Amazing benefits of Green Tea you should know

Introduction

Green tea has proved to be one of the healthiest beverages on the earth. It comes as loaded with the essential nutrients and antioxidants, which possess powerful effects on our body. These include drastic improvement in our brain functions, weight or fat loss, lower risk related to cancer and plenty of other outstanding benefits.

What is green tea

Green tea is a specific type of tea made by using Camellia sinensis buds and leaves, which do not undergo with the same level of oxidation and withering, as in the preparation of black tea and oolong tea. Green tea actually originated from China but its production has recently spread to various other countries of Asia.

How to make green tea

Preparation of 1cup of perfect green tea involves only a few steps. You may opt to prepare it based on following basic ways. However, you may even add other useful ingredients to increase its health benefits or get an enhanced taste.

Preparation of Green Tea with Leaves

Precaution Required

Every one of us knows that the preparation of green tea is somewhat different from black tea, which we usually prepare at home. For this, you have to take an important precaution i.e. in case you steep the tea leaves at more than 90°C, your tea becomes bitter in taste. Hence, you should use the water, which is not excessively hot.

Steps Involved for the Preparation

• Take 1teaspoon full of green tea leaves for making 1cup of green tea.
• Place the tealeaves in a sieve or strainer and place it aside.
• After this, you should take a teapot or a stainless steel pot to boil the water.
• You have to make sure retaining the ideal temperature for the preparation of your green tea i.e. between 80°C and 85°C. Hence, if you found the water as boiling excessively, you should turn off the gas flame and allow it to cool for a while, like for instance 30seconds.
• You should place the strainer or sleeve on the mug or cup.
• You should add the hot water in the cup and allow your tea for steeping about 3 minutes. You have to be careful at this step.
• Finally, you should use a handy spoon and drink the green tea after every 30seconds to identify the right flavor for you.

Preparation of Green Tea with Powder

You may prepare green tea with the help of readily available green tea powder. For this-

• Take 1cup of water in any glass bowl or stainless steel bowl and heat it.
• You have to make sure maintaining the temperature at about 85°C.
• Once the water approaches its boiling point, you have to turn off the heat or gas flame and allow it to cool for a while.
• Add or pour the green tea powder available readily into the hot water.
• Ideally, you need only 3 minutes to brew your green tea. However, you may have a sip after 1minute to get the right flavor.
• You should keep in mind that the green tea changes its color after 3minutes period to brown color. Hence, you should pour it by using a strainer.

Preparation of Green Tea with Tea Bags

Green tea bags are also portable options to enjoy 1cup of hot and healthy green tea. Only you need 1cup of hot water. Steps you need to follow include-

• Heat water in any teapot or stainless steel vessel and bring it up to 80degree or 85degree Celsius.
• Place the green tea bag in any stainless steel or clay cup.
• Pour hot water in the cup and cover it by using a small lid, while allow it to steep for about 3minutes period.
• Once 3minutes complete, you should remove both the tea bag and the lid.
• Stir it by using spoon and take sip in a rejuvenating way.

What are the types of green tea

Until now, people of China and Japan have found following different types of green tea to serve in different regions of the world.

• Sencha Green Tea

Sencha implies the first flush of various tealeaves and it involves less possible period of photosynthesis process. Because of this, Sencha green tea spends less quantity of minerals to grow and maintain a huge Vitamin C content. Vitamin C content in Sencha is helpful to treat common cold and boost one’s immune system.

• Gyokuro Green Tea

Gyokuro tea comes with a sweet flavor to form a preferable option among tea lovers. The tea retains its sweet flavor due to the presence of theanine in high levels i.e. an amino acid, which forms with the shading of tealeaves from sun light about 3 weeks before the harvesting period. Gyokuro green tea contains chlorophyll and caffeine ingredients in large amounts to stimulate your brain as well as nervous system, while stimulates tissue growth and healthy skin.

