Health Benefits of Green Tea, 10 Green Tea Benefits

10. Green Tea Benefits The antioxidants in green tea may offer benefits, such as protecting your bone, brain, and heart health. Green tea, a source of antioxidants and caffeine, has several possible benefits. Research has found that the health benefits of green tea may include alleviating anxiety and stress, enhancing memory, and reducing high blood pressure and cholesterol. There are several types of green tea, including beverages, dietary supplements, and even topical ointments. Keep reading to learn about green tea's possible benefits, risks, and tips for incorporating it into your diet. 01. Alleviates Anxiety and Stress Tea contains an amino acid called L-theanine, which alleviates anxiety and stress, helping you relax. Un-okay, Nakamura Y. Green tea suppresses brain aging. Green tea has one of the highest concentrations of L-theanine compared to black, oolong, and white tea. Research has found that supplementing 200-400 mg of L-theanine daily helps reduce anxiety and stress. A study published in 2019 found that people who took 200 mg a day of L-theanine for four weeks had greater improvements in anxiety, depression, and sleep than those who took a placebo. 02. Helps Protect Against Cognitive Decline Some evidence suggests that drinking green tea helps protect against certain neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Green tea has a high concentration of antioxidants, which may protect against cell damage that raises the risk of chronic illnesses. Cognitive decline is one of the first noticeable symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and related forms of dementia. Cognitive decline involves frequent, worsening instances of confusion and memory loss. 03. Helps Support Bone Health Green tea may lower your risk of osteoporosis, a bone disease that increases the risk of hip, spine, and wrist fractures. Postmenopausal people have the highest risk of osteoporosis. Some evidence suggests that the high concentration of antioxidants in green tea may enhance bone formation and protection against bone mass loss. 04. Improves Longevity Drinking green tea may help support living a healthy, long life. Green tea is a source of polyphenols, or plant compounds that act as antioxidants. Research has found that polyphenols have anti-aging effects, such as decreasing inflammation, minimizing oxidative stress or cell damage caused by harmful substances that may increase the risk of disease. Reducing signs of aging. 05. Lowers Cholesterol A review published in 2020 found that consuming green tea helps lower LDL, BAD, and total cholesterol. 03. Nearly 2 in 5 adults in the United States have high cholesterol levels, which raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. 06. May Enhance Memory Research has found that the L-theanine content in green tea may improve memory. A study published in 2014 found that green tea extract improved working memory among 12 healthy volunteers. Working memory is a type of short-term memory necessary for cognitive functions like comprehension, planning, problem-solving, reasoning. In the 2014 study, researchers gave the volunteers a milk-based drink that contained either 27.5 mg of green tea extract or a placebo. The volunteers then completed certain tasks while an MRI tracked their brain activity. Those who consumed the green tea extract had improved working memory, brain connectivity, how well different areas of the brain work together, and task performance. The study used a small sample of patients, so the results are not definitive. More research is needed to understand how green tea impacts memory. 07. May Manage and Prevent Type 2 Diabetes Green tea may manage and prevent type 2 diabetes. Some evidence suggests that the antioxidants in green tea may reduce insulin resistance. Insulin resistance causes your cells to be less receptive to insulin than usual. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells convert sugar into energy. Insulin resistance is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes. 08. Might Lower Stroke Risk Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability among adults in the United States. Research has found that drinking green tea may be one way to help prevent your risk of stroke. A study published in 2023 found that consuming moderate amounts of green tea, or about 1734 ounces, daily, may reduce your stroke risk by at least 21%. 20. It's Unclear Why Green Tea Lowers Stroke Risk Some experts suspect that the lifestyle habits of green tea drinkers, such as eating a balanced diet, may influence stroke risk. 10. Reduces Blood Pressure Green tea may protect heart health by lowering blood pressure. Research has found that drinking green tea reduces blood pressure significantly, particularly in people with a high risk of heart disease. High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of heart disease and stroke because it damages the lining of the arteries, which increases the risk of plaque buildup. As a result, the arteries narrow, restricting blood flow to the heart and brain. Research has found that green tea may lower blood pressure due to its high antioxidant content. Those antioxidants help decrease inflammation and dilate your blood vessels, which supports healthy blood flow. Nutrition of Green Tea Eight brewed ounces of green tea contains the following nutrients. Calories 2.37 Fat 0 g Sodium 2.37 mg Carbohydrates 0 g Fiber 0 g Added sugars 0 g Protein 0.52 g Green tea is not a significant source of calories or nutrients per cup. Still, green tea contains various antioxidants and small amounts of Some of the trace amounts of minerals in green tea include Magnesium. Helps control blood sugar. Potassium. Helps keep you hydrated. Selenium. Supports your immune system. Small amounts of those minerals can add up depending on your daily green tea intake. Risks of Green Tea Consuming up to 8 cups of green tea daily is safe. One 8-ounce cup of green tea contains 30-50 mg of caffeine. The Food and Drug Administration warns against consuming over 400 mg of caffeine daily. Some people may be more sensitive to caffeine than others. Consuming too much caffeine may cause side effects like Anxiety Feeling jittery Feeling unhappy Headache Insomnia or trouble falling and staying asleep Nausea Rapid heart rate Upset stomach Talk to a health care provider if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. They may advise drinking less than 300 mg of caffeine. Too much green tea may raise the risk of birth defects and caffeine may pass through breast milk. High doses of green tea may interact with certain medications, including those that treat heart problems and high blood pressure. Although rare, research has linked liver problems to tea products, especially green tea extract. Tips for Consuming Green Tea Whether you sip your green tea iced or hot, here are a few tips to keep in mind. Be mindful of your sweetener. The American Heart Association, AHA, advises that females consume no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugars per day, while males consume no more than 9 teaspoons. Consuming too many added sugars may cause heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and weight gain. Consider buying naturally decaffeinated green tea. The caffeine in green tea may cause anxiety and quicken your heart rate. 29. Note that removing the caffeine from green tea may lower its antioxidant content. Get creative. You can enjoy green tea on its own or use it in oatmeal and smoothies, or for boiling rice and steaming vegetables. When is the best time to drink green tea? The caffeine in green tea is a stimulant, increasing alertness and keeping you awake. You may drink a cup of green tea in the morning as a substitute for coffee for an energy boost. In contrast, caffeine generally stays in your body for up to 6 hours, so avoid green tea too close to bedtime. Consider pairing a cup of green tea with food. Caffeine increases the amount of acid in your stomach, which may cause an upset stomach and heartburn. Medline Plus. Caffeine. Types. There are several types of green tea, including beverages, for example, bottled drinks, decaf options, and tea powders, dietary supplements, that is, green tea extract, topical ointments such as verigrin, senecatechins, which treats genital warts. One of the most common types of green tea is sencha, typically made in Japan. Sencha includes bancha and matcha. Bencha has less caffeine and L-theanine while matcha has the highest amounts. Blue matcha, what it is and whether you should drink it. A quick review. Green tea is a staple in many cultures and may offer essential benefits like protecting your bone, brain, and heart health. Even so, green tea may be risky for people with caffeine sensitivity or who take certain medications. Ask a health care provider or dietician for guidance about how green tea may impact your health goals if you do not currently drink it and are unsure if it's right for you.