Reasons Why You Need to Embrace and Infused Your Life with Green Tea Goodness
Have you considered swaying away from the black tea-drinking community to join the mall percentage of the population that drink green tea?
Green tea, like all other teas with the exception of herbal tea, is a brew from the dried leaves of Camellia sinensis bush. The brew varies depending on the level of oxidation on the leaves, hence the different types of teas. Green tea is different from other teams in that it comes from unoxidized tea leaves and it is also one of the least processed types of tea. That means that the green tea has more antioxidants as well as healthy polyphenols.
Green tea gets its green color from EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate). But, color, not all that you get from this molecule. Green tea is also rich in quercetin, aginenin, linoleic acid, methylxanthines, amino acids and enzymes, carotenoids, minerals, esters, hydrocarbons, lactones, and aldehydes. These compounds give green tea its benefits.
For centuries, natives in India and China have enjoyed the benefits of green tea. At the end of this article, you will have every reason to enjoy a cup (or two) of green tea.
Green tea is full of bioactive compounds that are good for your health
The polyphenols in green tea are effective against inflammations. The main component of green tea is EGCG which is basically a molecule full of catechins.
Catechins are a class of natural antioxidants which prevent cellular damage and also promote the development of healthy cells. Antioxidants are fundamental in the prevention or fight against inflammations because they neutralize free radicals in the body. In the process, they rid the body of molecules that cause premature aging by damaging collagen and keratin. They also fight the diseases which start off as inflammations.
Besides EGCG, green tea also has minerals which are necessary for the proper functioning of cells and organs.
Other than protection from cellular damage, the polyphenols have the power to protect your DNA from damage from free radicals, also called scavenging and reactive oxygen species.
In the fight against cancer, polyphenols boost the function of the immune system preventing a wide range of cancers including breast, skin, lung, colon, liver, and the cancer of the pancreas. Other studies indicate that green tea prevents the proliferation of cancer cells accelerating the recovery time.
To top it all, EGCG has been shown to be effective in killing cancerous cells, and the best part is the compound does not affect healthy cells.
Green tea improves your heart health
According to Harvard Medical School, green tea protects the heart, and it also prevents diseases. This is possible because green tea can lower the levels of bad cholesterol / LDL. Bad cholesterol affects your heart health negatively because it gets deposited on the arterial walls and around the heart muscle. With time, the heart and the arteries become stiff and pumping blood requires more force; hence high blood pressure and a host of other heart conditions.
The catechins in your green tea will prevent atherosclerosis besides reducing the levels of cholesterol.
Green tea reverses or prevents heart problems thanks to its high antioxidants levels which will protect the heart from the radicals which cause inflammations, infections, and even strokes.
Green tea is also effective in the regulation of blood pressure. How? Well, blood pressure results from an imbalance or a negative feedback mechanism for the angiotensin-converting enzyme (or ACE). To manage blood pressure, you need an ACE inhibitor, and green tea is a natural ACE inhibitor.
It makes you smarter
Drinking green tea will make you smarter because this tea improves brain function. Like coffee, its main ingredient is caffeine which is a stimulant. But, unlike coffee, green tea will not make you jittery so, you can take 3 or 4 cups of your green tea without any worries.
Wondering how exactly green tea makes you smarter? Well, caffeine blocks the inhibitory transmitter adenosine by increasing the firing of neurons in the brain. It also increases the concentrations of dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters improve brain function, lift mood, make you more vigilant, and improve your memory and reaction time.
But that is not all; green tea has the amino acid theanine which can cross the blood-brain barrier. Once in the brain, L-theanine will increase the activity of GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter lowering anxiety. Also, it enhances the productions of the alpha waves in the brain.
It enhances performance in the gym and enhances fat burning
If you have used a fat burner, then you know that green tea is one of the active ingredients in there. The incorporation of green tea in fat burners comes from the fact that the tea boosts metabolism, as well as the oxidation of fats. The main reason why you need green tea in your weight loss efforts is that it has caffeine that improves your physical activity and also causes the mobilization of fatty acids from fat tissues making them a source of energy.
EGCG is also effective in weight loss thanks to its richness in antioxidants. The antioxidants boost metabolism and facilitate weight loss in the long run.
It protects the brain from old age by lowering the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease
Catechins in green tea fight free radicals which cause inflammations in the brain. Inflammation is the main cause of most neurodegenerative disease so, if you can prevent the inflammation, your chances of suffering from neurodegenerative diseases drops.
Reduced risk of infections and dental issues
The catechins in your green tea have biological effects, and they will fight against bacterial and viral infections. The catechins also inhibit the growth of the bacteria like Streptococcus mutants hence its effectiveness in fighting halitosis/ bad breath.
Other health benefits of green tea include:
Lowered risk of type II diabetes thanks to the fact that the tea will improve insulin sensitivity and also lower blood sugar levels.
It lowers the risk of obesity by encouraging oxidation of fats
It promotes digestive health - catechins will slow down the activity of your digestive enzymes so that the body absorbs more nutrients.
It's a cure for hangovers
It helps treat depression and also improves your energy levels and endurance
You will live longer- it reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, obesity, diabetes, and other life-threatening diseases.
So, as you wait for your friends looking at that advert for restaurant refrigerator on sale, why not order a cup of green tea.