Health Benefits of Green Tea
By Madhusudhan Tammisetti
Green tea has polyphenol antioxidants that minimize inflammation in the body, a recognized cause of premature aging. These antioxidants often shield cells proactively from harm that may contribute to a variety of chronic diseases.
Some of the health benefits of green tea may include supporting a healthy heart, protecting from radiation damage, promoting healthy digestion, promoting weight loss, controlling blood sugar, preventing infection, improve memory, supporting oral health, slow down the aging process, and supporting a healthy liver.
Supports Brain Health
Although it has caffeine, green tea often has an amino acid called L-theanine that creates a calming influence. It's also been shown that caffeine and L-theanine optimize brain activity to increase functioning memory, cognitive efficiency, and mood elevation. Green tea's ability to counter oxidative stress may allow it to help fight against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Supports Weight Management
Research shows green tea to boost metabolism in human and animals and promote fat burning. It's also related to curtailing appetite and stopping fat gain by impeding the development of new blood vessels, a mechanism known as angiogenesis, on which the growth of the fat tissue depends.
Supports Bone Density
It has been shown that the antioxidants in green tea defend against bone damage and reduce the possibility of fracture. Animal tests have shown that moderate consumption of green tea improves bone health by enhancing bone strength and quality. One research explored the relation between foods rich in polyphenols, such as green tea, and osteoporosis. Results suggest that phenols may influence bone mineral density. It may prevent damage to bone cells caused due to oxidation and decrease inflammation.
May Prevent Diabetes
A study was conducted in Japan on 14,000 healthy individuals from 23 different communities, and they're tracked for five years. After fine-tuning the data for body mass index, age, sex, and other risk factors, scientists observed that green tea intake decreases the risk of diabetes.
Supports Heart Health
Along with its anti-inflammatory properties and ability to defend against oxidative stress, green tea intake may help protect the heart by lowering net cholesterol, bad cholesterol or LDL (low-density lipoprotein), blood fats, triglycerides, and blood pressure. It also stops LDL from being oxidized, a mechanism that induces a domino effect that leads to hardening of the arteries and heart attack. Higher consumption of the drink may reduce the chance of stroke.
Protects Skin from Aging
Studies indicate that green tea polyphenols shield the skin from the impact of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Along with cancer-fighting and anti-inflammatory effects, this helps stop the progression of aging. Green tea compounds may protect against wrinkles because of their capacity to keep collagen and elastic fibers from breaking down, which in turn stops skin elasticity from being lost.
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