• Matcha Green Tea

Matcha is a powdered form of green tea, which mainly grows in the shade. Thus, the shaded grown tealeaves undergo stone-ground in a meticulous way into fine powder to provide a rich and herbaceous flavor. An interesting fact is that Matcha tea comes as loaded with huge amounts of catechins antioxidants to increase the concentration levels, provides calmness and helps in weight loss.

• Jasmine Green Tea

As the name highlights, flavor of jasmine green tea is due to the essence present in jasmine flower. In addition, similar to any other type of green tea, jasmine green tea comes with antioxidants to fight various free radical activities effectively. The tea is helpful to cure arthritis problem, relieves stress and regulates blood pressure.

• Tulsi Green Tea

Tulsi green tea incorporates antioxidants and phyto-nutrients in enough amounts to protect you from any damaging free radical. Even it helps in reducing stress, increases stamina and helps in improved metabolism and digestion process.

 What are the health benefits of Green Tea

Until now, green tea has provided following major health benefits to individuals-

1. Comes with Bioactive Compounds to Boost Health

• Consists of Plant Compounds and has Valuable Nutrients

Green tea is much more than simple liquid. This is because, tealeaves contain a large number of plant compounds to form a final drink and it has tons of valuable nutrients.

• Reduces Inflammation because of Polyphenols

Unlike oolong or black tea, green tea comes with rich in polyphenols. Because of this, it is effective in reducing inflammation and simultaneously, is helpful to fight with cancer and related cancerous growth.

• Presence of EGCG and Catechin

Based on weight, green tea contains polyphenols of about 30percent by including Catechins and EGCG in large amounts. Catechins are available as natural antioxidants to prevent cell damages and simultaneously, to give many other benefits. These substances are able to reduce free radicals’ formation in one’s body, provide protection to molecules and cells from any damage. Free radicals are helpful to deal with aging problems and almost every type of disease.

Another powerful compound of green tea is EGCG i.e. Epigallocatechin Gallate, which is not only perfect to treat varieties of diseases, but also to give green tea with each of the essential medicinal properties.

• Minerals

Along with the aforementioned compounds, green tea also possesses minerals in small amounts, which are further essential for good health.

2. Improves the Brain Function and Makes One Smarter

• Caffeine Stimulant to Make the Brain Smarter

Green tea has an active ingredient called caffeine, also known as a stimulant to make us awake and smarter. However, unlike traditional black tea or oolong tea, it contains caffeine in relatively less amount to produce enough response in the brain without causing any adverse effect because of excessive caffeine intake. The main role of caffeine stimulant is to block Adenosine i.e. an inhibitory neurotransmitter and thereby, increases the firing of neurons as well as the concentration of norepinephrine and dopamine neurotransmitters. Besides this, caffeine present in green tea is helpful in improving different aspects of one’s brain function. These include improvement in mood, reaction time, vigilance and memory.

• L-theanine Amino Acid to Cross Blood and Brain Barrier

Green tea has L-theanine amino acid to cross your blood and brain barrier. The amino acid is responsible to increase various activities performed by GABA i.e. an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which comes with anti-anxiety effects. Even the amino acid increases existing dopamine level and alpha waves production in the human brain.

3. Helps in Fat Burning Process to Achieve Perfect Bodyweight

Green tea has proved to be effective in increasing the fat burning procedure and thereby, increasing the existing metabolic rate in various human controlled trials. Furthermore, the tea is able to increase your metabolic rate on a short-term basis. Because of this, if you are willing to overcome your obesity, you should indulge in a habit of having at least 3 to 4 cups of green tea in a day. Particularly, green tea has proved to be helpful in reducing your body fat in your abdominal area.

4. Reduces Your Risk to Suffer from Type 2 Diabetes

Green tea is able to sensitize the body cells. Because of this, it metabolizes the blood sugar in a far better way to let you overcoming your diabetes symptoms. As the tea increases the function of your metabolic system, it works in an excellent way for diabetes and regulates the glucose levels in your body. In this way, regular intake of green tea reduces your risk related to Type2 Diabetes Mellitus. We all know that due to consistent consumption of starch, amylase breaks down simple sugars, so that your bloodstream may easily absorb it. On the other side, green tea inhibits the activities performed by amylase and thereby, reduces the exact amount of sugar intake in your bloodstream.

