Advantages of Green Tea

Green tea is so good for health that it has even got some researchers irrationally. “It’s the healthiest thing to think of drinking,” says Christopher Ochner, Ph.D. He’s a research scientist in nutrition at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Of course, no one food will protect from disease. Health is wrapped up in the lifestyle and in the genes, so even if you drink green tea all day long, you also need to take care of yourself in other ways, like not smoking, being active, and eating a healthy diet.

Green tea’s biggest benefit? “It’s all about the catechin content,” says Beth Reardon, RD, a Boston nutritionist. Catechins are antioxidants that fight and may even prevent cell damage. Green tea is not processed much before it’s poured in your cup, so it’s rich in catechins.

“If you sub 1-2 cups of green tea for one soda, [in a] year you’d save over 50,000 calories.” — Christopher Ochner, PhD

Green tea has been shown to improve blood flow and lower cholesterol. A 2013 review of many studies found green tea helped prevent a range of heart-related issues, from high blood pressure to congestive heart failure.

What’s good for the heart is usually good for the brain; your brain needs healthy blood vessels, too. In one Swiss study, MRIs revealed that people who drank green tea had greater activity in the working memory area of their brains. Green tea has also been shown to help block the formation of plaques that are linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

Green tea seems to help keep blood sugar stable in people with diabetes. Because catechins lower cholesterol and blood pressure, they can help protect against the damage a high-fat diet can cause, Ochner says.

 No drink or food melts the pounds off. While some evidence suggests that the active ingredient in green tea, EGCG, may help you drop a few pounds, other studies show no effect.

But green tea is a smart swap for sugary drinks.

“All things being equal, if you sub 1-2 cups of green tea for one can of soda, over the next year, you’d save over 50,000 calories,” Ochner says. That’s more than 15 pounds. Just don’t swamp it with honey or sugar!

1. Contains healthy bioactive compounds

Green tea is more than just a hydrating beverage.

The green tea plant contains a range of healthy compounds that make it into the final drink.

Tea is rich in polyphenols, which are natural compounds that have health benefits, such as reducing inflammation and helping to fight cancer.

Green tea contains a catechin called epigallocatechin 3-gallate (ECGC). Catechins are natural antioxidants that help prevent cell damage and provide other benefits.

EGCG is one of the most powerful compounds in green tea. Research has tested its ability to help treat various diseases. It appears to be one of the main compounds that gives green tea its medicinal properties.

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

Try to choose a higher quality brand of green tea because some of the lower quality brands can contain excessive amounts of fluoride.

That being said, even if you choose a lower-quality brand, the benefits still outweigh any risk.

2. May help prevent cardiovascular disease

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

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

Green tea also increases the antioxidant capacity of the blood, which protects the LDL particles from oxidation, which is one part of the pathway toward heart disease.

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.

3.  May protect the brain from aging

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

Alzheimer’s disease is a common neurodegenerative disease and the most common cause of dementia in older adults.

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 lowering the risk of dementia.

4. May reduce bad breath

The catechins in green tea also have benefits for oral health.

Test-tube studies suggest that catechins can suppress the growth of bacteria, potentially lowering the risk of infections.

Streptococcus mutans is a common bacterium in the mouth. It causes plaque formation and is a leading contributor to cavities and tooth decay.

Studies indicate that the catechins in green tea can inhibit the growth of oral bacteria in the lab, but no evidence shows that drinking green tea has similar effects.

5. May help prevent type 2 diabetes

The rates of type 2 diabetes have been increasing in recent decades. The condition now affects about 1 in 10 Americans.

Type 2 diabetes involves having elevated blood sugar levels, which may be caused by insulin resistance or an inability to produce insulin.

Studies show that green tea may improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels.

One study of Japanese individuals found that those who drank the most green tea had an approximately 42% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

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

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