What is green tea?
Green tea is a type of tea that is derived from the dried leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Green tea is obtained by steaming, pan-frying, and drying the leaves.
It is one of the healthiest beverages and also the least processed one. The reason people consume green tea is for the ton of antioxidants in its leaves.
How to make it?
Green tea tastes a lot better when you know how the knacks of making it. When you do not brew it well, it might give a bitter taste. The method for you to make a good green tea is listed as follows.
- First, heat the water to 80-85 degrees Celsius. Making green tea at this temperature prevents a bitter taste. The temperature-controlled kettle can be great to use or you can use boil water on a stove and use a thermometer. (If you don’t have a thermometer, then stop heating just before it boils and then cool it for a minute or two.)
- After that, pour the water into a mug or glass and add 1 teaspoon of tea leaves (for one cup).
- Leave it for 2 or 3 minutes for the tea to be prepared. It is advisable to leave it for exactly 1 minute and 30 seconds. If you prefer strong tea then you can leave for 3 long minutes for the tea to steep.
- You can add a sweetener of your choice and enjoy your drink. Honey is a good choice of sweetener. Ginger, lime, mint, etc can be added for flavor and they give added health benefits.
Note: If it is allowed to steep for a long time, then it might taste bitter or grassy.
Health benefits of Green Tea
When you drink green tea, you might already be aware of its help in losing weight. Apart from that, there are numerous health benefits of drinking green tea. Some of the reasons why you may want to start with green tea are given below.
Boosted metabolism
Many of the conducted studies suggest that people who regularly consume green tea boost the metabolic rate and help them burn nearly 3 – 4% calories in a day.
Metabolism is a process that helps to break down food and convert it into energy. The human body is programmed to burn calories even while resting. This means that you burn calories while sleeping, sitting – just basically all the time.
And with boosted metabolism, the calories are burned more effectively. Drinking green tea helps with this process. It is comparable to a high-protein diet.
There are many studies that support prolonged metabolic boosting which effects stay for a longer time.
Reduced oxidative stress
Green tea is known for its antioxidant reserve. Antioxidants’ basic function is to prolong life and reduce aging. Catechins and EGCG both are antioxidants present in tea leaves that are responsible for this function.
It is said that these antioxidants prevent oxidative stress in your body thus neutralizing free oxygen radicals. This prevents damage to the DNA and the body cells.
The catechins in green tea reduce oxidative stress leading to longer and fitter life. It acts rather as a vaccine for developing and enhancing oxidative stress thus preventing them from any oxidative stress-related diseases.
Weight loss
Most people drink green tea for weight loss. Green tea helps in burning fat at a faster rate and fitness experts suggest green tea consumption regularly.
If you take green tea before exercise, it will boost fat burning. Studies also suggest that green tea burns fat faster and when combined with a workout they are more effective.
Other studies suggest that fat loss in the body is for the long term which is boosted by EGCG (it helps in burning fat). The benefits of green tea with lemon are great for weight loss and are highly recommended.
Skin conditions
The green tea benefits for skin are countless as the Camellia sinensis leaves have plenty of antioxidants and other essential nutrients for the skin. Nowadays many cosmetic products use green tea leaves as a prominent ingredient in their products.
As there are many skin benefits, I have listed the important ones for you.
1. Helps to treat acne, blackheads, and whiteheads and provides you with clear skin.
2. Helps to reduce inflammation in the skin.
3. Helps to remove dead cells in the skin and produces new skin cells making you glow. It also helps to remove oil from the skin.
4. As it is rich in antioxidants, it prevents premature ageing.
5. Helps the skin stay hydrated. It is because of vitamin E enrichment.
Scientists suggest that adding some honey to green tea gives you glowing skin and also the benefits of green tea and honey combined are numerous.
Heart health
The health benefits of green tea are wide and it also involves heart health. Green tea is good for you and if consumed daily it helps to lower the cholesterol level in the blood. This also helps to prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Lower cholesterol
Researchers found that green tea reduces some amount of cholesterol if consumed regularly and also green tea is good for high blood pressure.
Stroke risk
Studies have shown that green tea helps to break the deposited plaques in the arteries that restrict blood flow by blocking them. But scientists say that you need to drink a lot of green tea for it to help with the process. So, it is proven that green tea somewhat helps in preventing stroke that too if consumed for a long time.
Green Tea Can Lower Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
For your diabetes problem, green tea can be a good addition to your daily diet. Doctors suggest avoiding sugar in green tea to reap the full benefits. Green tea use in type 2 diabetes includes lowering blood glucose levels and being calorie-free.
Green Tea is Connected to Longer Life
The advantages of green tea are a long list and it also includes providing long life due to the antioxidants in it. Some studies have shown that antioxidants reduce ageing process and thus increasing the life expectancy.
Cancer prevention
Some studies have shown that green tea extract has the potential to stop cancer cells from growing due to the presence of Polyphenols in it. Scientists assume that EGCG (Catechin in green tea) has anti-tumor properties and they help prevent various kinds of cancer.
Tips on How to Drink Green Tea and How Much
1. The Right Temperature
It is very important to brew green tea leaves at a suitable temperature. If they are not rightly prepared, they might give a bitter taste.
To avoid a bitter taste, you need to make it at 80° C – 85 ° C. In case you prefer to have strong tea then you can let the tea brew for 3 minutes, to get more essence in it.
2. How Much Green Tea Should You Consume in a Day?
Health experts say it is good to drink 3 to 5 cups of green tea a day as it is packed with various nutritional benefits.
3. Mix it Up
Better to avoid sugar when you make green tea. Honey or brown sugar is a good alternative for sugar.
Lemon, mint, ginger, tulsi, spices, herbs, cinnamon, and many more such ingredients can be added along with green tea. They have their own health benefits.
The best combo I usually prefer is a bit of lemon, ginger, and mint with green tea. Honey can be added if you need a sweet taste.
The Bottom Line
The health benefits of green tea are so much that it can be consumed on a regular basis. You can buy green tea bags or tea leaves to prepare green tea.
Prepare it at the correct temperature and steeping time to avoid bitterness and enjoy your cup of green tea.
FAQ
What happens if I drink green tea every day?
Drinking green tea every day benefits your skin, weight loss, lower cholesterol level, and improves your metabolism. It is even said to prevent premature ageing.
What benefits does green tea give you?
Green tea benefits your overall physical and mental health. Green tea leaves contain various nutrients and antioxidants that help maintain your overall health.
Can green tea reduce belly fat?
Consuming 2-3 cups of green tea helps to reduce belly fat as it effectively burns calories. Some best green tea for weight loss is available.
What are the side effects of green tea?
Green tea side effects include headaches, sleep problems, vomiting, heartburn, dizziness, confusion, convulsions, diarrhoea , irritability, tremor, and ringing in the ears.
Who cannot drink green tea?
It is advised for people who have certain health issues to stay away from green tea. People who have anemia, anxiety disorders, heart conditions, diarrhoea, liver disease, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, and stomach issues should avoid green tea due to the presence of caffeine content.
What is the best time to drink green tea?
Morning time is the best to sip green tea. You can drink green tea before doing the workout as they help to burn fat effectively.
