Green tea is well known to be one of the best health drinks around. The Chinese have known about the health benefit of green tea for more than 4,000 years. Recent research has confirmed the benefit of drinking green tea which is why we should drink it as well and experience it for ourselves.
The benefits of drinking green tea include regulating your blood sugar, preventing certain cancers, fighting plaque, lowering your cholesterol and slowing down the aging process.
But what makes green tea so special is the fact that it is rich in catechin polyphenols (flavonoids), particularly epigallocatechin gallate also known as EGCG.
This is a powerful anti-oxidant that does two things. First it inhibits the growth of cancer cells and second, it kills cancer cells without harming any healthy tissue. It also lowers your cholesterol which reduces the abnormal formation of blood clots, reducing the risk of either a heart attack or stroke.
Another green tea benefit is it’s ability to fight tooth decay because it inhibits the major bacteria called Streptococcus mutans from forming in between the teeth. At the same time, drinking this regularly also helps prevent gum disease and bad breath.
Some people might ask, don’t other types of tea have the same benefits as green tea? They do but what sets green tea apart is how it is processed. During processing, green tea leaves are steamed. This steaming prevents the oxidation of EGCG during later stages of processing. Other teas, such as black tea or oolong tea, are not steamed. As a result of this steaming process, green tea contains higher levels of EGCG than other teas.
So what are you waiting for? Go down to the supermarket and buy a box of green tea and start drinking it so you are able to experience its many healthy benefits. If you find the taste bland after you pour it into your cup, add some flavoring by adding sugar, honey or even a lemon wedge.
You might be wondering, when is the best time to drink green tea? Since it contains caffeine, the best time for all of the green tea effects would be first thing in the morning. You can have more at different times during the day. However it is best to avoid any drink that contains caffeine when you are hungry because this will just increase your appetite or at night because it will make it hard for you to get a good night’s sleep.
Since it will take some time to finish a box of green tea, proper storage is important. To do that, make sure this is kept in an airtight container once you open it and away from light. You can also put it in the refrigerator at a temperature between 38 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
People who are allergic to caffeine should not drink green tea. If you are pregnant, drink this in moderation. If you happen to have some left over green tea from the day before, throw it away and just make a new one because it is best to drink when it is fresh from the kettle.
Green tea just like coffee contains caffeine. This might lead you to the conclusion that this makes this drink just as bad as coffee but in reality, it isn’t because the caffeine content in green tea is fifty percent less than coffee.
There is no doubting the green tea health benefit. If you have never tried it before, it is never too late to start. Boil a pot of water and put in a tea bag or some green tea leaves.