5. Regulates Your Blood Pressure

High blood pressure or hypertension often takes place because of ACE i.e. Angiotensin Converting Enzyme secreted from human kidneys. Positively, green tea acts as a natural ACE inhibitor and thereby, avoids any action performed by ACE enzyme to help in reducing blood pressure. A majority of studies have revealed that the intake of 3cups or 4cups of green tea in a day is helpful in regulating blood pressure. Even a few of the research studies have also highlighted that people experienced reduction in their risks related to coronary heart problems by about 5percent because of regular green tea consumption and thereby, reduction in the lower blood pressure.

6. Improves Cardiac Health

Green tea plays an important role to reduce the bad cholesterol levels, which otherwise contribute towards many cardiac problems directly. Even green tea intake has highlighted drastic increase in the blood’s antioxidant capacity, which in turn provides protection to the heart from different species of reactive oxygen and avoids heart attacks and other cardiac problems. Along with this, catechins present in green tea are helpful to prevent atherosclerosis i.e. a prime cause of any cardiovascular disease.

7. Boosts Digestive Health

Antioxidants present in green tea are responsible to boost one’s digestive health. Thanks to the presence of catechins in green tea to reduce the activity performed by digestive enzymes. Accordingly, intestines never absorb the entire calories you consume leading to improvement in your weight loss. If this is not enough, green tea comes with EGCG to improve your colitis symptoms. Colitis is a type of inflammatory disease prevails in the gastrointestinal tract. Besides this, green tea provides the necessary vitamins i.e. Vitamin B, Vitamin C and Vitamin E, all of which have a huge significance for your easy digestion.

8. Acts as a Perfect Immunity Booster

Catechins present in green tea have a prime role to act as a perfect immunity booster for you. This is because; the tea provides protection against radicals and oxidants to boost your immunity. Especially, EGCG component of green tea increases the exact number of T cells in regulatory form and improve body functions, while suppress varieties of autoimmune problems.

9. Reduces the Risk related to Cancer

Cancer mainly takes place because of uncontrolled growth of body cells. Today, cancer has become a major cause of death among individuals. We know that cancer development takes place due to oxidative damage and antioxidants on the other side, come with a protective effect. Green tea comes with many powerful antioxidants, because of which regular intake of green tea may reduce the risk related to following cancerous diseases-

• Prostate Cancer

A majority of men chosen to have green tea had 48percent less risk related to the development of prostate cancer i.e. a common type of cancerous disease found in men.

• Breast Cancer

Women opt for regular intake of green tea experienced 20percent to 30percent of low risk related to the development of breast cancer, a common cancer found in women.

• Colorectal Cancer

Another analysis has revealed that individuals drinking green tea remained at 42percent less risk related to the development of colorectal cancer.

Along with this, a large number of observational studies revealed and proved that green tea drinkers remain at less possible risks related to the development of various types of cancer.

Benefits of Green Tea for Skin

1. Avoids Skin Cancer

Green tea comes with powerful antioxidants to fight with DNA damages caused due to UV rays to avoid skin cancer.

2. Combat with Aging Signs

As an herbal tea, it acts as a potent anti-aging component to combat with aging signs while you ingest it or apply topically.

3. Reduces Common Skin Problems

Green tea comes with anti-inflammatory properties to reduce common skin problems, such as swelling, redness and irritation.

4. Treats Unclogged Pores and Acne

Antibacterial agents possessed by green tea helps in the treatment of unclogged pores and acne problems. In addition, polyphenols present in green tea fights against skin infection and damages bacterial membranes to prevent the acne growth. In this way, you will expect to get toned and smooth skin.

