,Tea is one of the widely consumed beverages after water. There are research reports which prove that green tea has been consumed all over the world for centuries. Polyphenols are one of the major components of interest that is responsible for antioxidants in the green tea and it also provides other health benefits too. Before getting into scientific details and benefits answer these simple questions. What makes your day start in the morning? How do you keep yourself boosted or energetic while you are in the office and wrecking your brain over computers? There are several researchers all over the world who have revealed the percentage of people consuming beverages. After successful research on 490 participants out of which 195 participants (39.8) people drank moderate amounts (1-6days per week), 157 (32.0%) drank every day, and 128 (28.2%) did not consume green tea. Concerning coffee intake, 212 participants (43.3%) drank coffee every day, 180 (36.7%) drank moderate amounts (1-6 per week), and 98 (20.0%) did not drink coffee. With regards to black tea consumption, 404 participants (82.4%) did not consume, 86 (17.6%) consumed black tea at least 1 day per week. The major components of interest are the polyphenols which are responsible for the antioxidant and other health benefits of green tea. These percentages must have cleared your questions. Check out these 11 reasons why you should choose green tea over coffee in the office. There are several health benefits if you consume green tea on a regular basis.
1. What is Green Tea
Green tea is a type of tea that is made from Camellia sinensis leaves and buds that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process used to make oolong teas and black teas. Green tea originated in China, and since then its production and manufacture has spread to other countries in East Asia.
2. Benefits of Green Tea
People have hailed the health benefits of green tea for centuries. Studies suggest that consuming green tea may positively affect skin health, help with weight loss, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
2.1 Weight loss
Being in the office, sitting in a chair the whole day, can bring out a few unwanted pounds to your weight. Short breaks are suggested in such cases, but the disturbance while working may also set your mood off. Other options that cross in mind are like skipping fatty food or following a protein diet. What if there is a perfect solution to your problem. You won’t have to leave your seat or follow any strict diet. A simple addition of a few cups of green tea can drastically change your life. It has some interesting antioxidants that help reduce weight. According to the researcher, both men and women consume different amounts of green tea, therefore the outcomes may also differ. It helps to enhance energy expedition and fat oxidation which results in weight-loss. As earlier mentioned, that green tea contains polyphenols that are flavonoids. These flavonoids have four other major components, but the only component that is most significant and active is Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). This component is a major responsibility to help reduce weight-loss. The research on weight-loss is performed majorly on a short-term basis so to get the results for long-term, another research was held that concerned majorly on weight maintenance. As has been scientifically proven, how beneficial green tea can be for weight loss or weight maintenance, one should start consuming it on a daily basis.(Source: Weight loss Tea, teacurry)
Drink just two cups a day of this tea to burn belly fat, Weight loss, Google Images, licensed under CC BY 2.0
2.2 Regulation of Blood Pressure
In this fast pace of daily life, there is a possibility that you may totally forget about regulating your blood pressure. Most of the time, we skip our breakfast to avoid traffic and reach the office on time. Late night work schedule or overtime work schedule does not come alone; it brings its best friend along with it. Some of us with all the above do not have a diet that will not just keep light but also healthy. We want everything with Thanos snap. After the stratified studies, the effect of green tea to regulate blood pressure is measured on various analyses. If the consumption of green tea is longer; then the effect is much better than short term consumption. Some nutritional therapies have shown beneficial effects on the prevention and control of hypertension. Green tea, obtained from the plant Camellia sinensis, is a widely consumed beverage worldwide and is traditionally used in Asian countries as a medication. The studies are also analyzed based on a high and low dosage of green tea. Another important condition that took under consideration while researching was hypertension and prehypertension patients and the last factor was with caffeine and without caffeine green tea consumption. The results were found with a significant reduction in blood pressure and were observed with low –dosage green tea which contains polyphenols consumed for long term.
