The Health Benefits of Green Tea You Should Know
Green tea has been lauded for everything from its taste to its health benefits for centuries now and is drank in some countries, the way that Americans drink their coffee. Some experts have gone so far as to say that green tea is the healthiest beverage on the planet and then there are those, of course, who say it’s just another drink like any other. Tea, of course, comes in different colors, different varieties, and many, many different flavors. However, it is said that if green is your favorite tea color, then you are pretty much drinking the gold standard of tea and should be healthy as a horse. Since green tea is loaded with a ton of antioxidants and nutrients that have powerful effects on the body, it’s no wonder that it contains many different health benefits. Some of these benefits you might know and some you might not.
In this blog, we are going to go into the health benefits of green tea, the ones you know and the ones that might surprise you, the different varieties you can choose from when drinking this particular beverage, and even a few of the side effects that have been associated with drinking the tea, along with a few myths that need to be dispelled as well.
So, without further ado, grab your mug of tea, pull a chair up in front of the fire, and let’s dive headfirst into our blog on green tea and what you should know about it.
The Varieties of Green Tea You can Choose From
While they know that green tea has health benefits, many people just can’t get used to the flavor, so try it one time and never drink it again. What these people don’t realize is that green tea comes in different varieties, so if you have tried it and didn’t like it, maybe trying a different variety will convert you to tea drinking. Below, we will go into a few of the different kinds of green tea you have to choose from.
Matcha
Matcha is a Japanese green tea that is known for its exquisite taste and is pretty easy to prepare. It’s commonly served with sweet treats to combat the teas intense taste and has many health benefits to recommend it.
Konacha
Known for its brisk, clean taste, Konacha is made from fine, powdery tea leaves and is usually served with sushi because it cleans the palate. The tea is also a vibrant green color when it’s brewed.
Genmaicha
Genmaicha is a tea that is extremely popular because it’s a blend that creates a warm, toasty flavor. It’s made up of roasted rice and either sencha or bancha tea and has a smooth overall taste that many people love.
Other varieties of green tea you might want to try are listed below for your perusal.
- Sencha
- Gyokuro
- Kabusecha
- Bancha
- Hojicha
- Kukicha
Now that you know there are different varieties of green tea out there it might be easier to find the one that is the most flavorful for you. Next up in our blog, we will discuss the many health benefits that green tea is said to bring.
Health Benefits of Green Tea Revealed
While it took a while to catch on, green tea has become extremely popular among health-conscious Americans in recent years. This is because there have been so many proven benefits to drinking the tree. Below, we will go into a few of those benefits.
Keeps You Alert
Green tea has been rumored to be able to keep you alert and functioning at maximum capacity. While this could be due to the caffeine in the tea, it contains anywhere from 24 to 4 milligrams per eight-ounce cup, but it is still better for you than energy drinks and coffee.
It Packs a Nutritional Punch
When drinking that cup of green tea, whether it’s in the mornings, afternoons, or while watching your favorite TV show at night, you can be confident that the tea packs quite a nutritional punch. A good rule of thumb to follow when choosing the type of green tea you want to drink is to only buy one that has 100 percent green tea on the label or only choose pure green tea leaves to make your tea out of.
Promotes Healthy Weight Loss
While drinking green tea by itself will not cause you to lose the weight you want to lose, drinking it in combination with exercise and eating right can help to promote weight loss. Adding green tea to your diet is a good idea, but as with any other things you add to your diet, it is best to contact your primary care provider first to make sure it’s okay, as you never know what will interact with any other type of medications you might be on.
May Help to Reduce the Inflammation Associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis
It has been shown in different studies that drinking green tea helps with the swelling and inflammation that is associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Anyone who has rheumatoid arthritis can tell you that the inflammation is usually what stops them from getting around well and is painful. Green tea is said to relieve that swelling naturally and make flare-ups less painful.
May Help to Reduce Anxiety
While there is still much more research to be done, it is looking like green tea can help to reduce anxiety and the symptoms of anxiety related disorders. These disorders include social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and even generalized anxiety problems. If it is possible that a natural green tea can help reduce your anxiety, instead of having to solely rely on medication, isn’t it something you would be willing to try?
Other Health Benefits
There are quite a few other health benefits that have been attributed to drinking any kind of green tea. We have a list of those below for you to peruse and research.
