Green tea is a drink made from the fresh leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis. Green tea provides various health benefits, such as helping to prevent various types of cancer, heart disease and diabetes, as well as promoting weight loss and improving physical and mental disposition.
The benefits of green tea are due to the fact that this plant is rich in phenolic compounds, catechins and flavonoids, and caffeine, which have antioxidant action, hypoglycemic, antiobesity, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, diuretic and stimulating.
Green tea can be found in supermarkets, natural products or pharmacies in the form of soluble powder, tea bags or capsules.
This content is informative and does not replace medical advice. Do not interrupt any treatment without proper guidance.
13 Green Tea Benefits
The main benefits of green tea for health are:
1. Prevent some types of cancer
Regular consumption of green tea helps prevent some types of cancer, especially prostate, colon, stomach, breast, lung, ovary and bladder, as it is rich in antioxidants that prevent damage caused by excessive cell free radicals.
In addition, catechins present in large quantities in green tea strengthen the immune system, helping to avoid the formation of cancer cells.
2. Help in weight loss
Because it has a diuretic effect, green tea helps eliminate excess body fluid by disinking and helping weight loss. Meet other diuretic teas that also help disinhole.
In addition, bioactive compounds such as caffeine, catechins and flavonoids help speed up metabolism, causing the body to spend more energy and stimulating weight loss.
3. Prevent premature aging
Green tea has a large amount of antioxidants that fight free radicals, thus preventing the emergence of wrinkles, sagging and premature aging.
In addition, cateks in green tea help reduce the production of advanced glycation products (AGEs), reducing inflammation and preventing sagging skin.
4. Avoid flu and colds
Green tea has antimicrobial properties that help combat bacteria and viruses, preventing the emergence of diseases such as colds and influenza caused by influenza A and B viruses.
5. Prevent heart disease
Green tea helps regulate “bad” cholesterol levels, LDL, due to its antioxidant power. In addition, the drink inhibits the formation of clots in the blood, preventing heart disease such as thrombosis, infarction and stroke.
6. Improve dental health
Because it has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, green tea can avoid caries formation and gum inflammation, reducing the risk of developing periodontitis. In addition, green tea also helps fight bad breath.
7. Prevent diabetes
Due to the antioxidant action of catechins, green tea decreases oxidative stress and improves the function of insulin hormone, regulating blood sugar levels and helping in the prevention and treatment of diabetes.
8. Control blood pressure
Green tea, besides being diuretic, has catechins, which are bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties that can help relax blood vessels and, consequently, regulate blood pressure.
Although it is believed that the caffeine present in green tea can increase blood pressure, studies [1,2,3] They have shown that catechins, present in large quantities in this drink, decrease inflammation, oxidation and improve blood circulation and can help control blood pressure.
In addition, green tea contains on average 3 times less caffeine than coffee, so the drink can be a good option to help control high blood pressure.
9. Improve performance during exercise
Regular consumption of green tea helps improve performance during resistance exercises, as well as stimulate the use of fat by the body to generate energy and thus increase caloric expenditure.
10. Prevent neurodegenerative diseases
Catechins and flavonoids present in green tea have important antioxidant activity, fighting free radicals in the brain and preventing some neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s evil.
In addition, polyphenols present in green tea also help to improve memory and mobility in people who already have Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
11. Maintain the health of the intestine
Catechins, present in green tea, have antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory action, which strengthen the beneficial bacteria of the intestine and fight bad bacteria, maintaining the health of the gut and thus avoiding infections and inflammatory bowel diseases, for example.
In addition, green tea also contains caffeine, a bioactive compound that stimulates the natural movements of the intestine, facilitating the elimination of stool and helping to combat constipation.
12. Improve mood and concentration
Green tea contains caffeine, a substance that improves central nervous system activity, stimulating serotonin release and thus improving mood and general well -being. See other caffeine foods that also improve mood.
In addition, green tea also increases the release of adrenaline, norepinephrine and dopamine in the body, hormones and neurotransmitters that increase concentration and decrease sleep.
13. Fight fluid retention
The main component of green tea is caffeine, which has diuretic property that helps combat fluid retention.
In addition, it also has other smaller components, such as theobromine and theophylline, which also help to stimulate diuresis, helping to reduce hypertension symptoms, for example.
How to prepare
Green tea can be prepared alone or along with lemon and mint leaves, for example, helping to decrease the strong taste of green tea.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of water;
- 1 teaspoon of green tea;
- Half lemon juice (optional).
Preparation mode:
Boil the water in a pan or kettle, add the green tea leaves and put out the fire. Cover the pan or kettle and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain, add lemon juice and drinking iced or warm.
Also read: 9 homemade iced tea recipes (and how to do)
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How to have green tea
Green tea should be consumed between meals as it may decrease the absorption of some nutrients such as iron and calcium.
1. Green tea infusion
It is recommended to take 2 to 4 cups of green tea a day, which should be among meals. For people who have high blood pressure, the recommendation is to ingest a maximum of 3 cups of green tea a day.
2. Green tea capsules
The use of green tea capsules varies according to the dosage of catechins that the supplement has, and it is recommended to follow the guidelines described in the label of each product.
However, safe recommendations range from 100 mg to 338 mg catechins per day, which should always be ingested with meals.
Possible side effects
When consumed in high quantities, green tea can cause nausea, headache, insomnia, irritability, burning and irritation in the stomach, vomiting, and alteration in heartbeat.
In addition, excessive green tea intake may decrease iron absorption and, in some cases, can cause liver intoxication.
When consumed with concentrations from 800 mg of catechins, green tea in capsules can also cause kidney problems and liver poisoning.
When it is not indicated
Green tea is contraindicated in the following situations:
- Children;
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding;
- Anxiety, difficulty sleeping or insomnia;
- Thyroid changes or kidney or liver problems;
- Cardiac arrhythmias or tachycardia;
- Anemia;
- Gastric ulcers or gastritis.
In addition, green tea may interfere with the action of some medications such as anticoagulants, high blood pressure remedies and high cholesterol and, therefore, in these cases, green tea consumption should only be done after the doctor’s guidance.
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