Green Tea Health Benefits

We’re all aware of green tea health benefits. However, most people are not familiar with the different means of preparing tea, its different forms and varieties and amounts required for tea health benefits. This article will summarize green tea health benefits and  how to obtain the most from your cup of tea. The most surprising green tea benefit is that it can increase your metabolism and help you lose weight.

What Are The Green Tea Health Benefits?

1. Anticancer

  • prevents mutations that can result in cancer
  • inhibits blood supply to tumors (antiangiogenesis)
  • antioxidant and free radical scavenger

2. Heart Health

  • lowers cholesterol levels
  • lowers blood pressure
  • blood thinner
  • prevents oxidation of bad cholesterol (LDL)
  • contributes to healthy maintenance of blood vessel lining

3. Weight Loss

  • weight loss through its thermogenic activity and fat oxidation

4. Oral Health

  • inhibit bacteria that cause gingivitis, tooth decay and bad breath

5. Immune Health

  • EGCG in green tea “revs-up” the immune system
  • significant antiviral effects
  • effective against the dreaded Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA

6. Diabetes

  • prevent adult onset diabetes
  • lowers glucose absorption
  • increases insulin efficiency
  • increases fat burning and weight loss.

Should I Only Consider Green Tea for Health Benefits?

Tea comes in a variety of colors

  • green
  • red (Oolong)
  • black
  • white

Green tea is highest in the beneficial compound EGCG.

Black tea is highest in another class of beneficial compounds with different health effects, one of which is reduction in the stress hormone, cortisol.

For maximum green tea health benefits incorporate as much variety as possible in your tea drinking as with fruits and vegetables.

Some tea companies in fact offer tea bags containing all possible combinations from black and green to green and white.

How Should I Prepare My Tea for Maximum Green Tea Health Benefits?

1. Not all teas are created equal.

  • avoid lower price teas which will have minimum health promoting compounds
  • choose Japanese green tea over Chinese green tea which have higher EGCG
  • choose Sencha variety of Japanese green tea
  • choose tea that is packaged in air, moisture and light tight containers
  • choose loose tea leaves as opposed to those in tea bags

2. Brewing Procedure: Maximizing for Beneficial Green Tea Antioxidants

The idea here is to extract the maximum amount of the healthful components in the tea.

  • water brought to the boiling point (212F) then left to settle for a few seconds (190F) is poured into the pot or cup
  • steep for 8 to 10 minutes before drinking
  • add lemon to the tea at the start of the steeping process
  • keep covered while steeping
  • DO NOT add milk to tea since it reduces the healthful compounds from being extracted and absorbed

How Much Tea Do I Need to Drink for Green Tea Health Benefit?

From 6 to 10 cups per day!

However there are ways to increase the green tea health benefits of each cup to reduce the number to one or two cups per day.

  • Some tea vendors offer teas in which highly concentrated extracts of green tea have been added
  • extracts of green tea are available in pill and liquid form

Sip, relax, enjoy a cup or two or more today!