Green tea has been touted for its many health benefits, but it also contains a compound called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) which was shown to have anti-ageing properties. It is thought that the antioxidants in green tea combat free radicals, which cause damage to cells and DNA.
EGCG has been found to activate a protein called sirtuin 3, which is often inhibited by ageing. When this protein activates, it helps fight off free radicals and may help prevent age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.
Green tea benefits are nothing new to those who've been with the tea for quite some time. But green tea's more recent popularity among health professionals, patients and the general public is a reflection of how much more we now know about this magical drink.
To prove it was only a matter of time before the rest of us caught on, let's take a look at the eight incredible benefits of drinking green tea.
Contains Healthy Bioactive Compounds
This is one of the best green tea benefits you might yet come across. You see, green tea contains a diverse set of beneficial bioactive components (also known as antioxidants or phytonutrients) that have been found to both promote and protect health.
These include all the same vitamins, and minerals such as beta-carotene (vitamin A), lycopene (a sweet orange pigment that may lower the risk of certain cancers), lutein (a carotenoid), flavonoids, catechins and a wide variety of alkaloids.
Boosts Your Metabolism
One of the advantages of green tea helps us to burn fat in our bodies. During the active phase of digestion, your body can only use stored fat and carbohydrates from food as an energy source.
For this reason, when you exercise regularly, your body burns more calories, thus forcing your stored fats to be used up for energy. This is one of the green tea benefits that you will be able to showcase if you stop drinking sugar-loaded carbonated drinks and switch to using green tea as a key ingredient in your diet.
Reduces Risk Of Heart Disease
A major benefit of drinking green tea is that it helps reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. It is for this reason that many people are turning to drink green tea when the pressure to get healthier is at its peak.
The antioxidant content in green tea also helps improve heart function and lower harmful fatty acids stored in your body, both of which will contribute to your longevity.
Green tea's benefits in preventing the development of heart diseases can be easily seen when looking at the results of scientific research which show that drinking green tea could reduce the risk of heart disease by as much as 11 per cent and stroke by as much as 28 per cent.
Beneficial For Diabetics
Another of the many health benefits of green tea you'll be glad to learn is that it can be used to treat and prevent diabetes. Drinking green tea (without sugar) daily has been clinically shown to help slow down the release of sugars into your bloodstream.
These studies have found that green tea extract also contributes to lower blood glucose levels after meals as well as reduces overall cholesterol levels.
Fights Inflammation
Another of the many green tea benefits you will soon know to expect is its anti-inflammatory properties which will go a long way in helping you eliminate pain and discomfort associated with arthritis.
Research has also shown that drinking green tea can reduce the risk of developing certain cancers and other infections among other diseases.
Improves Brain Function
The next of the many benefits of green tea you'll soon learn is that it can boost your brain power and help you fight off memory loss and age-related dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The active compounds in green tea also help prevent the breakdown of essential brain cells as well as promote their growth.
You will also be glad to learn that one of the green tea benefits that contribute to maintaining your health and improving your complexion is that it contains anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties.
Beneficial For Skin
Another great thing about green tea is that drinking it can effectively improve your skin health. This is because one of the many green tea benefits is that it contains antioxidants which help eliminate free radicals. The destruction caused by free radicals may contribute to the formation of wrinkles and other signs of ageing. Drinking green tea not only helps you improve your skin complexion but also helps you reduce the occurrence of acne.
Other Health Benefits of Green Tea are:
Makes You Feel Younger
Being able to stay youthful for longer than your contemporaries is another of the numerous advantages of drinking green tea, especially when you take a look at the positives it can bring when compared to regular coffee.
One reason why many people are turning towards drinking green tea is that it helps fight symptoms of ageing such as reducing fatigue, increasing energy and increasing metabolism rate among others.
Reduces Risk Of Depression
Green tea benefits also go a long way in helping us combat depression, which could be due to its ability to facilitate neurotransmitter synthesis in the brain.
Beneficial For Weight Loss
Green tea's benefits in losing weight are also well known. There have been many studies carried out on this and it has been found that three cups a day can help you lose 10 to 13 pounds a year without making any other changes to your diet or lifestyle. Drinking green tea throughout the day will also help you better control your hunger and cravings.
Boosts Energy Levels
Another one of the many green tea benefits that can help increase your energy levels is because it contains caffeine. Caffeine is a well-known energy booster, which further means that green tea benefits can help you get a regular boost if your energy level dips on any given day.
Treats Allergies
One way in which green tea aids the treatment of allergies is by reducing inflammation in the body. It has been found that drinking green tea helps reduce allergic reactions and block histamines which are produced by your body during an allergy attack. A cup or so of this drink in the morning will go a long way in alleviating allergy symptoms.
Fights Bacteria
Another of the many benefits of green tea is its ability to fight bacteria and germs in your body. This, in turn, means that drinking green tea throughout the day will help you stay healthy and fight different diseases such as colds, coughs and sore throats.
Green Tea Benefits in Fighting Mental Stress
Another of the many green tea benefits is that it can help boost your mental performance. This is because it contains L-theanine which goes a long way in relaxing the mind and increasing focus levels.
Boosts Immunity
Not only does green tea possess powerful antioxidant properties, but it also has strong anti-fungal and anti-microbial qualities which help boost your immunity when you are under external stress or infections.
Conclusion
When all is said and done, we cannot deny that the long list of benefits of green tea is quite impressive. The best thing to do is to give positive green tea effects a try as they will come as a surprise to you as they did to millions of people around the world. Who knows? You might as well end up noticing the many health benefits it has.
FAQs
Is it healthy to drink green tea?
Yes, it is very healthy to drink green tea because it helps to boost our immune system alongside many other benefits it gives.
What are the benefits of green tea?
Green tea prevents cardiovascular breakdown, fights inflammation, improves brain health as well as boosts our immunity immensely.