2.3 Diabetes
Diabetes is a highly rising concern in the world. 3 in 5 people are affected by diabetes. The studies have proven with evidence that green tea promotes glucose metabolism in a healthy human. It has an anti-diabetic effect. Green tea has several serum proteins that help in controlling glucose in diabetic humans. The study results from Japan and Taiwan revealed that green tea inhibits adipocyte proliferation and differentiation i.e. fighting against fat, it also increases cellular defence. Several reports are indicating oxidative stress, blocks sodium-dependent glucose transporter and lipid micelle formation in the intestine. Blockage of SGLT (sodium-dependent glucose transporter) and lipid micelle formation are the most important mechanisms for gallate catechins (anti-oxidants) to exert their effects on obesity and diabetes.(Source: Diagetes, Teacurry)
Green Tea For Diabetes: Can Green Tea Help Manage Blood Sugar, Lybrate, Google Images, licensed under CC BY 2.0
2.4 Brain function
You may find it difficult to believe but green tea has the potential to relax your brain and helps in reducing stress. If you have observed elders who are drinking green tea for a long time have sharper minds than others. The best way to kick start your day is after consuming green tea. Unlike coffee, green tea has no side effects on your body. It helps you be active and smart. Researchers have proven in their various studies and green tea indeed helps with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease. It also helps in cognitive performance and mood. Catechins from green tea are the reasons that aid the blood-brain barrier. It helps to reach brain tissues, which eventually allows neuroprotective effects. It has L-theanine amino acid which also has the potential to become a nutraceutical ingredient that helps reduce stress. Easily modified lifestyle habits like green tea intake may be considered to reduce the risk of dementia, AD, MCI, or cognitive impairment. As green tea is associated with neurodegenerative disease and cognitive functions, there are few identifications of the relationship between green tea and AD, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and cognitive impairment by a systematic review.(Source: Brain function, teacurry)
2.5 Heart Diseases
Catechins are primary components in green tea that exerts vascular protective effects. The different chemical groups of catechins play different roles in their various biological functions. The phenolic hydroxyl groups of catechins are primarily responsible for scavenging of free radicals, inhibition of lipid peroxidation, and hydrolysis of fat, whereas the galloyl moiety is involved in chelating metal ions, inhibition of intestinal cholesterol absorption, cholesterol biosynthesis and fatty acid biosynthesis. Studies have proven that polyphenols included in green tea attract reduction in cardiovascular disease. It protects myocardial damage i.e. heart attack. This can be considered as promising medicine for cardiac health as green tea is associated with antioxidant properties. To maintain good results one should consume 200-300mg of EGCG i.e. 5-6 cups of green tea per day. The study held in Japan showed green tea consumption is inversely proportional with mortality due to cardiovascular disease. People having heart problems are consuming green tea in the highest portion comparing others. Green tea helps in reducing cholesterol absorbed by the body, thereby reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. Daily diet must be improved by adding green tea in it. Sedentary lifestyle choices, increasing intake of junk food, are also a few reasons that take a toll on the heart. Developing smaller changes in lifestyle will diminish the risk of heart disease. (Source: Heart Disease Tea, Teacurry)
How Does Green Tea Helps in Control Cholesterol Level ,japanesegreenteain, Google Image licensed under CC BY 2.0
2.6 Cholesterol Control
Daily intake of 375mg of green tea shows a significant effect in reducing total cholesterol. Theanine or theaflavin enriched green tea is effective with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia. There are several reports indicating consuming green tea lowers total cholesterol level. It also helps to maintain and improve good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL). After the first-hand test of green tea, researchers found that green tea helps in reducing cholesterol that is absorbed by the body, and thus keeping cholesterol stores in the liver. In-office, people are mostly working in their chair. This affects badly on the body, especially after lunch. The cholesterol-containing food that is consumed, sits in the liver affecting them. It also affects the heart and increases the risk of high blood pressure. Thus, including green tea in your diet will keep you fit.(Source: Cholesterol Control, teacurry)
2.7 Stress Buster
One thing every human on this planet today dreams of is living a stress-free life. But nowadays, being on a vacation is also filled with stress – selecting a perfect vacation plan, selecting routes to travel, transportation, people management if the group you are travelling with is big and so on. Stress is endless, in an era of 5g internet services and COVID-19 fighters, be it work from home or work from office amid COVID-19 the stress level is at cloud-9. Green tea has antioxidants properties that protect your cells against free radicals. Green tea has effective antioxidants that help in reducing stress. People who are infected or not infected due to Coronavirus should consider drinking green tea, especially in these difficult times. Studies have shown holding a warm beverage has a positive effect on social information processing, leading to the warmth of another person. Green tea helps in reducing the serum level. Amino acids in green tea are potential in reducing stress. These amino acids are blocked by caffeine; hence it is also suggested to drink green tea instead of coffee. Researchers made a detailed study in which they tested theanine in low caffeine green tea; results showed that the low-caffeine green tea suppressed high-stress levels.(Source: Stress Buster, Teacurry)
2.8 Liver
Consumption of alcohol, soft drinks and other unhealthy dietary products makes the liver worse. Green tea polyphenols prevent oxygen free radical-induced hepatocyte lethality; prevent lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury. EGCG, the main catechin in green tea is believed to reduce liver oxidative stress. The effects of catechins on the liver depend on the health of an individual depending on his/her lifestyle. Friday evenings and Saturday night parties during office schedules pull us to undergo an unhealthy diet. It is good if one starts drinking green tea on a daily basis. Green tea extract prescribed can be considered as an absolute treat to improve serum levels of Liver enzymes especially in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients.
