Myths About Green Tea
By Sara Butler
Coffee is the most popular drink in the world, but tea is right behind it. Many people have turned to drinking green tea or its health benefits and because it simply tastes great, but with that popularity has come a few over-the-top ideas about this beverage. Here's what you need to know about green tea and also a few of the things you may hear about it that simply aren't true.
The Health Benefits of Green Tea
There are a lot of things about green tea that make it a good choice for your next drink. There are several benefits to your health from drinking green tea, including:
- It may reduce your risk of some cancers - Compounds in green tea have cancer-fighting properties and research indicates that those who regularly drink green tea lowered their risk of developing breast cancer
- It may reduce risk of heart disease - Studies have found that people who regularly drink green tea (unsweetened) are less likely to suffer from heart disease likely due to the flavonoids in the tea
- It may help lower blood sugar - Consuming green tea that hasn't been sweetened can have a positive impact on blood sugar, but make sure to avoid sweetened products with green tea as the sugar in them will have the opposite effect
The Myths of Green Tea
Green tea is a good choice for something to drink beyond water, but there are a few things that you may have heard about this drink that are blown out of proportion or simply not true. These include:
- It gives metabolism a boost - Some people do lose weight when they switch to unsweetened green tea, but that's probably because they have cut out beverages with added sugar. There's no evidence that green tea on its own can increase your base metabolic rate.
- It has anti-aging effects - Green tea's antioxidants aren't going to avoid harm to your skin or other bodily tissues, but green tea can be a part of a healthy diet that can help you to stay looking and feeling younger. Green tea on its own probably won't do that for you, though.
- It burns belly fat - Any time you change the way you eat or exercise, you'll likely burn fat, but there's no single food or drink that will that for you
Green tea is good for you, but it's not a miracle worker. Instead, incorporate it into your healthy eating and exercise plan!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Fontana, Calif.