Why You Should or Shouldn’t Drink Green Tea Regularly
You’ve probably heard the buzz around green tea. It apparently relaxes you, wipes out stress and anxiety, sharpens your mind, and guards your body with antioxidants. No doubt you’re curious about what happens if you drink green tea daily. Are all those scientific claims spot-on? Brace yourself, because here are five things that can happen if you gulp down green tea every day.
1. You Might Lose Weight
The caffeine and catechins in green tea could give your metabolism that much-needed nudge and help you torch fat (9, 10Trusted Source). Studies indicate that sipping on this magic potion can help you burn an extra 75–100 calories per day (11Trusted Source). Sure, it doesn’t sound like much, but over time, those calories add up and could lead to impressive weight reduction.
2. Your Immune System Could Get Buff
Green tea targets those pesky foreign cells and keeps your body’s own cells safe, strengthening your immune system in the process. EGCG, a compound in green tea, suppresses inflammation and boosts your immune responses. Remember Dr. Stephen Hsu from the MCG School of Dentistry? He conducted a study using green tea to help elderly patients with Sjogren’s syndrome—an autoimmune disease that attacks salivary and lacrimal glands. The findings revealed that patients treated with green tea extract exhibited significantly less gland damage over time. So, green tea might turn your immune system into an efficient, well-oiled machine.
3. You Might Shield Your Brain from Alzheimer’s
A 2014 study published in Psychopharmacology revealed that green tea might jazz up cognitive function and could be handy in treating Alzheimer’s or dementia patients. The study split participants into two groups—one drank a green tea extract-infused beverage while the other didn’t. Using MRI technology, the researchers observed that those sipping on the green tea concoction showed increased brain activity in areas responsible for memory function. With such promising results, researchers are eager to explore green tea’s potential in battling cognitive impairments like dementia and Alzheimer’s.
4. You Might Look Younger
In the never-ending quest to age gracefully, many turn to magical anti-wrinkle creams, healthier diets, or even go under the knife. But what if I said there’s a cheaper option? Enter green tea. Stylecraze highlights that green tea is loaded with oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs)—some of the most powerful antioxidants. It’s proven that if consumed regularly, green tea can slow down premature aging. Imagine sipping a few cups daily and watching your youth and vitality rejuvenate, all while keeping your wallet happy. Say hello to a win-win situation!
The Bottom Line
Green tea bursts with health-boosting compounds. Regularly drinking this elixir can help you shed pounds and cut down your risk of several conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. The magic number is three to five cups of green tea per day to soak up the most benefits. While very high doses might pose issues for some, the perks generally far outweigh the risks. So, why not sip more and let green tea revamp your health?
Source: healthline.com, sciencedaily.com, cdc.gov, health.harvard.edu, womenworking.com
