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Your Body Will Thank You: 4 Health Benefits of Drinking Green Tea

Individuals looking to improve their health often turn to green tea to achieve this goal. While it can't protect a person from all diseases, it does offer numerous benefits that should not be overlooked. The following are some of the benefits one can expect from consuming this beverage on a regular basis.

Disease Prevention

Cancer starts when cells in the human body begin to grow uncontrolled. Antioxidants help to prevent this from happening, and green tea is rich in antioxidants. Numerous studies have been conducted which show that consumption of this beverage helps to reduce a person's risk of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer. The results are so positive researchers are looking to see if green tea also reduces a person's risk of other types of cancers. Don't add milk to the tea, as milk may reduce the antioxidant values of teas produced by ahmadteausa.com and other suppliers.

The antioxidants found in green tea provide other benefits for humans as well. The tea offers antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal effects, of great concern to many individuals today thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Furthermore, gut health is crucial to a person's immunity, and green tea functions as a prebiotic. Prebiotics help to provide beneficial gut bacteria for optimal health and a stronger immune system.

A study published in the Journal fo the American Medical Association back in 2006 found that drinking green tea helps to reduce mortality from all causes. More than 40,000 men and women in Japan were followed for 11 years and monitored for their green tea consumption. Individuals who consumed a minimum of five cups of green tea each day had a much lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and other diseases than those who drank less than one cup of green tea per day. Consumption of the tea reduces a person's blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and blood fats. Additionally, it stops the oxidation of LDL, which contributes to both heart disease and the hardening of arteries.

Green tea reduces a person's fasting blood sugar level along with Hb A1C values. These values provide information about a person's average blood sugar over the past three months. A study of more than 14,000 adults in Japan followed these individuals for a period of five years. Researchers found that drinking green tea reduced a person's risk of developing diabetes, and this held true even when the results were adjusted for sex, age, body mass index, and additional factors.

Slow the Aging Process

The bone loss remains a great concern for older individuals across the globe. When a person begins to lose bone density, he or she becomes more at risk of fractures. Studies conducted in animals found that a moderate intake of this tea improves the strength and quality of the bones. Green tea is rich in polyphenols, and these phenols prevent damage to bone cells caused by oxidation. Furthermore, they help to reduce inflammation which can interfere with bone-building.

Ultraviolet light accelerates the aging process. The consumption of green tea helps to counteract the effects of the sun and slows the development of wrinkles. Wrinkles occur when collagen and elastic fibers in the skin breakdown as part of the aging process. Exposure to the sun speeds this process, and the polyphenols in the sun help to counteract this.

Green tea contains caffeine, the same substance found in many sodas, and regular coffee. The difference is green tea contains less caffeine so the individual doesn't become jittery when consuming it. Caffeine has repeatedly been shown to improve a person's mood, reaction time, and memory. In addition, L-theanine is found in this beverage, and it is capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier while reducing the user's anxiety. The two substances work together to significantly improve brain function in humans. Working memory improves, according to research shared in the journal Psychopharmacology, and scientists are looking into the benefits of green tea with regard to preventing Alzheimer's disease.

Relaxation

Drinking a cup of green tea tends to relax a person. Theanine, a natural chemical found in green tea, provides this calming effect. However, the tea relaxes a person in other ways. Simply taking the time to sit down and sip the tea benefits the individual. The way the tea is consumed is of importance as well. Don't use boiling water as it is harmful to the healthy chemicals known as catechins found in the tea.

Additional Benefits

Catechins found in green tea may be of help to those who regularly struggle with bad breath. A buildup of bacteria in the mouth brings about this common problem while also contributing to plaque formation, cavities, and tooth decay. Green tea drinkers often find their breath smells better when they consume this beverage regularly. However, regular dental checkups cannot be ignored, as the dentist can determine if there is an underlying condition that is causing the bad breath. When this is the case, treatment should be obtained promptly.

Numerous individuals begin drinking green tea because they want to lose weight. Researchers have yet to find a direct link between weight loss and green tea, but this doesn't mean a person shouldn't try it. Replacing one can of soda each day for the next year with a cup of green tea helps a person consume fewer calories to the tune of tens of thousands of calories. This leads to weight loss as long as honey or sugar isn't added to the tea.

These are only some benefits associated with drinking green tea. Numerous others exist, and green tea can be used in a variety of ways. Many people assume they must drink green tea straight to obtain the benefits, but that isn't the case. Blend the tea into a smoothie, use it in oatmeal, or incorporate it into a sauce or marinade. Adding more green tea to the diet is easy when you use it in conjunction with other liquids in a recipe. Add some to your diet today. Once you see the benefits of doing so, you'll want to add it to a recipe wherever possible.