The health benefits of green tea are astonishing, according to Christopher Ochner, Ph.D., a research scientist in nutrition at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital. "It's the healthiest thing I can think of to drink."
I'm going to tell you something strange. I don't drink coffee. Never have. Sure, it smells delicious while brewing, but I've never acquired a taste for it.
I do love warm beverages, so I've always enjoyed tea. It wasn't until more recently that I started drinking more Green Tea because of the health benefits. The taste took a little getting used to, though 🙂
So why is green tea so great? I decided to look into it.
7 Surprising Benefits of Green Tea
Green tea, native to China and India, has been consumed and lauded for its health benefits for centuries but has only recently gained popularity in the United States.
During my research on tea, I learned that black tea is processed in a way that allows for fermentation, but green tea's processing avoids the fermentation process.
As a result, green tea retains maximum amounts of antioxidants and polyphenols - the substances that give green tea its many benefits. You know, the ones that help fight free radicals in your body.
I was impressed! So I wanted to share the benefits with you.
Weight Loss + Fat Burning
Green tea increases your metabolism. Woo Hoo! The polyphenol found in green tea intensifies fat oxidation levels (especially around your middle) and the rate at which your body turns food into calories.
Diabetes
Green tea apparently helps regulate glucose levels, slowing blood sugar rise after eating. This can prevent high insulin spikes and resulting fat storage. For me, this is particularly important because I am predisposed to diabetes since I've had gestational diabetes twice.
Lower Cholesterol
Green tea reduces bad cholesterol in the blood and improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol.
Great Skin
Green tea can help flush out toxins from the skin, heal blemishes and scars, and reduce inflammation. It even improves the skin's elasticity. As we age, it's great to have a little extra help in this area!
Cancer
Early clinical studies suggest that the polyphenols in tea, especially green tea, may play an essential role in cancer prevention. Researchers also believe that polyphenols help kill cancerous cells and stop them from growing. Interesting fact - Digestive cancer risk was 17% lower in women who drank at least three cups a week.
Dental Health
Early studies suggest that drinking green tea can help prevent dental cavities. More research is needed to solidify these claims, but it's good news. Another incredible benefit of green tea… multiple studies show that it can reduce bad breath. Also, the catechins in green tea have other biological effects as well. They have been shown to kill bacteria and inhibit viruses like influenza, potentially lowering your risk of infections.
Protection for Your Brain
Multiple studies show that the catechin compounds in green tea can have various protective effects on neurons, potentially lowering your risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's as you age.
So tea or coffee? Consider these health benefits of tea the next time you choose a hot beverage!
If you want to buy quality organic green tea or green tea extract, there is an excellent selection with thousands of customer reviews on Amazon
Do you drink tea regularly? Have you found any health benefits?
Be well!
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Ashley says
oooh great post! I'm trying to drop the rest of my pregnancy weight, 20 lb to go, so thanks to you i'll be giving green tea a try. Thanks for sharing on FTAF
Lana says
I have never tried taking green tea, although it’s always been on my mind as something that I should add in the stack to help with anxiety and depression. I can now see there are many more benefits of the beverage. Time to stop procrastination and take massive action.
Erin says
Yep! It's good stuff! I love to sip hot tea instead of coffee. I love all the health benefits.
Brittany says
I am a coffee AND tea girl! Love them both! My favorite green tea is Pomegranate Green Tea-it is amazing! And it's so great that something so delicious is also healthy!
Erin says
Wow, both! Good for you. I like my green tea flavored with fruit as well. Pomegranate would be good, I'll have to try that one!
Nikki Frank-Hamilton says
Erin, I love coffee, really love coffee, but I like tea too. I have a multitude of flavors and I've been trying to purchase more green tea. I knew that it was good for me, but I had no idea that it was this good! It can also help with your eye-sight, my mother has glaucoma and there is no cure, but this can help. I also use Zija and it has green tea extract, it helps to keep my blood thin, so green tea is a close runner up to coffee in my cup!
Emily says
I'm sitting here with my cup of herbal tea while reading this. My husband enjoys green tea. I was able to break him of his energy drink habit with green tea, yay! Thank you so much for sharing this with us at Savoring Saturdays linky party. I'm super late commenting this weekend, so sorry. We always appreciate you sharing with us.
Erin says
Thanks for popping over! Love visiting your party!
Alison says
I am a tea girl as well. I love green tea and jasmine tea. Great to know it is healthy
Erin says
Yep - totally healthy and counts towards the water you need everyday!
Crystal says
Thanks for sharing the great benefits! I recently was found recently to have some some high-risk polyps during a colonoscopy, and I am only in my late 30s. My grandmother passed away in her 40s from colon cancer and after finding out I was also at risk I decided to change my eating habits. I am definitely going to add green tea to my diet.
Angela says
I love this! I have been trying to get in the habit of drinking more Green Tea & this was the motivation I needed 🙂 Thank you for sharing it in the Link-Up! Pinned & tweeted to remind me of all the benefits of Green Tea. Have a Great Week!!
Ilka says
Gree Tea really does have some amazing health benefits. I need to pick up drinking more tea gain. I usually like decaf green tea w/lemon!:)
Lowanda J says
These are some great benefits that I wasn't aware of. I love peppermint tea, but I may have to switch it up awhile. Found you over at Share the Wealth Sunday!
Erin says
Thanks for popping by, Lowanda! Yes, great benefits. I love peppermint tea too!
lynn says
Hi Erin, I'm sitting here with my cup of green tea ( I really like the Stash Green Chai or the Constant Comment Green Tea) and enjoying the morning quiet. I started drinking green tea years ago because of its health benefits and actually converted Terry, a die hard coffee drinker, over because of its benefits. He still loves a cup of coffee though.
Best wishes for a great weekend.
Hugs, Lynn
Erin says
Thanks, Lynn. I prefer a little fruitiness to my green tea. I found a Yogi green tea with blueberries that I really like. Good job converting Terry!