Green tea is a drink made by steaming, frying, and drying the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant, and it is believed that green tea has many health benefits for those who drink it regularly. Here are five potential benefits:
Green tea may improve brain health
Caffeine is one of the main ingredients in green tea. Caffeine can block a chemical messenger in the brain called adenosine, which controls feelings of sleepiness or wakefulness.
And adenosine blocking can prevent sleepiness, which is why many people use caffeine to stay awake and mentally active.
An overproduction of adenosine in the brain has also been linked to cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Research shows that regular consumption of caffeine may reduce the risk of these conditions.
Green tea maintains a healthy heart
Studies have found that green tea plays a role in heart health by reducing the risk factors that cause heart disease.
High blood pressure is one of the most common risk factors for heart disease. Research indicates that consuming green tea significantly reduces systolic and diastolic blood pressure, the two different numbers by which a person’s blood pressure is recorded.
Green tea helps lower cholesterol
A major ingredient in green tea, catechins are a flavanolate compound that has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive effects. Catechins reduce cholesterol levels by reducing the absorption of cholesterol in the body.
A 2011 analysis of 14 studies showed that drinking an average of two cups of green tea per day for 10 years significantly reduced LDL cholesterol levels.
Some clinical research shows that drinking green tea or using green tea extracts can lower total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and increase levels of high-density lipoprotein (good cholesterol).
Green tea is good for bone health
Green tea helps maintain healthy and strong bones. Research shows that it may help treat and prevent osteoporosis, a condition that makes bones weaker and more likely to fracture.
Tea leaves contain fluoride, which may slow osteoporosis, as well as beneficial compounds such as flavonoids and phytoestrogens, according to the researchers. Flavonoids and phytoestrogens are phytochemicals that can strengthen bone formation and prevent the breakdown of bone tissue.
Green tea helps skin
Drinking green tea or using it topically has many benefits for the skin, as it contains a micronutrient called epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, which may be responsible for green tea’s skin-repairing properties.
Some research shows that EGCG contains antioxidants that help prevent sun damage. It also boosts skin hydration, retains moisture, and prevents wrinkles from forming.
Green tea has also been shown to have anti-aging properties, and the catechin complex in green tea helps calm inflamed skin when used topically.
