Green tea is a powerhouse when it comes to health benefits. There have been many studies done that outline the benefits of drinking green tea every day and why it is a great idea to include in your diet.
The reason it is such a healthy option is the high level of antioxidants and other compounds it contains. These help our bodies by fighting everything from cholesterol to heart disease.
Green tea comes from the same plant as black tea (Camilla Sinensis) but is processed differently. This difference in processing is what helps the leaves to keep the high levels of healthy compounds .
The leaves are mostly dried in the sunlight then lightly pan fried. This maximizes the health benefits while helping to get the most flavor and prevent oxidation.
If you haven’t tried it already, there are many benefits to drinking green tea every day. These are listed below.
Natural Detox
Everyday we ingest toxins from our food, drinks and environment. Green tea provides a way to do a ‘mini detox’ on a daily basis.
It’s not always possible to do a major detox so this is a way to help the body flush out the toxins on a regular basis.
Green tea not only gets rid of toxins, it helps to fight off bad bacteria that builds up in our systems. A regular cup of green tea will go a long way to helping prevent illness.
Natural Immunity Boost
The high level of antioxidants present in green tea will give your immune system a daily boost. It will also strengthen your body to avoid any allergy or cold symptoms.
To maximize this, choose the best quality loose leaf green tea you can afford (organic is best). While you can add honey or lemon, don’t add milk. The protein in milk binds to the antioxidants and reduces their effectiveness.
Improve Digestion
There are powerful compounds in green tea that help reduce inflammation. This is throughout the entire body, including the gastrointestinal tract.
Bad bacteria lurking in your stomach is also hindered by green tea. If left alone, these bad bacteria can lead to stomach ulcers.
Green tea works to reduce inflammation and bad bacteria to get the digestive system working properly.
Destroy Free Radicals
Daily exposure to chemicals, smoke, pesticides and other pollutants creates free radicals. These nasty things can destroy healthy cells within the body and lead to a range of major health problems.
One of the ways we can fight them is through antioxidants. Green tea can destroys free radicals by giving a large dose of antioxidants.
Low Calories
Many drinks can add a lot of hidden calories to your daily diet. Although coffee itself is not high in calories, once you add sugar, cream or milk they start to add up.
Soda is also high in calories and adds no nutritional or health benefits to your diet.
In contrast, a cup of brewed green tea has zero calories. It’s not pre-packaged so you know exactly what you are drinking. Plus, a cup will deliver all the health benefits listed above.
Acquiring a taste for green tea is definitely a way to lower your daily calories. Try swapping it out with other beverages one cup at a time.
In summary, adding a cup or two of green tea to your daily diet is a great idea. You will be flushing out toxins, improving digestion, boosting immunity and destroying free radicals. And you get all these benefits without any calories!
Time for a cup of tea 🙂