I’m sure we’ve all had green tea forced into us by our mothers when we were sick. Since that traumatic experience, you may have been completely turned off by it, but it turns out your mom was right (as always). Green tea is a superfood with incredible benefits beyond a quick way to heal a cold.
Not only can it taste amazing with some honey and almond milk if you drink it regularly, but it can also have some lasting, beneficial effects on your body.
Put down that coffee
It seems like science constantly decides that coffee is bad for you only to turn around and say its good for you again. One thing that never changes is that green tea is great for the human body. At 35 milligrams of caffeine per eight ounces, green tea is the perfect morning beverage to make you awake and ready for your 8:30 a.m. lab. Coffee has about 95 mg in the same amount, so if you’re sensitive to caffeine or are trying to decrease your intake, green tea would be a great replacement. If you were really lacking in energy, though, sipping about 16 ounces of green tea would have you as good to go as a coffee would.
For several years now, I drink green tea nearly every day, and it’s become a borderline obsession. When I fall out of my routine, I am in for a rude awakening. My friends and family can tell you how much more awake and how much of a better mood it puts me in, even compared to the days when I drink coffee.
Cancer, heart disease and diabetes, oh my!
One reason to drink green tea is that it covers three important bases. A little thing in the tea, called polyphenols, is believed to have “anti-cancer” agents. My family history puts me at high risk for cancer, so you can guess that I have been drinking it religiously for the past seven years.
As for heart disease, green tea aids in lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, which is a great relief for your heart. Blood flow and blood vessel function are important factors in preventing heart diseases. Drinking a cup here and there can help regulate it – a side benefit of increased blood flow is improved working-memory to help you on your next exam. Green tea does wonder for the metabolism, so that’s a plus for preventing diabetes.
Who needs to work out when there’s green tea?
Don’t expect to lose five pounds overnight. Although it won’t make monumental changes in weight, having a cup or two of green tea every day boosts metabolism and burns fat. Pair green tea with a balanced diet and exercise. It may help you see results faster than without tea, as long as you keep all the sugars out.
My personal preference is to have a cup of tea in the morning right when I wake up, then I can scroll through Instagram and sip my tea while letting it do its thing. Also, while you’re drinking so much green tea, you won’t be able to drink as many sugary drinks, further helping you reach your weight goal.
Chill with a spill
Tea of any kind, in essence, is calming. However, green tea, specifically, has an amino acid called L-theanine that helps reduce stress and relaxes your mind and body. I feel a physical difference in my stress levels on days when I don’t drink green tea, and it feels like the smallest thing could set me off. When I know I’m going to have a hectic week, I make sure I have my pot of water ready to boil.
So, is green tea the next super-drink? A cup a day really might keep the doctor away.