Uses Of Green Tea

Overview

If you feel inattentive, sluggish and stressed, then there are a number of ways to lift your temperament and kick start all your pending jobs. The first way is to have a tea or coffee. How about getting added benefits to our well being? For this you just have to supplement your regular tea with green tea and enjoy all the health benefits.

Green tea comes from the plant camellia sinensis. The leaves and leaf buds of this plant are steamed, pan fried and then dried to extracted green tea.

Types of Green Tea

Green tea is widely used as a beverage particularly in Japan. As soon as the green tea leaves are picked up, they start fermenting due to the oxidation process. In order to stop the fermentation process the leaves undergo heat treatment, like steaming and roasting.

Sencha is the most popular variety of green tea that is used for across the world. It is prepared by most common method.

Fukamushi Sencha and Matcha is the stronger version of green tea. While fukamushi sencha is steamed twice matcha is stone grinded form of Tencha. Both of them comes in more or less powdered form.

Gyokuro, Kabusecha, Tencha these varieties of green tea are produced by covered culture meaning the tea bushes are covered with a red cloth to stop the sunlight from reaching the leaves. This process gives a lower astringency and different flavor to the tea.

When to drink green tea?

                                                                                                      _{Source: Quora.com}

How to drink green tea?

Methods:

1. Take 1 or 2 teaspoon of green tea in a cup.

2. Pour hot water in the cup and cover it.

3. Let it brew for about 3 to 4 mins. So that the flavor of green tea get absorbed in the water.

4. Strain the tea and have it.

Health Benefits Of Green Tea

Improved brain function

Green tea helps in keeping a sound mental health system. Studies claims that having green tea one or six times a week helps to prevent mental decline. It also acts as a natural way to cut the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinsons and age related dementia as well. Caffeine and L-theanine contained in the green tea, together works wonders for our mental health. It improves the cognitive level of the human brain and lowers the anxiety level in the human brain.

Staying slim and fit

The green tea helps to suppress your cravings and gives the hunger pangs in between meals away. So it is suggested to have green tea between meals.

The antioxidants,vitamins B,C and E in green tea improves your digestive system. Catechins present in green tea slows down the digestive process.This means you are going to feel less hungry. Besides green tea also has zero calories.

Anti carcinogenic property

According to the study if you include just 3 cups of green tea daily in your diet, this can provide as a shield to prevent many types of cancer like

The polyphenols containing catechins that acts as an anti cancerogenic properties. EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate) and polyphenols fights free radicals to protect the DNA damage and kills the cancer cells. This also improves the immunity power of your body.

Helps in controlling diabetics

The polysaccharides and polyphenol group of green tea catechins lowers blood sugar. Polyphenol is responsible to regulate the blood sugar level.

American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends zero calorie drink, as any sugary drink can result in a spike in your blood sugar. Green tea is a zero calorie drink.Green tea helps in improving our metabolic system function, thus helps our body to absorb sugar as well.

According to the study conducted by Annals of Internal Medicine showed that having 6 cups of green tea per day helped in reducing the the type 2 diabetics by 33 percent. But doctor do not recommend 6 cups of green tea per day.

Green tea has anti aging properties

The harmful UVA and UVB rays from the sun is the reason of early aging and skin discoloration. As Green tea contains vitamin C, D and selenium that prevents the sun damage. The antioxidant contained in green tea helps in repairing the damaged skin.

The study conducted by Mount Sinai School of Medicine’s department of dermatology proves the natural skin repair power of green tea as it contains abundance of oxygen.

Lifts your mood and helps with its antidepressant properties

Neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine regulates our sleep,mood,body temperature and muscle contractions. Green tea contains amino acid L-theanine, that acts a stimulator for the release of these chemicals.

Besides the caffeine contents in the green tea acts as a stress and anxiety buster. According to the study having 4 cups of green tea can help you to stay fresh and relaxed.

Keeps a sound cardiovascular system

The catechins contained in green tea helps to keep Atherosclerosis in bay. Atherosclerosis is a major reason for cardiovascular problems. It forms a hard plaque around the arteries, making it narrower. This results in slow blood flow.

As green tea contains antioxidants it increase the same in the blood helps to control the reactive oxygen species.

According to the study by Harvard Medical School green tea protects can help to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Balances the Blood Pressure level

An enzyme called Angiotensin-converting enzyme secreted from kidney is responsible for blood pressure.Green tea acts as a natural inhibitor. Epidemiologic studies show that green tea can naturally relax our blood vessels.

According to the studies conducted on having 5 to 6 cups of green tea resulted in significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and LDL cholesterol.

Do’s and Don'ts

1. Its generally recommended to take have 3 to 5 cups of green tea a day. More then this can cause harmful effects on your health.

2. Do not have green tea before your sleep as it contains caffeine that alerts your brain. So you may face sleep problems.

3. Adding boiling water to make green tea can destroy the taste of green tea as it burns the leaves. So add hot water for the brewing process.

4. Try to buy older tea leaves then younger ones as the caffeine contained in the younger ones are more than the older ones.

5. Try using tea leaves instead of tea bags as the caffeine content in the tea bag is more.

6. Green tea on empty stomach in the morning can cause acidity. So avoid having it in empty stomach.

7. Don’t have green tea immediately after having medication.