At Targeted Nutrition Technology in Auburn, WA, we help clients reach their best possible self by providing the aid through exercise and diet. Diet includes making healthy choices in what they drink. Water is always a good choice, but there are also drinks that have other benefits, beyond just hydration, like phytonutrients. One of those is green tea. To ensure the green tea you drink is the healthiest, avoid adding sugar. You can add a bit of lemon for additional flavor and benefits. Lemon juice boosts the amount of catechins up to 600%.
Green tea has antioxidants.
There are many beneficial compounds in green tea. One class of compounds are catechins. Within that group, green tea contains EGCG—epigallocatechin-3-gallate. It’s a powerful antioxidant, which protects cells from damage caused by free radicals. That damage can cause serious conditions that range for cancer to premature aging. Studies show drinking green tea can lower the risk of diabetes by as much as 33%, but it takes at least six cups a day to do that.
Improve your smile and your gums with green tea.
Whether you want better breath, fewer cavities or healthier gums, green tea can help. It has antibiotic and antifungal effects that improve oral health. It also improves bone health. One study found that women in perimenopause that drank green tea had fewer fractures. Another study showed that when postmenopausal women drank green tea it helped reduce loss of bone mass. When it was combined with Tai Chi it also improved muscle strength.
Weight loss is easier when you drink green tea.
Not only do the catechins, such as EGCG, help prevent Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and dementia by preventing neurodegeneration and even reversing some existing damage, they boost your metabolism. Drinking green tea can even boost fat burning. In one blind study comparing people who took green tea extract to those taking a placebo, found those taking green tea extract burnt between 4 and 17% more calories. It also boosts the effectiveness of hormones that break down fat cells so the body can use them for energy.
- In one large study of adults that consumed at least three cups of green tea for several years, the results showed that it reduced the potential of Parkinson’s disease by 30 to 40%.
- Adding sugar to green tea can negate some of the benefits. If you need a bit of sweetness, add a bit of honey and slowly reduce the amount until you adjust to no sweetness at all.
- Matcha tea, a type of green tea, contains the highest amount of vitamin C of all types of green tea. Vitamin C boosts the immune system. Studies show that drinking five or more cups a day helps you live longer.
- If you want to look younger, green tea can help. It can fight the signs of aging significantly for the skin. It aids in hydrating the skin and fights free radicals that age the skin, while also reducing the aging effects of the sun.
For more information, contact us today at Targeted Nutrition Technologies
