Drinking Of The Green: How Sipping Green Tea Is A Toast To Your Good Health
Most individuals need a cup of java each morning to get their mojo moving. Many of these folks reach for additional caffeine indulgences throughout the day to keep them from falling into midday slumps of lethargy. If you want to curb your caffeine consumption but need that midday caffeine fix, consider making the switch from coffee to green tea as your afternoon sipper. Find out why green tea is a healthier choice, and learn some of the benefits that you can reap from at your next tea break.
Reduce Your Caffeine, Boost Your Antioxidants
Did you know that an 8-ounce cup of green tea contains roughly a quarter of the caffeine found in an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee? Drinking green tea will provide a gentler caffeine boost to get you through your afternoon tasks, and it will also boost your health. Green tea is loaded with catechins, which are antioxidants that take on disease-fighting roles in your body. One specific catechin that packs a healthy punch when you include green tea in your daily sipping ritual is epigallocatechin gallate. This compound, known as a polyphenol, is a plant-based micronutrient. Green tea contains a higher concentration of the antioxidant than black teas because green tea leaves undergo less processing. The result is a potent concentration of epigallocatechin gallate to provide you with a helping hand in the quest for better health.
Fat Buster
While it is certainly not a substitute for a reduced calorie diet and exercise, the combination of caffeine and epigallocatechin gallate in green tea boosts your metabolism. As a result, you earn a bit of additional support in your weight loss goals by having a burst of energy to take on physical activity and by burning off body fat at an increased rate.
Cancer Fighter
Epigallocatechin gallate may help to reduce your chances of developing various cancers. The antioxidant has the ability to inhibit and even destroy cancer cells, without harming healthy cells. The effect of epigallocatechin gallate has on various cancers is being studied by cancer research facilities worldwide, and some of these cancers include the following:
- Prostate
- Lung
- Breast
- Pancreatic
- Colorectal
While drinking green tea has not yet been conclusively proven to prevent cancer, it may help to improve post-treatment survival times and reduce the risk for recurrence.
Free Radical Eliminator
Free radicals are the molecules that are responsible for altering cells and causing inflammation and a litany of health conditions. Antioxidants are the molecules that go into battle mode to fight and destroy free radicals. Some medical conditions that antioxidants found in green tea may help to ward off include the following:
- Arthritis
- Alzheimer's disease
- Inflammatory bowel diseases
- Diabetes
The antioxidants may also be effective at reducing wrinkles and other dermatological effects of aging and skin damage
Blood Sugar Manager
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, green tea may be helpful in preventing hypoglycemic episodes. The polyphenols of green tea can improve metabolism, which helps to enhance the efficiency of insulin use in your body, which assists diabetics in maintaining stable blood sugar levels so that they feel more energetic and focused.
Cholesterol Reducer
According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a study concluded that the catechins in green tea may help to significantly lower your total cholesterol number by reducing LDL, which you may better know as the bad cholesterol, in your blood. This reduces your risk for cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke.
Just as drinking plenty of water each day, eating a nutritionally balanced meal plan and engaging in a fitness routine several times a week all contribute to optimal health, swapping out a cup of coffee or a bottle of sugar-laden soda for a cup of green tea instead can serve as one extra little contribution. Enjoy your green tea as a steaming winter warmer or as an iced tea to cool down on a hot summer day. Drinking green tea on an empty stomach can cause mild nausea, so enjoy your tea with a healthy snack. If you are not keen on green tea's characteristic mild bitterness, you can sweeten the deal by adding a little honey in your cup. Alternately, experiment by sampling the diverse choices of green teas that are infused with mint, lemon and various other fruit and herb flavors. Keep in mind that green tea can interact with certain drugs, so be sure to consult with your family practice clinic physician if you have any medical conditions or are taking any medications. For more information about nutrition, visit a clinic such as Family Practice Diagnostic Center.
