Every day I drink my secret potion, my cup of crack, green tea.
Green tea is one among the world’s healthiest drinks and contains one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any tea.
What is green tea?
Green tea is produced from the Camellia sinensis plant. Green tea originated in China, but its production and manufacture has spread to many countries.
Green tea is packed with antioxidants and nutrients which have powerful effects on the body. Green tea extract has many impressive benefits.
Below are 10 health benefits of green tea:
- Brain Function
The key active ingredient in green tea is caffeine, which is a stimulant.
Caffeine blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter called Adenosine. By doing this, it increases the firing of neurons and also the concentration of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine. Green tea also offers the protein L-theanine, which is in a position to cross the blood-brain barrier. L-theanine increases the activity of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, which has anti-anxiety effects. Caffeine and L-theanine might have synergistic effects, the mixture of these two is especially potent at improving brain function.
2. It Lowers Your Chance of Cancer
Green teas are packed with EGCG, Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (is the most abundant catechin in green tea extract and accounts for 50-75% of its total catechin content.
EGCG blocks enzymes which help to keep cancer cells in the so-called 'cell cycle', which allows these to carry on growing. Due to these actions, EGCG forces cancer cells to prevent growing, usually permanently. Not only do EGCG along with other green tea extract antioxidants stop cancer cells from growing – they also actively kill them.
3. Weight Loss
If you look in the label of almost every commercial weight loss and fat loss pill, most likely you'll find green tea as an ingredient.
Green tea contains caffeine and a kind of flavonoid called catechin (that is an antioxidant) these two compounds can speed up metabolism. Catechin can help to break up extra fat, while both catechin and caffeine can increase the amount of energy the body uses.
Green tea can help with weight loss, but you still need to possess a balance diet and workout regimen to shed weight effectively.
4. Heart Health
Drinking green tea rapidly improves the health of the delicate cells lining the arteries helping lower one’s risk of heart disease. Green tea, is beneficial for metabolic and cardiovascular health and it prevents many of the risk factors for heart disease, such as having high blood pressure or cholesterol levels, some evidence shows that green tea extract contains 10 beta-blocking compounds, seven calcium channel blockers and 16 diuretic compounds. Additionally, it has more ACE-inhibiting properties than many other plant foods that are commonly consumed, which will help increase the quantity of blood your heart pumps and lowers blood pressure.
5. Boost physical performance
Green tea seems to enhance physical performance, increase exercise endurance, and decrease reaction time.
Caffeine, and green tea's ability to mobilize essential fatty acids in fat tissue to ensure they are more easily available for use as energy also seems to aid physical performance. In a single study, caffeine was proven to significantly increase physical performance (exercise endurance and exertion). The antioxidants in green tea also may help prevent tissue damage during exercise as well.
6. Protects your skin
Being a powerhouse of antioxidants, it's a given that green tea will prevent the harm that toxins cause to your skin. The anti-inflammatory properties of green tea extract might help prevent harm to skin from all sorts of harmful environmental stressors.
Additionally, green tea can help relieve psoriasis by reduction of the redness and irritation that comes with it; green tea extract has also been proven to reduce the redness that accompany rosacea. The polyphenols in green tea extract, especially EGCG, have shown to have a particularly powerful effect in protecting skin cells and cellular DNA from the UV radiation in sunlight.
7. Mental Health
If you feel so rattled, tired, and exhausted, you might like to take a break and have a cup of green tea. Green tea contains tons of amino acids including all L- Theanine which makes up about its pleasant taste and relaxing effect. Studies reveal that sipping a cup of green tea might help people achieve mental alertness and relaxation similar to meditation. Additionally, it energizes the production dopamine and serotonin which makes you feel physically relaxed and also at the same time brightens your mood.
8. Anti-aging
Even though aging can't be stopped, it may be slowed down by preserve an antioxidant-rich diet. Green tea extract can prevent wrinkles and the signs of aging because the antioxidants in green tea are able to preventing free-radical damage.
Antioxidants promote elasticity in the body and inhibit the degenerative processes occurring in your skin cells. The polyphenols and proteins in the green tea can help the skin produce collagen and prevent wrinkles. Many skincare goods are infused with green tea extract to prevent premature aging.
9. Oral Health
The antimicrobial properties in green tea will also be beneficial for overall oral health. It controls the growth of bacteria in the mouth and prevents foul breath too. Green tea extract consumption has been used in medicinal practices to prevent the onset of gingivitis and other gum related diseases. However the best way to maintain oral hygiene would be to choose regular dental appointments using the Dentist in Manchester.
- Live longer
Drinking green tea can lead to a higher quality life and a reduced chance of dying because green tea drinkers are at a lesser risk of coronary disease as well as other cancers on the given period of time, it seems sensible that green tea extract can help you live longer.
Bottom line: green tea is really a delicious, healthy drink that should be part of your daily diet.
Its health benefits could be enjoyed just when was served hot however it can be enjoyed chilled or even iced (no sugar).
