Superfood: Green Tea
Tea is one of the oldest drinks in the world, and one of the most natural. From green to white and black to herbal, there appears to be a natural solution for many of our aliments. With each tea claiming its own natural cure or prevention for a variety of problems and illnesses it is easy to see why so many people opt for tea as their morning beverage.
But why is green tea held so highly amongst teas?
Green tea is a light and refreshing tea with a delicious flavour that can be enjoyed both hot and cold, as well as in cooking and alcoholic beverages too. This, combined with the numerous proven and suspected health benefits of the tea, makes it one of the most popular teas on the market, in every corner of the world.
Diet
Green tea has been proven, time and time again, to increase the number of calories burned whilst maintaining a typical diet. Studies have found that green tea drinkers, on average, have a much lower BMI than those who don’t include green tea in their diet – another study found that subjects who added green tea to their normal diet, lost an average of 2.9 pounds over a 12 week period.
Skin
Many major skin care brands use green tea extract in a huge variety of their products. Many of the properties found in green tea are known to have positive impacts on the skin; polyphenol, for example, is known to strengthen the elastin and collagen in the body which should, in turn, reduce wrinkle production.
Cholesterol
Some studies have shown a correlation between certain elements present in green tea and reduced levels of LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) helping to improve the overall cholesterol ratio. Many scientists have linked the chemical to a lower risk of developing heart disease, due to the fact that Japanese men – one of the biggest consumers of green tea – have very low numbers of heart disease sufferers, despite the fact that over 75% of Japanese males smoke cigarettes.
Cancer
There is now firm evidence that green tea prevents, or slows, the growth of cancerous cells. There are claims green tea can “cure” and prevent many forms of cancer, however the most common are; oesophageal cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer and cervical cancer.
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
A recent study found a direct correlation between the consumption of green tea and restoration and protection of brain cells damaged by the diseases, in mice. Drinking a cup of green tea every day could help prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s from developing later in life.
About the Author
Robyn Edwards currently writes for The Tea Makers, a London based tea company who specialise in fairly sourced luxury teas, as well as delicious tea time treats and beautiful tea ware. Visit our online site today to see our full collection of tea from old favourites, to rare, recent finds.
