Your Source for Everything Green Tea

WHAT IS GREEN TEA?

Green tea is the healthiest tea (possibly the healthiest beverage) in the world.

Green Tea is made from the unfermented leaves of plant called Camellia sinensis with minimal or no oxidation during processing. Since the tea leaves are not fermented but dried or steamed, the color of the tea is green.

WHY GREEN TEA IS DIFFERENT?

There are four types of pure tea: black, oolong, white and green. All these teas are made from same plant called Camellia sinensis. The main factor that distinguishes one type of tea from another is how they are processed during preparation.

The following properties of green tea stand out in comparison to other teas

Caffeine
Low concentration of Caffeine (24-45 mg of caffeine per 8 oz. cup of green tea)
Taste
In general bitter grassy taste. Some varieties of green tea have a bit of sweetness to them.
Antioxidants
Highest concentration of powerful polyphonel antioxidants such as catechins

GREEN TEA IS A SUPERFOOD

Naturally brewed green tea is considered as a superfood for multiple health reasons, ranging from head to toe.

Beauty Benefits

Green tea can help you keep your skin young and your hair thick.

Green tea flushes toxins from skin improving your skin complexion. It has antioxidants which help to protect skin from skin-aging radical molecules. Also, the antioxidants and tannins in green tea helps to treat dark circles. The catechins in green tea helps to treat acne whereas theobromine and polyphenols in green tea can help to heal sunburned skin.

Along with making your skin healthy, green tea helps to improve your hair by stimulating hair growth. The antioxidants in green tea helps to promote hair growth and reduce compounds causing hair loss. It also helps make your hair shiny and protect hair from pollution.

Improves Physical Performance and Boosts Endurance

Green tea increases energy expenditure and fat oxidation. In two different studies done by University of Geneva and The University of Birmingham, it was concluded that green tea increases energy expenditure by 4% and fat oxidation by 17%. So, if you are tired from a heavy exercise, just drink a cup of green tea and your metabolic rate gets increased in no time.

Also, green tea may protect muscles from muscular pain due to exercise. Green tea if consumed daily (providing 640 milligrams of polyphenols) may reduce the oxidative damage due to strength training.

Improves Brain Function

Green tea contains caffeine (not as much as coffee but enough to produce an effect). Since caffeine is a stimulant, it helps to improve brain function such as improved mood, reaction time, memory and alertness.

Other than caffeine, green tea contains amino acid called L-theanine. L-theanine has positive effect on nervous system according to various studies. It has anti-anxiety effects as well as unique ability to increase attention and make you feel drowsy at the same time.

Combination of caffeine and L-theanine works synergistically to improve overall brain function(including mood, focus and alertness).

Other Health Benefits

Lowers Risk of Cancer

Green tea helps to kill cancer cell without harming healthy cells. The development of cancer has been linked to oxidative stress (inability of body to detoxify free radical damage through neutralization by antioxidants). Since green tea contains catechins, powerful antioxidant, it can lower the risk of cancer.

Reduces Risk of Heart Disease

The catechins and polyphenolic compounds found in green tea increases antioxidant capacity of blood. This protects cholesterol from oxidation improving the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol. That's why green tea drinkers have much lower chance of cardiovascular disease.

Lowers Risk of Dementia

Dementia is a broad term used for brain disease that affects ability to think and remember enough to interfere daily life. The two major causes of dementia are Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Various studies have found that high consumption of green tea can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease because of the presence of catechin compounds.

Lowers Risk of Diabetes

Drinking green tea lowers the risk of type II diabetes which accounts for about 85-95% of all diabetes. According to a study published by "Annals of Internal Medicine", drinking more than 6 cups of a day may reduce the risk of type II diabetes by 33%.

Helps to Lose Weight

The polyphenol found in green tea increases the metabolism and boosts up fat oxidation for the short period of time. Thus, green tea may help to lose weight in obese adults if consumed daily.

May Lower High Blood Pressure

The long term intake of green tea along with healthy diet and exercise may reduce the blood pressure significantly. It's because of the compound called EGCG (a catechin).

Fights Depression

Green tea helps you make happier. Green tea contains amino acid called L-theanine which has positive effect on nervous system. L-theanine has anti-anxiety, lowers stress level and provides relaxing effect.