The antioxidants in green tea may have advantages, including safeguarding your heart, brain, and bone health. Green tea, which contains caffeine and antioxidants, may have a number of advantages. According to research, drinking green tea may improve cognition, lower blood pressure, and lower cholesterol in addition to reducing anxiety and stress. Green tea comes in a variety of forms, including drinks, dietary supplements, and even topical ointments. Learn more about the potential advantages, hazards, and advice for consuming green tea in your diet by reading on.
Green Tea Nutrition
- Calories: 2.37
- Fat: 0g
- Sodium: 2.37mg
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Fiber: 0g
- Added sugars: 0g
- Protein: 0.52g
Per cup, green tea does not provide many calories or nutrients. Nevertheless, green tea has trace levels of 27 minerals as well as a number of antioxidants. The following minerals can be found in green tea in trace amounts:
Magnesium: Aids in blood sugar regulation
Potassium: Maintains your hydration
Supports your immune system: Selenium
Depending on how much green tea you drink each day, even tiny amounts of those minerals can build up.
1 Reduces Stress and Anxiety
L-theanine, an amino acid found in tea, helps you relax by reducing stress and anxiety.5 Comparing black, oolong, and white tea to green tea, L-theanine contents are among the highest. According to research, taking 200–400 mg of L-theanine daily as a supplement helps people feel less anxious and stressed.6 A 2019 study indicated that taking 200 mg of L-theanine daily for four weeks resulted in higher benefits in anxiety, sadness, and sleep than taking a placebo. It’s important to note that the L-theanine utilized in the study was far higher than the eight to thirty milligrams found in a cup of green tea. Before beginning supplements containing this dosage, see a healthcare professional or pharmacist.
2 Aids in Defending Against Cognitive Decline
Green tea use may offer some protection against certain neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, according to some research. Antioxidants, which are abundant in green tea, may guard against cell damage that increases the risk of chronic disorders. One of the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias that are related to it is cognitive impairment. Memory loss and confusion are frequent symptoms of cognitive decline that get worse with time
3. Helps Support Bone Health
Osteoporosis is a bone disease that raises the chance of hip, spine, and wrist fractures. Green tea may reduce your risk of developing this condition. The risk of osteoporosis is higher in postmenopausal women. According to some research, green tea’s strong antioxidant content may promote bone growth and offer protection from the loss of bone mass.
4. Improves Longevity
A healthy, long life may be supported by drinking green tea. Polyphenols, or plant components that function as antioxidants, are found in green tea.According to research, polyphenols provide a number of anti-aging benefits, including:
- inflammation reduction
- reducing oxidative stress, or damage to cells brought on by toxic substances that could lead to disease
- lowering aging symptoms
5. Lowers Cholesterol
Consuming green tea can help lower LDL (“bad”) and total cholesterol, according to an analysis from 2020. In the United States, over two out of every five persons have excessive cholesterol levels, which increases their risk of heart attack and stroke.
6. May Enhance Memory
According to studies, green tea’s L-theanine content may enhance memory. A 2014 study demonstrated that green tea extract helped 12 healthy participants’ working memory.
- Short-term memory called working memory is required for mental processes like:
- Understanding Organizing
- Problem-solving
- Reasoning
In the 2014 experiment, participants were given a milk-based beverage that either included 27.5 mg of green tea extract or a placebo. After that, the volunteers carried out certain tasks while an MRI monitored their brain activity. Working memory, brain connectivity—the degree to which various brain regions communicate with one another—and task performance were all enhanced in those who took the green tea extract. The results are not conclusive because the study only included a limited sample of patients.
7. May Manage and Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes may be controlled and prevented with green tea. According to some research, green tea’s antioxidants may lessen insulin resistance.
Your cells become less responsive to insulin than normal when you have insulin resistance. The hormone insulin aids in the process through which your cells turn sugar into energy. A significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance.
8. Might Lower Stroke Risk
In the US, stroke is one of the main causes of mortality and disability among adults.
Department of Health and Human Services. a heart attack and a stroke.
According to research, drinking green tea may reduce your risk of having a stroke.
According to a study from 2023, drinking 17 to 34 ounces of green tea on a daily basis may lower your risk of stroke by at least 21%. Why green tea reduces the risk of stroke is unknown. A balanced diet and other lifestyle choices, such as drinking green tea, may reduce the risk of stroke, according to some experts.
9. Might Support Weight Loss
There is some evidence that green tea may aid with weight loss. Catechins, an antioxidant that aids in the breakdown of fat, are present in green tea. Your metabolic rate can be boosted by catechins, which enable you to burn more calories, such as when you exercise.
The majority of the studies that are currently accessible only examined green tea extract, not steeped tea. However, there may not be much of an impact on weight loss from green tea extract. To help you lose weight, experts advise eating a balanced diet and working out frequently. Your chance of developing chronic conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes may increase if you are overweight.
10. Reduces Blood Pressure
By reducing blood pressure, green tea may benefit heart health. According to research, drinking green tea considerably lowers blood pressure, especially in those with a high risk of heart disease.
Because it harms the lining of the arteries and raises the chance of plaque development, high blood pressure is one of the main causes of heart disease and stroke. As a result, the arteries narrow and the flow of blood to the heart and brain is constrained.
Green tea’s strong antioxidant content has been linked to studies that suggest it may decrease blood pressure. These antioxidants enhance healthy blood flow by reducing inflammation and widening your blood vessels.