Beneifts of Green Tea for Hair

1. Improves Hair Thickness and Reduces Hair Loss

Green tea derives from camellia sinesis plant undergoes relatively less processing, because of which it contains nutrients and antioxidants in higher amounts than black teas or oolong teas. Thus, the combination of caffeine and antioxidants reduces hair loss and at the same time, improves your hair thickness.

2. Blocks DHT Hormone

A large number of research studies revealed that caffeine contained in green tea is helpful to block Dihydrotestosterone i.e. DHT hormone, which causes thinning of hair or hair loss.

3. Helps to Strengthen Hairs

Green tea comes with panthenol used mainly in conditioners and shampoos to strengthen hairs. Even it contains theanine i.e. unique amino acids, which work with panthenol to make the hair shaft strong and prevents split ends.

4. Gives Luster and Shine to Your Hair

Green tea comes with the necessary astringent qualities to seal in moisture content, while add luster and shine to your hair.

5. Protects from Sun Damage

Green tea has natural vitamin C to protect both scalp and hair from any sun damage.

6. Reliefs from Scalp Problems

Finally, green tea reliefs you from dandruff and other related scalp problems in no time.

Benefits of Green Tea with Honey

• Having a cup of green tea with few drops of honey (without additive sugar) helps you shedding extra calories. This is because; honey burns your extra calories, green tea increases your body metabolism. In this way, the combination increases your fat oxidation approximately by 17percent.
• Whenever you have green tea combined with honey, you not only get a great taste, but also nutritional benefits because of the presence of essential vitamins, which is good for the brain health. Honey and green tea combination increases your concentration, as they fire neurons in a better and focused way. In this way, you will expect to improve the reaction time of your brain and your memory both.

Benefits of Green Tea with Lemon

Lemon is responsible to boost the health benefits you may obtain from green tea. This is because; the citrus juice makes the antioxidants present in green tea readily available for one’s body. We know that cathechins prefer acidic environment instead of alkaline one. Hence, whenever the tea passes from the acids present in your stomach towards your small intestine, they break down. In this way, whenever you combine lemon juice with green tea, your body can easily absorb about 6times higher amount of catechins than the amount without green lemon. Even lemon juice reduces the effect of specific green tea compounds, which restrict the ability of your body to absorb ferrous components in your food.

Benefits of Green Tea for Weight Loss

As mentioned before, green tea is a healthy beverage, as it contains antioxidants in higher amounts. Besides this-

• Green tea comes with caffeine to help you in shedding extra body fat and increases your performance while doing physical exercises.
• Catechins i.e. antioxidants in high amounts in green tea not only helps in fat burning process, but also to boosts metabolism i.e. key towards losing your weight.
• Green tea incorporates calories in relatively less amounts, because of which you may easily include it in your regular evening snack.
• The tea regulates your blood sugar levels and boosts the insulin activity.
• Green tea comes with theanine i.e. an active ingredient and a type of amino acid to reduce your stress by providing relaxing effect in your brain without causing sedation effect. In this way, you will expect to lose your bodyweight easily.

You may have green tea during any time of the day. However, to get the best possible effect, you should intake it post your breakfast and lunch i.e. when the body’s metabolism rate remains at the highest level.

Does Green Tea has Caffeine

Yes, green tea also has caffeine, but in this case, the caffeine percentage is relatively less as compared to any other type of tea available in the market, like black tea or oolong tea.

Does Green tea has side effects

• Stomach Irritation

Green tea consumption may result in stomach irritation when you brew it strongly or consume on your empty stomach. As it contains tannins, it increases your acidic content in the stomach resulting in nausea, acid reflux, constipation and other related digestive problems.

• Headaches

Because of caffeine content, green tea causes headache in some individuals.

• Causes Sleeping Problems

Caffeine present in green tea causes sleeping problems for individuals highly sensitive towards caffeine, as its chemical components prevent the release of melatonin i.e. the hormone that helps in sleeping.

• Liver Disease

Supplements present in green tea may result in liver damage and related liver problems.

Conclusion

To conclude, we should say that having green tea on a regular basis i.e. 3 to 4 cups in a day is helpful to get plenty of health benefits.