Is Green Tea a Superbeverage
Chinese medical practitioners have used green tea to treat a wide range of diseases- from depression to headaches. The leaves are supposed to contain more antioxidants compared to other kinds of tea due to their processing method.
Green tea has vitamin B, manganese, caffeine, folate, potassium and a number of other antioxidants, including catechins. Green tea allegedly helps in losing weight, the reduction of cholesterol and combating cardiovascular disease. It prevents Alzheimer's disease and cancer as well.
Cancer and green tea
Latest research has suggested that green tea contains a compound which when combined with Herceptin, a drug, is effective in the treatment of breast and stomach cancer.
Improvement of health
Green tea is more than a green colored liquid. The concoction is full of polyphenols like catechins and flavonoids, that act like powerful antioxidants. Such substances reduce free radical formation in the body, and protects the cells from damage. The free radicals are acknowledged to play an important role in aging along with many other diseases. The antioxidant Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) have been observed to treat a number of diseases and could be one of the primary reasons green tea contains effective medicinal properties. It also has minute quantities of minerals which are extremely important for health.
Improvement of brain function and being smart
Green tea, in addition to keeping you awake, also makes you a smarter individual. Caffeine, a known stimulant, is a key ingredient. It contains less caffeine compared to coffee, but sufficient to generate a response without causing any kind of “jittery” effects linked with excess consumption of the naturally occurring compound.
Caffeine functions by blocking Adenosine- an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. In this manner, it actually increases the activity of neurons and concentrates neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine. The compound thus leads to improvement of the number of brain functions, including reaction time, mood, memory, and vigilance.
Do note that green tea contains not just caffeine, it also has L-theanine, an amino acid. This compound has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. L-theanine picks up the inhibitory neurotransmitter activity and also increases the dopamine and generation of alpha waves located in brain. A number of studies have shown that L-theanine and caffeine may have synergistic effects. The mix of two is specifically potent at improving the brain functions. It is no wonder that green tea drinkers are more productive compared to coffee drinkers.
Improvement of physical performance and increase burning of fat
Green tea is confirmed to increase metabolic rate and thus increase the burn of fats in the human body. In a study, it is found that consumption of green tea led to a four percent rise in the energy expenditure. Yet another study revealed that there was a 17 percent increase in the oxidation of fat. It is to be noted that such results may vary between individuals. Caffeine improves physical performance by mobilizing the fatty acids from fat tissues- which can then be used for energy.