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By:International Tea Importers - 15/10/2021
While there is an abundant variety of teas, green tea needs little introduction as it has been celebrated for its health benefits throughout Chinese and Japanese cultures for hundreds of years. Like most other kinds, green tea is harvested from the camellia sinensis plant, found in higher altitudes like in the mountains of East Asia. It differs from black tea by remaining unprocessed and unfermented, leaving its recognizable green colour and nutty, grassy flavor for more health benefits to the tea drinker.
Antioxidants and Anti-Inflammatory
Green tea specifically is loaded with flavonoids and polyphenols, namely catechin and epigallocatechin gallate also known as antioxidants, which play a vital role in a well-rounded lifestyle.
Increasing your intake of antioxidants can allow your body to protect your cells better against free radicals that can leave a negative effect on your overall health when unbalanced. By incorporating adequate antioxidants into your body, you’ll be giving your body the tools to do its best to maintain good health, including a strong immune system. Additionally, antioxidants are known to be a great way to fight anti-aging to keep you feeling and looking young. Your body already produces antioxidants; however, this supply does need to be replenished through your diet to keep you healthy and green tea is a great source. Since green tea is untreated, it is richer in catechins than other teas, like black, white, or herbal infusions, which suggests more benefits, and more antioxidants, when incorporated into your regular diet.
Catechin isn’t the only powerful component at play here. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has demonstrated suppressing the effects of inflammation and swelling in the body when included in your regiment regularly, which can improve your blood circulation, joint pain, and symptoms of arthritis. While EGCG can be found in other foods, like avocados, nuts, and berries, green tea has higher levels and is easy to consume multiple times a day to keep your body supplied. For an added boost of EGCG, try matcha or sencha.
Caffeine, Calories, and Cholesterol
Most of us reach for a cup of coffee first thing in the morning to satisfy our caffeine buzz and to get the day started, however, green tea provides a similar mental stimulation, focus, and energy levels, with more worthwhile additional benefits. With less caffeine than both coffee and black tea (less than one-third comparatively), fewer calories (less than 3 calories per cup), and less cholesterol, green tea is a great drink of choice to add to your daily routine. It can also keep you sharp by aiding in cognitive functions, like memory. Even if it is only as one cup, stay persistent and over time you may see the perks of a new spring in your step and all-around well-being.
While it is not proven to aid in weight loss, increasing metabolism, or fat burning directly, green tea is a great swap for a sugary drink at any point in the day since it is naturally low in calories. Keeping a consistent intake of green tea, can keep everything running smoothly in, and out, of your system, which is always a plus! Try to avoid adding too much sugar or honey to your tea. As an alternative, try adding lemon or lime – you’ll add a different flavor, and the vitamin C will help absorb those antioxidants better and to keep boosting your immune system.
Healthy Habit
Take the time to develop a healthy habit by giving yourself some well-deserved me-time either in the morning or as a break partway through your day. While drinking tea already has calming properties, building yourself a ritual around it, and truly making it yours, is grounding and rewarding in both the short and long term. Maybe while enjoying your green tea every day, you take 10 minutes to write in a gratitude journal, read 10 pages in your latest find, or send a message to a family member or friend you haven’t had a chance to check in on lately – the choice is yours! Incorporating small changes and practices over time will have more of a positive impact on your life, let all the benefits of green tea are one of them.
While green tea, or any other beverage or food, has not been directly proven to cure or prevent chronic disease or illness, it can still have a very positive impact on your daily life, as well as your overall wellbeing with multiple health benefits.
Types of Green Teas
Matcha comes from the same plant but is covered for 20 – 30 days to avoid sunlight and increase chlorophyll production before being harvested. The entire leaf is then ground into a fine powder to enjoy and can be easily added not only to water to make tea, but also to smoothies, puddings, or even taken as a shot for even more benefits, like more caffeine and antioxidants, than steeping green tea leaves in hot water alone.
Sencha is the most popular tea in Japan. The upper part of the leaf is used in production as it is the youngest and highest quality part of the plant. Because it’s grown in the sun, it’ll have more antioxidants than matcha and is a great option for an iced tea.
Helpful Tips
Look for higher quality tea with younger, whole leaves – they’ll have more of the good stuff.
Get creative by introducing other flavors that have vitamin C to absorb those catechins better into your system to get more of a good thing like mangoes, peach, or grapefruit. Try to stay away from dairy as it’ll make it harder for them to be absorbed.
Avoid adding green tea to boiling water, let it sit for a few minutes after boiling before steeping your tea to get the most out of the benefits.
Try to drink your green tea between meals. The tannins in green tea can increase stomach acid, which can cause an upset stomach.
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