There are scores of products containing green tea or green tea extract. Ever since this botanical was touted for its healing properties it has been thrown into anything the public will buy. The potential benefits of green tea can affect the body when taken in high enough doses on a daily basis.
Inside the Green Tea Ride
Green tea is at the top of the list as one of the most powerful botanicals able to work as a potent antioxidant Antioxidants are nutrients or enzymes able to counteract the deteriorative cellular effects of oxidation on animal tissue. This dangerous process creates free radicals which float around your system looking for trouble. Green tea components such as the polyphenols (plant compounds) catechins and flavonoids scour your system to eliminate these free radicals. So much so that a study by The Cancer Center, University of Minnesota concluded that, “The results of this meta-analysis indicate a lower risk for breast cancer with green tea consumption.” Antioxidant intake is one of the most studied preventable protocols for combating cancer development.
Don’t Cheap Out
Everyone loves a bargain but when it comes to low quality green tea you could not only be wasting your money but possibly doing yourself harm. Research some green tea choices in store and online. Look for the ingredient source, milligrams if possible and how it may have been processed. Low quality green teas have been liked to excessive levels of fluoride.
Just Enough Kick to Make You Smarter
Green tea contains botanical caffeine (not as much as the legume coffee bean) which has been shown to block adenosine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter. This allows the brain to fire neurons that release more norepinephrine (attention and response chemical) and dopamine (pleasure center emotion hormone). Green tea also contains L-theanine, an amino acid which increases GABA (gamma-Aminobutyric acid), the neurotransmitter that acts as an anti-anxiety. Mash all these attributes together and you get improved mood as well as quicker reaction and memory. In essence, you become smarter. Bam!
A Fat Burner Too?
The School of Sports and Exercise Sciences, University of Birmingham, U.K. studied the potential of the fat burning effects of green tea extract (GTE) and concluded that, “Acute GTE ingestion can increase fat oxidation during moderate-intensity exercise and can improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in healthy young men.”
Bad Breath Bacteria Killer
That’s right, drink green tea and let it swoosh around your mouth before swallowing and you may be preventing some off-putting bacteria. The Department of Oral Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada conducted a study titled, ‘Effect of green tea on volatile sulfur compounds in mouth air.’ and concluded, “We concluded that green tea was very effective in reducing oral malodor temporarily because of its disinfectant and deodorant activities, whereas other foods were not effective.”
These are some of the multitude of benefits of green tea consumption. Drink it hot, cold or take a tincture under your tongue or in water (highly potent) daily. Always check with your doctor before taking any alternative supplement.
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