Tea is a historical, extensively loved and consumed drink all around the world. Tea, specially black and green, reveals significant antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cavity properties. Being one of the most widespread beverages in the world, green tea is believed to have helpful effects in the prevention and management of many diseases, like type 2 diabetes and obesity. Green tea consumption has randomized controlled trials showing effectiveness in decreasing blood pressure, oxidative stress, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and other markers of chronic inflammation.
Nutritional Value of Green Tea
Green tea is an outstanding source which can provide supreme health benefits to your body. You can consume it as a tea and also use its extracts in your regular diet.
- Green tea is a hydrating calorie-free beverage the recommended consumptions of which is up to 8 cups per day.
- Green tea comprises of various vitamins like A, B, B5, C, D, E, K and H.
- It contains a wide range of beneficial minerals like Manganese, Chromium, Selenium and Zinc.
- The most essential active component in green tea epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is much more powerful antioxidant compared to vitamin C or vitamin E.
The Effects of Green Tea that Helps Improve Health Factors
Drinking a cup or two of tea on a daily basis is a good habit indeed and if it is green tea then you can have even 4 or 5 cups of it. It is laden with antioxidants and nutrients that have powerful effects on the body that helps in fighting against diseases like various types of diabetes –especially type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardio-vascular diseases, cancer etc.,
Top 5 Health Benefits of Green Tea
The influence of green tea, made from Camellia Sinensis since the past 5000 years has been closely tested and analyzed and it has been proved that green tea and its extracts is highly effective in healing various ailments and illnesses and making our lives more fulfilling and healthier.
Green Tea Speeds up Fat Burning and Improves Physical Performance:
Green tea acts as a good fat burner. Green tea contains caffeine that improves physical performance by activating fatty acids from the fat tissues.
It boosts the metabolic rate and increase fat burning in a short period of time. Green tea is a powerful fat fighter that contains the active ingredient called EGCG. EGCG speeds up the rate of fat burning in your body.
Besides burning total body fat, green tea targets specific body parts like belly fat as well. All the active ingredients existent in green tea activate fat burning genes in the abdomen to burn calories up to 77 percent. Green tea speeds up the fat break down rate in our body.
Green Tea May Lower the Risk of Type II Diabetes:
Research Studies proved that green tea can increase insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels. Some controlled trials also showed that green tea can generate mild falls in blood sugar levels. It may also lessen the risk of evolving type II diabetes in the long term. The combination of green tea and diabetic medication has been shown to produce statistically significant reduction in hemoglobin A1C. These results direct to the fact that even modest intake of green tea high in catechines increases blood sugar control in type 2 diabetic patients.
Green Tea Helps Lose Weight and Lower the Risk of Becoming Obese:
Green tea can speed up the metabolic rate in the short term, it makes sense that it could help one lose weight.
It is particularly effective in reducing the dangerous abdominal fat, decreases body fat percentage, body weight and waist circumference. Green tea with honey helps in weight loss. Green tea is powerful slimming tool. Adding raw honey to it transports us to a new level. Many studies have shown this unique combination offers more benefits as a team than if taken individually.
For maximum benefit from the green tea diet drink, don’t pour in raw honey while the tea is still boiling. Wait a while to let it cool down a bit, because boiling water will cook away much of the raw honey benefit.
Compounds in Green Tea helps you Improve Brain Function:
Certain compounds found in Green Tea can promote brain functions, enhance memory and reasoning capacity. The caffeine in Green tea helps more than just to keep you awake; it can also help you get smarter. Caffeine is the key active ingredient which is an amazing natural stimulant that makes you more alert. Green tea contains much less caffeine than coffee, but it is enough to produce the necessary effect. It contains the amino acid L-theanine as well, which can act in combination with caffeine to improve brain functions.
Green tea – Anti Aging Benefits:
The damaging actions of free radicals and oxidative stress in the body takes a toll on the skin and tissues. It damages the skin cells and tissues which lead to premature skin aging and appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, age spots and fickles. The Catechines present in green tea can improve the activity of SOD, and improves the body’s ability to fight free radical effects that help in delaying skin aging and appearance of the signs of aging.
Therefore, to stay healthy, feel better, lose weight and lower the risk of chronic diseases, like obesity, type 2 diabetes; we need to consider making green tea as the best regular part of our life.