it may be a bad idea to put milk in your tea, because it can reduce the
antioxidant value .
Bottom
Line: Green tea has powerful antioxidants that may protect against
cancer. Multiple studies show that green tea drinkers have a lower risk of
various types of cancer.
5. Green Tea May Protect
Your Brain in Old Age, Lowering Your Risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
Not
only can green tea improve brain function in the short term, it may also
protect your brain in old age.
Alzheimer’s
disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease in humans and a leading
cause of dementia.
Parkinson’s
disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and involves the
death of dopamine producing neurons in the brain.
Multiple
studies show that the catechin compounds in green tea can have various
protective effects on neurons in test tubes and animal models, potentally
lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
Bottom Line: The bioactive compounds in green tea can
have various protective effects on neurons and may reduce the risk of both
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, the two most common neurodegenerative disorders.
6. Green Tea Can Kill
Bacteria, Which Improves Dental Health and Lowers Your Risk of Infection
The catechins in green tea have other biological
effects as well.
Some
studies show that they can kill bacteria and inhibit viruses like the influenza
virus, potentially lowering your risk of infections
Streptococcus
mutans is the primary harmful
bacteria in the mouth. It causes plaque formation and is a leading contributor
to cavities and tooth decay.
Studies
show that the catechins in green tea can inhibit the growth of streptococcus
mutans. Green tea consumption is associated with improved dental health and a
lower risk of caries
Another awesome benefit of green tea… multiple studies
show that it can reduce bad breath
Bottom
Line: The catechins in green tea may inhibit the growth of bacteria and
some viruses. This can lower the risk of infections and lead to improvements in
dental health, a lower risk of caries and reduced bad breath.
7. Green Tea May Lower Your
Risk of Type II Diabetes
,Type
II diabetes is a disease that has reached epidemic
proportions in the past few decades and now afflicts about 300 million people
worldwide.
This disease
involves having elevated blood sugar levels in the context of insulin
resistance or an inability to produce insulin.
Studies
show that green tea can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar
levels
One study
in Japanese individuals found that those who drank the most green tea had a 42%
lower risk of
developing type II diabetes
According
to a review of 7 studies with a total of 286,701 individuals, green tea
drinkers had an 18% lower risk of becoming diabetic
Bottom
Line: Some controlled trials show that green tea can cause mild
reductions in blood sugar levels. It may also lower the risk of developing type
II diabetes in the long term.
8. Green Tea May Reduce Your
Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular
diseases, including heart disease and stroke, are the biggest causes of death
in the world
Studies
show that green tea can improve some of the main risk factors for these diseases.
This
includes total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides
Green tea
also dramatically increases the antioxidant capability of the blood, which protects
the LDL cholesterol particles from oxidation, which is one part of the pathway
towards heart disease
Given the beneficial effects on risk factors, it is not surprising
to see that green tea drinkers have up to a 31% lower risk of cardiovascular
disease
Bottom Line: Green tea has been shown to lower total
and LDL cholesterol, as well as protect the LDL particles from oxidation.
Observational studies show that green tea drinkers have a lower risk of
cardiovascular disease
.
9. Green Tea Can Help You
Lose Weight and Lower Your Risk of Becoming Obese
Given
that green tea can boost the metabolic rate in the short term, it makes sense
that it could help you lose
weight.
Several
studies show that green tea leads to decreases in body fat, especially in the
abdominal area
One of
these studies was a randomized controlled trial in 240 men and women that went
on for 12 weeks. In this study, the green tea group had significant decreases in body fat percentage, body
weight, waist circumference and abdominal fat
However,
some studies don’t show a statistically significant increases in weight loss
with green tea, so this needs to be taken with a grain of salt
Bottom
Line: Some studies show that green tea leads to increased weight loss. It
is particularly effective at reducing the dangerous abdominal fat.
10. Green Tea May Decrease
Your Risk of Dying and Help You Live Longer
Of
course, we all have to die eventually. That is inevitable.
However,
given that green tea drinkers are at a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and
cancer, it makes sense that it could help you live longer.
In a study of 40,530
Japanese adults, those who drank the most green tea (5 or more cups per day)
were significantly less likely to die during an 11 year period Death of all causes: 23% lower in women, 12% lower in men.
·
Death from heart
disease: 31% lower in women, 22% lower in men.
·
·
Death from stroke: 42% lower in women, 35% lower in men.
·
Another
study in 14,001 elderly Japanese individuals aged 65-84 years found that those
who drank the most green tea were 76% less likely to die during the 6 year
study period
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