You’ve probably heard about the numerous benefits of green tea, how it relaxes you, reduces stress and tension, keeps your mind sharp, and provides antioxidants for your body. No doubt you wondered what might happen to your body if you drank green tea every day. Are all the rave reviews and scientific findings worth believing? Here are five things that will happen to your body if you consume green tea each day.
You may lose weight
How does a cup or two of green tea help you lose weight? It is because the tea contains antioxidants called catechins that, according to Healthline, “boost your metabolism and increase fat burn.” Studies have shown that you can burn 75 to 100 calories a day if you drink green tea. That might not sound substantial, but if you were to drink green tea every day, you could burn up to 36,500 calories a year. Not only that, but green tea is very filling, and it will prevent you from reaching for snacks or overeating, helping you avoid unnecessary calories in your body.
Your immune system may get stronger
Green tea can help strengthen your immune system by targeting foreign, harmful cells instead of the body’s own cells. The beverage contains EGCG, which suppresses inflammation and aids in stronger autoimmune responses. Dr. Stephen Hsu, a researcher in the MCG School of Dentistry, led a study using green tea to help elderly patients with Sjogren’s syndrome—an autoimmune disease which attacks the salivary and lacrimal glands. According to Dr. Hsu, “Those treated with the green tea extract beginning at three weeks, showed significantly less damage to those glands over time.” This means that drinking green tea will make your immune system work much more efficiently without putting your body’s cells at risk.
Your cardiovascular health may improve
The CDC states that, “610,000 people die from heart disease in the United States every year.” This makes good cardiovascular health extremely imperative to maintain as you grow older. A good diet and exercise will improve your cardiovascular health, but did you know that green tea may also help reduce your risk for heart disease? According to Harvard Health, “A study of 40,530 Japanese adults found that participants who drank more than five cups of green tea a day had a 26 percent lower risk of death from heart attack or stroke and a 16 percent lower risk of death from all causes than people who drank less than one cup of green tea a day.” With this in mind, your heart will thank you for every cup that you drink.
You may reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s is a disease that causes degeneration in brain cells associated with memory, thought processes and behavior. A study was conducted that used MRI technology to view the effects of green tea on participants. According to Alzheimers.net, “Those who received the green tea drink had a notable increase in brain activity, and researchers also found a ‘dose-response’ in the participants, meaning brain activity increased as more green tea was consumed.” This is groundbreaking, and it could change the way doctors treat Alzheimer’s disease before its symptoms worsen. Start reducing your risk for Alzheimer’s today and every day with some green tea, and preserve your brain’s health and growth.
You may appear younger
People are scrambling to find ways to slow down aging–whether by reducing wrinkles with creams, eating healthier, or undergoing plastic surgery or botox injections. However, there’s another way to look younger and age slower that is much cheaper: drinking green tea. According to Stylecraze, “Green tea contains high levels of oligomeric proanthocyanidins – OPCs – some of the most potent antioxidants, and hence it has been proven to slow down premature aging if consumed internally.” If you were to drink a few cups of green tea every day, you could be helping your body retain youth and vitality with beneficial antioxidants. Not only that, you can save money and look good doing so. Win-win.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-green-tea-per-day#section1
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070419140910.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/green-tea-may-lower-heart-disease-risk
https://www.alzheimers.net/benefits-of-drinking-green-tea/
https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/anti-aging-benefits-of-green-tea/#gref
