7 scientifically proven benefits of green tea for health and weight loss

Health

Green tea is full of antioxidants and bioactive compounds that are extremely healthy for the body and mind. Among its benefits are supporting brain function and fat loss, helping to reduce the chance of developing heart disease and offering some protection against cancer. Check it out!

Green tea is considered one of the healthiest drinks in the world, as it has many potential health benefits.

More than just a hydrating drink, green tea has health benefits such as:

1. Contains antioxidants and catechins

Green tea contains a variety of healthy compounds such as polyphenol antioxidants, including a catechin called EGCG that make it into the final drink.(1) These antioxidants can have various beneficial effects on health.

These polyphenols are natural compounds that are beneficial to health, such as reducing inflammation and helping to fight cancer.

Green tea contains a catechin called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Catechins are natural antioxidants that help prevent cell damage. EGCG is one of the most powerful compounds in green tea. Research has tested its ability to help treat various diseases (2).

These substances can reduce the formation of free radicals in the body, protecting cells and molecules from damage. These free radicals play a role in aging and many types of disease.

Green tea also has small amounts of minerals that can benefit your health.

Try to choose a brand of green tea that is of good quality and safe origin, as some of the lower quality brands may contain excessive amounts of fluoride (3).

2. It can improve brain function

Green tea does more than just keep you alert, it can also help boost brain function. The main active ingredient is caffeine, which is a well-known stimulant.

Green tea contains less caffeine than coffee, but enough to produce some effect. It also contains the amino acid L-theanine, which can work synergistically with caffeine to improve brain function.

The caffeine in green tea is enough to produce a response without causing the nervous effects associated with excessive caffeine consumption.

Understand how it works: caffeine affects the brain by blocking an inhibitory neurotransmitter called adenosine. In this way, it increases the firing of neurons and the concentration of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine (4 , 5).

It has been shown that caffeine can improve various aspects of brain function, including mood, alertness, reaction time and memory (6 ).

Not only that, caffeine isn't the only compound in green tea that stimulates the brain. It also contains the amino acid L-theanine, which can cross the blood-brain barrier (7).

L-theanine increases the activity of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, which has antianxiety effects. It also increases dopamine and the production of alpha waves in the brain ((7, 8 , 9 ).

Studies show that caffeine and L-theanine can have synergistic effects. This means that the combination of the two can have particularly powerful effects on improving brain function ((10 , 11 )

Because of the L-theanine and the small dose of caffeine, green tea can give you a much milder and different effect than coffee.

Many people report having more energy and being much more productive when they drink green tea, compared to coffee.

3. Increases fat burning

This is interesting if you look at the list of ingredients for any fat burning supplement, green tea is likely to be there. Green tea can increase the metabolic rate (12).

and increase fat burning in the short term, although not all studies agree.

In one study involving 10 healthy men, taking green tea extract was observed to increase the number of calories burned by 4%. In another involving 12 healthy men, green tea extract increased fat oxidation by 17%, compared to those who took a placebo (13 , 14 ).

There are some studies on green tea that show no increase in metabolism; therefore, the effects may depend on the individual and how the study was set up (15 ).

Caffeine can also improve physical performance by mobilizing fatty acids from adipose tissue and making them available for use as energy ((16 , 17 ). In another two studies, caffeine was reported to increase physical performance by approximately 11 to 12% (18 , 19 ).

4. Antioxidants can reduce the risk of some types of cancer

Cancer is caused by the uncontrolled growth of cells. It is one of the leading causes of death in the world.

Research shows that oxidative damage can lead to chronic inflammation, which can lead to chronic diseases, including cancers. Antioxidants can help protect against oxidative damage (20) and green tea is an excellent source of powerful antioxidants.

Research has linked green tea compounds with a reduced risk of cancer, including the following studies: (21). (22).(23).(24, 25).

This research observed lower risks of breast cancer, prostate cancer and colorectal cancer

For maximum health benefits, avoid adding milk to tea. Some studies suggest that it may reduce the antioxidant value in some teas (26 ).

5. It can protect the brain from aging

Not only can green tea improve brain function in the short term, it can also protect your brain as you get older.

Alzheimer's disease is a common neurodegenerative disease and the most common cause of dementia in older adults (27).

Parkinson's disease is another common neurodegenerative disease and involves the death of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain.

Several studies show that the catechin compounds in green tea can have various protective effects on neurons in test tubes and animal models, possibly decreasing the risk of dementia (28 , 29 , 30 )

6. It can help prevent type 2 diabetes

We've seen rates of type 2 diabetes increasing over the last few decades.

You know, type 2 diabetes means high blood sugar levels, which can be caused by insulin resistance or an inability to produce insulin.

Studies show that green tea can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels (31).

A study of Japanese people found that those who drank more green tea had an approximately 42% lower risk of type 2 diabetes (32).

According to a review of 7 studies with a total of 286,701 individuals, tea drinkers had an 18% lower risk of diabetes (33).

7. Can help prevent cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and strokes, are the leading causes of death worldwide

Studies show that green tea can improve some of the main risk factors for these diseases, which includes improving levels of total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol (34)..

Green tea also increases the antioxidant capacity of the blood, which protects LDL particles from oxidation, which is part of the pathway to heart disease (35, 36).

Given the beneficial effects on risk factors, it may not be surprising that people who drink green tea have up to a 31% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease (37, 38, 39)

How to consume green tea

Green tea can also be found in extract concentrations and is available in liquid, powder and capsule form.

The liquid extract can be diluted in water, while the powder can be mixed into smoothies. However, it has a strong taste.

The recommended dosage of green tea extract is between 250-500 mg per day. This amount can be obtained from 3 to 5 cups of green tea, or about 1.2 liters.

But it's important to know that not all green tea extract supplements are created equal. Some supplements contain only dried green tea leaves, while others contain isolated forms of one or more catechins.

You should only buy supplements that have been analyzed by an independent laboratory to verify purity and content.

The catechin most closely linked to the health benefits of green tea extract is EGCG, so you should make sure that the supplement you are consuming contains it.

And beware: it's best to take green tea extract with food. Exceeding the recommended dose and taking it on an empty stomach can cause serious liver damage (40, 41).