Green Tea: The Antioxidant Powerhouse
Green tea has been a popular drink for a long time now, originally coming from in China and now being available worldwide as a popular drink. Nowadays you can get many different flavorings and types of of green tea, ranging from matcha and sencha, to genmaicha and gyokuro.
You don't have to be an expert in knowing the different tea varieties to enjoy green tea, but even if green tea isn't your favorite cup of tea to enjoy, I thought it might be interesting to research about the myriad of compounds that are found inside of green tea and what made them make green tea such a popular tea in the first place.
Grab a cup of your favorite tea and I wish you happy reading.
BEST WAY TO PREPARE GREEN TEA
Preparation temperatures of green tea can vary quite a bit, although for most green teas, temperatures from 61 °C to 87 °C are best.
Green teas, especially higher quality ones turn out best at lower temperatures of water as otherwise they can become bitter and some of their beneficial compounds can be degraded from the heat.
It is recommended to steep your tea anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes, depending on the depth of flavor you prefer.
Also, if using loose leaf green tea, about 1 teaspoon of tea per 150 ml of water should be sufficient.
WHAT IS INSIDE OF GREEN TEA
Green tea, especially higher quality green teas are known to be antioxidant powerhouses, meaning that the leaves of the tea are full of phytochemicals (plant chemicals), such as flavanols, epicatechins, epicatechin gallate and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), all of which are recognized as beneficial antioxidants for our body.
Antioxidants are beneficial for us, as in our body, a process of oxidation constantly occurs, where molecules called free radials (molecules which lack electrons) are generated and want to gain electrons fro other nearby electron rich molecules.
This loss of electrons is known as oxidation and in large quantities, it is harmful to out body, as it can damage our cells. Antioxidants luckily have the special role of being able to neutralize this process of oxidative stress by donating electrons to those free radicals, so that our cells are not damaged by them anymore.
Green tea is mainly compromised on micronutrients such as various chemicals and antioxidants and therefore provides little caloric value, as it is a drink prepared with water, but nevertheless it is full of flavor.
This type fo tea is also known to contain caffeine which stimulates our body to wake up, which is why many people choose to drink green tea in the morning instead of coffee, as green tea is not known to bring about any jitteriness or such a high caffeine kick as coffee, making it a more safer choice for some.
BENEFITS OF DRINKING GREEN TEA
Reduce rates of cardiovascular disease
A meta analysis of several observational studies showed that drinking an additional cup of green tea per day, was correlated with a slight lower risk of dying from cardiovascular causes.
It was also shown that regular green tea consumption for 3-6 months consistently, may reduce the risk of stroke, while also reducing blood pressure.
Blood sugar regulation
Some studies have indicated that drinking green tea may help with regulating blood sugar levels, especially during periods of fasting, although not all studies were equally conclusive about these results.
Reduces LDL cholesterol in the blood
Drinking green tea decreases the blood concentration of total cholesterol (about 3–7 mg/dL of blood), LDL/ bad cholesterol (about 2 mg/dL), and does not affect the concentration of HDL cholesterol (known as the good cholesterol) or triglycerides.
A 2013 meta-analysis of longer-term randomized controlled trials (longer than 3 months in duration) concluded that green tea consumption lowers total and LDL cholesterol concentrations in the blood.
May improve brain function
The key active ingredient in green tea is caffeine, which is a known stimulant. It doesn’t contain as much as coffee, but enough to produce a response without causing the jittery effects associated with taking in too much caffeine as in that found in coffee.
Caffeine affects the brain by blocking an neurotransmitter called adenosine which makes us more tired. By caffeine blocking it, it makes us more alert and increases the firing of neurons and the concentration of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine in our body, which increases our focus and concentration at a task.
May reduce breast cancer rates
A comprehensive review of observational studies found that women who drank the most green tea had an approximately 20–30% lower risk of developing breast cancer during their lifetime, which is one of the most common cancers that women can develop
