Why I am So Obsessed About Green Tea
I have spoken about green tea a lot in previous blog posts and I just wanted to do one that is totally just about Green Tea. Now, I drink this tea almost every single day and I drink about 3-5 cups a day. yeah, overkill, much? LOL, maybe… but then again, maybe not.
Now, I am all about facts when it comes to health and this passed month I have been immersing myself in a lot of green tea research. I have been trying to find out the real truth about the tea; what It can do as opposed to what it can’t do. Simply because we all know that the internet can LIE. So, if you love green tea as much as I do, may be you will be pleased to find out the benefits that it can offer your, not just your skin but just your all-round health!
ORIGIN OF GREEN TEA
You may or may not know that green tea actually originated in China, in spite of it being consumed at such large amounts around the world. This tea is so beneficial to the health of human beings and that you now find green tea extracts in cosmetic products. Numerous amounts of studies both in the scientific and medicinal fields have been conducted to figure out the real benefits of green tea. Through these studies, it has been found that people who drink green tea regularly and consistently have a lower chance of developing cancer or heart-related diseases. Green Tea still does contain caffeine, but compared to other teas, it is at a much lower amount. Caffeine can be linked to high blood pressure. Green tea is high in flavonoids, which are phytochemicals found in plants, it has antioxidant (fights unstable radical cells) and anticarcinogenic (fights cancer-related factors) properties.
So much jargon, what are you saying, Xoey??
Don’t worry, lets break it down for you!
ANTIOXIDANTS
Anything with antioxidative properties, I will generally love. Whether it means I ingest it or apply it topically, I will love it. Antioxidants are super duper important and very beneficial to our health. Why? I will tell you in a bit! Free radicals are molecules that our bodies produce when we eat food, drink and smoke, They can also be brought about by environmental factors. These free radicals are unstable and they attack healthy cells in our bodies. Just by the sound of it, you know that this can cause several problems for your health. These free radicals can cause diseases as well as damaged skin. Antioxidants, swoop in and fight these free radicals; protecting our cells from damage which would have been caused by these free radicals.
Get it?
EPIGALLOCATECHIN GALLATE (EGCG)
In Green Tea, there are about six different catechins (a type of antioxidant). Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is one of them and what this one does is that it increases the metabolic rate of the human body. This means that it increases the rate of fat oxidation which means your body turns food into energy/calories a lot faster! This means, if you are on a weightloss journey, you are about to lose it faster with the addition of green tea into your diet.
CHOLESTEROL REDUCTION
If you have high levels of cholesterol in your body, it may pose as a health risk that can lead to cardiovascular-related illnesses. Green Tea contains tannins which have been found to aid lower levels of cholesterol in the body. Taninns reduce the level of low-density lipopropteins (LDL) which is “bad cholesterol”. In addition, research has found that catechins also help decrease the cholesterol absorption.
SKIN CARE
Green Tea has been a part of my regimen for a very long time. whether I am applying it topically or consuming it as a warm or cold beverage. I must admit, it is an acquired taste. I started drinking green tea when I was 14 and it was only at about 16 that I finally got used to the taste. As with other benefits, green tea has been found to be super duper beneficial to the skin as well. as I was speaking of antioxidants, earlier and how important they are. Well, this is where they also come into play. Green tea, with the help of its antioxidants, helps protect our bodies form sun-damage. As I mentioned, earlier, free radicals are also brought about by environmental damage. Green tea also has anti-inflammatory properties, so if you are someone who has acne-prone skin, this one is for you.
Aside from ingesting it, you may use it topically. I usually add about 2 bags of tea in some really hot water and steam my face for two minutes. I then use the contents inside the bag as a facial scrub. add a couple drops of your carrier oil, alternatively, add a spoon of Plain Greek Yogurt and massage the skin. Green Tea has some of the most potent antioxidants found in nature, get on that bandwagon!
HYPOALLERGENIC
ECGC (mentioned above) block the key cell receptors that produce histamine as well as immunoglobulin E (IgE), these are compounds involved in producing an allergic response. So when this happens, it stops your body from having an allergic response.
OMG, HEALTHY HAIR, TOO?!
Yup! Green tea has been found to inhibit the growth of Dihydrotestosterone otherwise known as DHT which hinders hair growth and causes hair to fall. Green Tea balances the testosterone in the blood, to make sure it does not react to 5-alpha reductase and covert it to DHT.
Honestly guys, I could go on and on and on and on about the benefits of green tea. specially because the benefits extent all the way to genial warts, blood pressure, diabetes and bad breath (halitosis).
I have linked some of the research that has been done on green tea and I suggest that you read up on it! Honestly, you have nothing to lose. 2-3 glasses a day have been said to do the trick in terms of providing your body with health benefits. I hope I am not overdoing it with my 5 mugs a day.
Oh, just as a warning, if you make green tea your best friend, make sure you couple it with your bathroom, LOL.
Seriously.I just thought it was necessary to post this because green tea is clearly very important. It is also very very very affordable and easily accessible. I usually buy the 40 pack at Woolworths, Organic Green Tea. the last time I purchased it, it was R25. Seriously cheap… you cannot even get a decent plate of food in South Africa for R25… but you can get 40 Organic grade teabags of goodness.
TIPS:
If your green tea tastes too bitter, you are probably steeping it for too long. best steep it for no longer than 3 minutes.
If you are really struggling with the taste, add a spoon of raw honey to the tea to adjust the taste or a slice of lemon, yum!
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2855614/
http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/health-canada-approves-several-health-claims-for-tea-533800271.html
http://mutage.oxfordjournals.org/content/30/1/129.short