2.9 Dental Health
Being negligent will lead to serious problems especially considering your dental health. It’s not only important to treat the simple and painless dental problem like gum bleeding, in fact, but the process of diagnosis and treatment should also be done in time. Green tea has several benefits that can help to reduce the growth of any dental related issues. Dental enamel is having hydroxyapatite crystals. When hydroxyapatite crystal raises, the pH decreases; this can be harmful to dental enamel. The EGCG extract from the green tea markdown acid production and maintain the pH level. There are studies which have proven that rinsing the mouth for 1 week with green tea mouthwash reduces the salivary levels. Polyphenol in green tea is an antioxidant. This anti-oxidant has an enzyme that can damage the bacterial cell membrane and hence, this prevents from entering bacteria into the cell and spreading oral diseases. The bacteria in green tea are known as Gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. All these bacteria can prevent tooth decay by inhibiting orally. These anti-oxidant and bacteria help to prevent tooth decay, gum health, tooth loss and improve breath.
2.10 Overcoming Depression
Tea has always been a mood lifter for many people. Tea lovers enjoy taking breaks while working who derives pleasure from its aroma, taste, aesthetics. People who love tea must start drinking green tea as it has a good mood-enhancing effect. Creative people who are mostly seen working are smoking back to back; so that they can continue working for long hours. These people should also pursue green tea instead of cigarettes. Depression cannot be ignored. With the rising cases of depression, one should look out for the people or your near and dear ones. There are misconceptions that green tea provides an antidepressant effect on depression. It does not affect hormones the way antidepressant does, but still, it is very effective. The L-theanine amino acid is found in green tea. Researchers and their studies have proven that it has a negative impact on physiological stress on health, especially related to anxiety. Though the bright side is, it keeps you fresh and light so that you can work with full concentration. It also helps in reducing stress if green tea is consumed in a large amount on a daily basis. Overcoming stress or sadness does not include gender analyses.
2.11 Antibacterial Properties
One of the most important properties especially in these times is keeping your body’s immune system at its strongest state. COVID-19 affects different people in different ways. People may see mild to moderate illness and may recover within 7-14days. We can take extra care about places we touch and stay sanitized but when it comes to preventing ourselves from inside we lack determination. In case if you are travelling to your office amid COVID-19 then one of the simplest ways to keep boost your immune system is by consuming green tea. Green tea has greater antioxidants potential than black tea or Oolong tea. Most of the studies have proven that antioxidants properties that are present in green tea are catechins of EGCG and EGC. Generally, when tea fermentation is increased anti-bacterial properties in the green tea decrease. The bacteria in green tea are known as Gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. All these bacteria can prevent tooth decay by inhibiting orally. Tip- Green tea is more effective when the extraction of tea is done at 100 degree Celsius hot water for 3 minutes than 60 or 80 degree Celsius. There are several different research focused particularly on how to extract green tea when consumed. With the recent figures slurping stating the intake of green tea, it is assumed that people who are consuming green tea daily will stay more fit than others. Along with these health benefits, it has many other benefits which can aid to give you that ‘kick’ in the morning or late afternoons. Keeping you fully focused while at the office, is another smaller yet important benefit that you will gain. + Another major benefit of antioxidants in green tea helps to protect against oxidative damages such as spreading of uncontrolled growth of cells and lead to cancer. Obese people who are willing to reduce their weight are mostly recommended to start consuming green tea, as it boosts metabolic rate and helps fat burning too. There are several different types of green teas available in the market bottled and sweetened with sugar or an artificial sweetener, in single tea bags, as loose-leaf, in instant-powder, green tea additive in capsule form or liquid extracts.
References & Sources
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- EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (2018). Scientific opinion on the safety of green tea catechins. EFSA Journal. 16 (4): e05239. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5239. ISSN 1831-4732. PMC 7009618. PMID 32625874.
- Does drinking green tea cure cancer?. cancer.org.au. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
- Liu K, Zhou R, Wang B, Chen K, Shi LY, Zhu JD, Mi MT (August 2013). Effect of green tea on glucose control and insulin sensitivity: a meta-analysis of 17 randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr (Meta-Analysis). 98 (2): 340–8. doi:10.3945/ajcn.112.052746. PMID 23803878.
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1 comment
Your post has made me more aware of the impact we have on the environment, thank you for that.