The 5 Benefits of Green Tea
Besides water, tea is the most popular drink in the world. It may appear as though green tea is a health trend, but it has deep roots in history. Green tea originates back thousands of years within Ancient China. Today, green tea is still a large part of various cultures across Asia. It is not only a delicious beverage but has been used as medicine to help several ailments. There are several benefits that green tea brings. How Can Green Tea Benefit My Health? #1. Helps You Lose Weight #2. Keeps Energy Stable #3. Produces Anti-Aging Effects #4. Decreases Levels of Stress and Anxiety #5. Reduces Your Risk of Cancer What’s the Recommended Dosage of Green Tea? How Can Green Tea Benefit My Health? Green Tea We have all heard that green tea provides health benefits, but what are they? How can green tea enhance your overall well-being? Here are five reasons to increase your green tea consumption. #1. Helps You Lose Weight When consumed, green tea can help boost your metabolism. This is due to a powerful antioxidant known as EGCG. This antioxidant helps to inhibit the breakdown of norepinephrine. This hormone and neurotransmitter send signals to break down fat and increase metabolic rate. When fat is broken down into the bloodstream, it is then used for energy. This is especially true for those that consume green tea and exercise. Green tea has been shown to increase fat burning, leading to reduced body fat. It is believed that green tea reduces food intake by reducing appetite. If your appetite is reduced, you’re less likely to consume calories. Green tea also disrupts the main enzyme associated with fat storage. Studies show a link between green tea and visceral fat reduction. This is the fat that builds around our organs, creating health risks. #2. Keeps Energy Stable Our energy levels are based on oxygen and glucose levels. When our blood sugar dips and spikes, we tend to feel fatigued and irritable. Green tea helps balance and maintain stable blood sugar, creating stable energy. EGCG improves insulin use, preventing these spikes and crashes associated with low energy. This is also crucial for diabetes, as green tea helps regulate blood sugar levels. #3. Produces Anti-Aging Effects As mentioned, green tea is high in antioxidants. These antioxidants protect your skin against free radicals. These free-radicals damage healthy cells, breaking down the collagen in your skin. Collagen is what keeps our skin young and healthy-looking. #4. Decreases Levels of Stress and Anxiety Green tea contains an amino acid known as theanine. It has been shown to help reduce the effects of anxiety and stress. GABA is a neurotransmitter directly related to feelings of anxiety. It helps reduce the effects associated with anxious behavior. When GABA levels increase, we feel more relaxed. Theanine helps boost GABA levels in the brain due to its effectiveness at crossing the blood-brain barrier. It also increases the neurotransmitter dopamine, which makes us feel good. #5. Reduces Your Risk of Cancer Research has shown that green tea can help suppress various types of cancer. EGCG suppresses a critical cancer enzyme, changing its metabolism. The metabolism of a cell is what keeps it alive and growing.