The Beauty of Green Tea

With so many different types of tea, green tea has been touted as one of the most beneficial. One of the reasons that green tea may be superior to other types of tea is because it is the least processed type of tea. As a result of this, green tea retains most of its antioxidants and compounds, such as polyphenols, and one of these polyphenols in particular is called catechins. Catechins are amazing because they can help neutralize free radicals (unstable molecules that can damage cells), and have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties.

With all of these benefits, green tea also boasts the potential power of assisting with brain health, weight management, and heart health. Outlined below are a list of potential benefits:

Weight Management

According to a recent 2022 study, green tea intake appears to have a strong correlation with reduced risk of abdominal obesity (in this study in particular it was on women)*. Another study found that drinking Matcha green tea before exercise has an effect and may enhance exercise-induced fat oxidation**. In essence, drinking green tea seems to assist with fat and weight loss.

Brain Health & Mood

Another beautiful thing about green tea is that is appears to be able to help with brain health and memory! Certain green tea compounds, such as EGCG and L-theanine, may be able to assist with mood, psychopathological symptoms (e.g., helping to reduce symptoms of anxiety), cognition, and brain function***. Drinking green tea may be able to help with cognitive decline, safeguarding memory, and lowering dementia risk. As far as mood goes, there have been other studies suggesting that drinking green tea helps your stress levels and depression. This may be in part due to green tea potentially being able to boost serotonin and dopamine levels. Serotonin is is a key neurotransmitter, which plays a role in mood regulation and is often referred to as the "happy chemical"! Dopamine is another neurotransmitter and hormone which influences mood and emotions, and is involved with happiness, motivation, and overall wellness!

Heart Health

According to Harvard Health Publishing****, one study found that whose who drank green tea had a 28% lower risk of coronary artery disease. Combining this with other studies that have been done, it appears that green tea may help reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Green tea may help lower blood pressure, improve lipid profiles, and reduce inflammation, facilitating the lowered risk of heart disease. In conjunction with this, it may also have the ability to relax and dilate blood vessels, which influences blood pressure and blood flow, potentially preventing blood clots (endothelium/endothelial function).

Beauty & Anti-Aging

As if there aren't enough reasons to reach for a cuppa, green tea has beauty benefits! Skin hydration, skin elasticity, and improving the skin's texture are all correlated to green tea! As green tea has potent antioxidants, this can help protect the cells against damage from free radicals. Free radicals can damage your skin cells, and this leads to premature aging, wrinkles, dark spots, loss of elasticity, and sagging skin. By drinking green tea, it may help improve the appearance of your skin by promoting collagen production. The antioxidants may also help with irritated and red skin, as the antioxidants are anti-inflammatory, potentially helping to calm the skin and reduce redness.

There are so many herbs and plants that may help the body with overall wellness! To being able to provide nutrients and supporting various physiological functions, herbs, plants, and teas can help the body on so many levels. While there is no guarantee that drinking green tea will make you happier and stress-free, it may be worth a try! Always speak to your doctor before starting any new fitness or nutrition routine.

As always, wishing you great mental clarity and happiness!

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Sources & References

• *https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8910422/#sec5-ijerph-19-02735

• **https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29345213/

• ***https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28899506/

• ****https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/green-tea-may-lower-heart-disease-risk#:~:text=Lowering%20your%20risk%20of%20cardiovascular,from%20heart%20disease%20and%20stroke.