- May have a protective effect on the heart
- May help protect against certain kinds of cancer
- Could help to reduce the blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 Diabetes
- May help to repair damaged skin and protect you against skin cancer
- Improves dental health and reduces the chance of infections
- May help you to live longer
These are just a few of the benefits of green tea that recent studies have shown. There are some that are more proven than the others, but isn’t drinking this flavorful beverage a good idea? Below, we will look on the other side of the spectrum to see what the reported side effects of drinking green tea are as well so that we have the full story.
Side Effects of Drinking Green Tea
While scientists were in the lab performing experiments to see how healthy green tea was for you, somewhere across town someone else was doing studies to show that it might have a few side effects that you should know about. Below, find the possible side effects to help you make an informed decision as to whether green tea is the right choice for you.
Stomach Problems
Many green tea drinkers have reported stomach problems after drinking. It is thought that the culprit may be the caffeine in the tea, though it has less caffeine than coffee, it still causes nausea or pain. It is recommended that if you have stomach problems after drinking green tea, you need to see a doctor, just in case, there is an underlying problem that needs to be addressed.
Headaches
Once again, because of the caffeine in green tea, it is best to avoid it if you have a caffeine intensity. Though it does have less caffeine than many teas on the market, it still contains some which means that people who suffer from headaches can end up with them daily, if they drink too much of the beverage, especially people who suffer from migraine headaches.
Problems Sleeping
It is recommended not to drink green tea before you decide to go to bed. Studies have shown that the chemical compounds in the tea can cause the natural melatonin in your system not to trigger, meaning you are in for a sleepless night, something we all know isn’t beneficial to your health at all.
Vomiting
Who would have thought that a beverage that contains so many health benefits could be the cause of vomiting? None of us, but studies have shown that green tea can indeed lead to nausea and vomiting if drunk in access. You should stick to one or two cups of green tea a day, after all, there is such thing as too much of a good thing, remember?
Other Possible Side Effects of Drinking Green Tea Revealed
Though these are the main side effects of drinking green tea, there are quite a few more. Read on below for a list of possible side effects you might want to look out for when drinking this beverage.
- Anemia
- Iron Deficiency
- Dizziness and convulsions
- Bleeding disorders
- Liver disease
- Irregular heartbeat
- High blood pressure
- Bone health
- Risks when pregnant and not recommended for children
- Muscle tremors and contractions
- Heartburn
- Ringing in the ears
There are quite a few other side effects to drinking green tea that has been reported in the past, from it damaging your teeth to causing diabetes. Some of these side effects are common, while others are rare. Either way, now you know the benefits and the side effects of drinking green teeth, so you can make up your own mind after careful research is performed.
Myths Surrounding Green Tea
Of course, along with the side effects and the health benefits, there are going to be myths about drinking green tea that need to be dispelled as well. Read on below for a few of those myths to be explained.
Myth: Green Tea Helps You to Lose Weight in a Rapid Manner
Busted:
This is perhaps the most popular myth out there about green tea at the moment. While it is a fact that green tea stabilizes your metabolism helping you to shed those excess pounds, it is not a miracle cure for losing weight or for curing obesity. If you don’t have a workout plan and eat the right way, then green tea will not help you lose the weight you need and it certainly doesn’t help you lose it rapidly.
Myth: Green Tea has Less Caffeine than Black Tea
Busted:
While it is true that green tea has less caffeine than coffee, it’s not true that is has less caffeine than black tea. As a matter of fact, green tea is only the color green because it turns that color in processing. This means that it has the same amount of caffeine as black tea because the color doesn’t affect anything.
Myth: You can Drink as Much Green Tea as You Want
Busted:
As with anything else in the world, green tea can be too much of a good thing. Because green tea has so many health benefits, some people think that you can drink as much as you want, as often as you want. However, that’s not true. Since the drink does have caffeine and other chemicals in it, it needs to be drunk in moderation, just like anything else, as it has known side effects as well.
Myth: Green Tea can Cause You to Dehydrate
Busted:
Another myth that is not based on fact. Green tea, just like coffee, cannot cause you to become dehydrated. Instead, it’s the caffeine in both drinks that cause the dehydration, and even then, you would have to drink a beverage that was extremely strong to become dehydrated from these beverages.
This concludes our blog on the health benefits of green tea that you should know about, as well as a few of the side effects, the myths, and more. Now that you know everything there is to know about green tea, you can make an informed decision as to whether you want it to be your beverage of choice or not. As with anything else, it is best to consult your primary care physician before starting to drink this beverage for the health benefits.
Sources:
- Healthy Women: 11 Benefits of Green Tea You Didn’t Know About
- Green Tea Source: 6 Green Tea Myths Versus Facts
- Stylecraze: 24 Side Effects of Green Tea You Need to be Aware Of