If you’ve been reading here for a while now you’ve probably heard me talking about my love for green tea. We were inseperable from the start. My fiance is a coffee drinker, so we are pretty much bitter enemies. But I always win out, because green tea is so much better for you than coffee. That’s right coffee lovers, Green Tea wins, you lose! Seriously though, there have been numerous cases where the evidence points in favor of drinking green tea on a regular basis. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. Azhar bin Ismail at The Learning Student recently compiled a great article on the benefits of green tea. I’ll share some of my favorite ones. Here is the link, check it out!
(I should be studying for my physiology and microbiology finals today, but I just love writing for ZCL!!!!)
Health Benefits of Green Tea
- reduce histamine production. This is great for people who have alergies. Less histamine means less inflamation, less sinuses etc.
- help improve circulation by strengthening capillary walls. This is especially important for people with compromised circulatory systems, such as stroke victims, diabetics, arthritics, smokers, oral contraceptive users and people with general cardiovascular insufficiencies.
- inhibit enzymes that break down collagen. Proanthocyanidins help collagen repair. The breakdown of collagen is what causes our skin to lose its elasticity which in turn causes wrinkles.
- limits the growth of colorectal tumors in rats treated with a substance that causes the cancer. While this has yet to be proven to prevent cancer in humans, it definitely doesn’t hurt!
- Green tea consumption is associated with reduced mortality due to all causes, as stated by the Journal of the American Medical Association. Reduced mortality due to ALL causes? Can’t argue with results like that!
Ok, so you get it now, green tea will make you live longer. That’s why Asians live to like 300 and Americans die at the ripe age of what, 36 or so? But how about some reasons that I have actually experienced? You got it pal!
- Green tea contains small amounts of caffeine, about 1/3 the amount of a cup of coffee. That means that if you aren’t addicted to caffeine already, it will give you the boost you want without the jitters or crash afterwards. I drink a cup every morning, it’s a great way to start the day without developing an addiction problem, like most coffee drinkers have.
- It’s more fun to sip on than water. I don’t drink sodas, so for me its green tea, water, or juice. I keep tea bags at work and loose leaf tea at home, so while most people are studying with a bottle of water, I have delicious tea.
- Green tea is sophisticated. That’s right, drinking green tea makes you way cooler. I don’t mean Arizona green tea, or some other sugar filled, manufactured tea. I’m talking about hot water with leaves in it.
- it has powerful antioxidant and antibiotic factors. Antioxidants are great for keeping up a strong immune system. I drink green tea and take 1000 mg of Vitamin C daily, and I haven’t gotten sick in at least 3 years. Can’t argue with results like that.
- it assists in weight loss. Green tea is thermogenic, which means it raises your core temperature a bit and causes you to burn more calories, even if you are just sitting on your butt. This doesn’t mean you will drop 20 lbs drinking tea while playing xbox, but if you are already working towards a fitter you, green tea can definitely assist you in the process.
- Antibacterial effects. Green tea contains natural chemicals which are known to kill bacteria. Drinking green tea is actually good for your teeth, unlike pretty much anything else people drink these days.
- You’ll be sticking it to the man. Remember the boston tea party? What better way to stick it to the man than to drink tea, instead of coffee. That will teach them to have a tea party without inviting you.
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This post is right on time. I’ve been thinking about trying green tea and now I’m convinced it’s the right choice. Great Post!
I’ve been drinking green tea for a couple of years now and only knew of a few benefits (like antioxidants & less caffeine than coffee). This gives me more incentive to continue to drink it and encourage my friends to drink tea also.
I use to drink coffee and lots of it.
However, my stomach can no longer process coffee. Green tea has been my life saver and substitutes quite nicely for coffee.
I have grown to love it.
Nice work man..keep it up.
Funny post, I used to love Green Tea, but some ago my love for it just died. I had Green Tea ice cream during my last vacation though so I might get back into it, especially after thinking again about all the benefits.
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If you’re deciding whether to drink coffee or tea for health reasons, you have been completely duped by the medical research community and the media to become paranoid about minutia in your life.
You’re going to have pretty much identical risks of disease and death either way.
And if you don’t believe me, try on this:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2008823738_zhea07healthstudies.html
“According to experts who study disease and risk: You can pretty much ignore almost all of these health bulletins, with a few exceptions: Exercise, eat a balanced diet, don’t be fat, drink only in moderation and, whatever you do, don’t smoke.”
In other words, if you’re going to drink green tea, do it because you like it. Not because you believe it’s going to cure you of demons.
Swag, I don’t mean to be rude, but the link you shared says absolutely nothing about green tea, or any tea for that matter.
Also, I took some of these facts from a site that cited the proof, and the rest from my own digging into PubMed.
These facts are scientifically proven. Nobody has been duped here.
If you’d like direct links to all of the reputable research about green tea, feel free to contact me via my contact page and I’ll be glad to look them up again for you. Take care buddy!
Green tea is a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants are substances that hunt for free radicals. Free radicals are naturally occurring compounds in the body that move throughout our systems changing cells, tampering with DNA-genetic material, and can even result in cell death. These free radical compounds are also enhanced by smoking, sun overexposure, and pollution and they promote damage to vital tissue and contribute to the aging process.