Are you a green tea drinker? If not, you just might ditch your morning coffee in favor of a green tea after reading this!
What’s so great about green tea, you ask? Well, this one drink can provide many benefits for your body, your brain, and even your skin. It’s packed with the antioxidants and nutrients your body craves. Plus, studies have proven the amazing advantages it can have. If you need a little convincing, check out some of the benefits green tea provides:
1. It can improve overall health.
Green tea contains bioactive compounds, which are rich in nutrients and antioxidants. What does that mean for you? These powerful actives can fight free radicals in the body, protecting & maintaining cellular health and integrity, all the while actively combating signs of aging internally and externally.
2. It can aid in weight loss.
Are you looking to shed a few extra pounds? You just might want to become a regular green tea drinker! Studies have shown the polyphenol found in green tea can help boost your metabolism and increase fat burning. In fact, fat oxidation was shown to have increased by 17%. Sounds pretty good, right?
3. It may decrease your risk of cancer.
As one of the leading causes of death, it’s no surprise that we’re often looking for ways to decrease our risk of getting cancer. Because oxidative damage can contribute to the development of cancer, the antioxidants in green tea can have a protective effect for your body. Studies have shown that green tea can help reduce your risk of breast cancer, prostate cancer, and even colorectal cancer.
4. It can protect your brain as you age.
Green tea has also been shown to protect your brain as you age. Alzheimer’s is the most common neurodegenerative disease and is a leading cause of dementia. Parkinson’s disease is the second most common. Studies performed have shown that green tea helped to protect brain cells from dying and actually aided in restoring damaged brain cells. This is all due to the catechin compound within green tea and its ability to protect neurons.
5. It can improve brain function.
Although green tea does contain caffeine, it doesn’t have as much as a cup of coffee. The combination of this smaller dose of caffeine with the amino acid, L-theanine, can actually help to improve brain function. These two ingredients work together to give you a more stable energy boost. People have even reported being more productive after drinking green tea as opposed to coffee.
6. It supports healthy skin.
If you start drinking green tea regularly, you’re likely to notice the positive effects it has on your skin as well. Green tea has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. As a result, it can help minimize signs of aging. Green tea even has skin benefits when applied topically (as it can help reduce the inflammatory effects of sun damage). Although, that’s no excuse to skip SPF!