As I sit in front of my window on a cold Saturday morning, drinking a warm, delicious cup of green tea, I cannot help but to share with you its benefits.Green tea has magical powers that not only help you change those numbers on the weight scale, but also help you feel rejuvenated and healthy. So here are some of the amazing benefits you can gain when you drink green tea.
Weight Loss:
While it doesn't help you drop 100 lbs. in a day, or anything crazy, green tea has been shown to burn fat and increase metabolism.
Cancer:
Green tea contains polyphenols (also found in fruits and vegetables), which gives green tea its anti-carcinogenic properties. Studies done by the National Cancer Institute have shown that those who drink green tea not only decrease tumor growth, but are also less likely to get cancer at all.
Longevity:
Green tea has been shown to help people live longer! The polyphenols also help fight free radicals, thus helping you to age beautifully.
Diabetes:
You can reduce the risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes by drinking green tea. For those with Diabetes, green tea can help you maintain weight, and reach a balance in glucose levels.
Heart Disease:
Green tea helps to lower cholesterol, which decreases your risk of getting a heart attack or stroke. Already had a heart attack or stroke? Green tea can still help you! It will help your heart to recuperate faster and prevents death of cells
So now we know about the health benefits of drinking green tea, but what exactly is green tea and what makes it so good for you?
Well, let's talk about its origins. Green and black tea come from the same plant- Camellia Sinensis. Black tea is oxidized, green tea is not.
Second, green tea (like black tea) is so good for you because...drum roll please...it contains catechins! No, catechins have nothing to do with cats. Catechins are flavinoids and antioxidants that fight the bad guys like disease. Catechins, along with other flavinoids are the reason green tea is so good for you. The more the better. To get the most out of your tea, soak the tea/tea bag for 3-5 minutes in boiling water. The longer you soak the tea/tea bag, the more flavinoids are emitted.
Now go and make yourself a warm brew of delicious and healthy green tea!