10 Reasons Green Tea Is The Healthiest Drink In The World

Business Insider ^ | 11/28/2013 | KRIS GUNNARS, AUTHORITY NUTRITION

[SeekAndFind]

Green tea is the healthiest beverage on the planet.

It is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that have powerful effects on the body. This includes improved brain function, fat loss, a lower risk of cancer and many other incredible benefits.

Here are 10 health benefits of green tea that have been confirmed in human research studies.

1. Green Tea Contains Various Bioactive Compounds That Can Improve Health

Green tea is more than just green liquid.

Many of the bioactive compounds in the tea leaves do make it into the final drink, which contains large amounts of important nutrients. It is loaded with polyphenols like flavonoids and catechins, which function as powerful antioxidants (1).

These substances can reduce the formation of free radicals in the body, protecting cells and molecules from damage. These free radicals are known to play a role in aging and all sorts of diseases.

One of the more powerful compounds in green tea is the antioxidant Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), which has been studied to treat various diseases and may be one of the main reasons green tea has such powerful medicinal properties.

Green tea also has small amounts of minerals that are important for health.

Try to choose a higher quality brand of green tea, because some of the lower quality brands can contain excessive levels of fluoride (2). That being said, even if you choose a lower quality brand, the benefits still far outweigh any risk.

Bottom Line: Green tea is loaded with bioactive compounds that can have various beneficial effects on health.

2. Compounds in Green Tea Can Improve Brain Function and Make You Smarter

Green tea does more than just keep you awake, it can also make you smarter. The key active ingredient is caffeine, which is a known stimulant.

[BeadCounter]

Oh and lastly, if anything, I think green tea tastes really well, planty, green. It do! Not bad.

[chicagolady]

That was my next question, Is All Green Tea Alike?

[BeadCounter]

You asked: http://www.teadiscussion.com/types/green-tea-types.php

There’s also “Japanese Green Tea” which is rather light and mild in taste.

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Green, Black, White and Oolong team all come from the same Tea Tree, just different stages of Fermentation or Drying.

That’s off the top, there may be more to it.

[TribalPrincess2U]

What’s INR readings? I’m on Plavix so maybe I shouldn’t drink tea?

[TribalPrincess2U]

What is higher quality brand of green tea? How does one know?

[SuziQ]

I’d read that black tea has as many or even more antioxidants than green tea, but putting milk in it negates those effects. Most folks drink tea with milk in it.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“Is All Green Tea Alike?”

Oh! My! No! Go to the Generation Tea link in my earlier post, and do some reading there. There are very many different types. That site can give you some ideas. Or FReepmail me.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

INR

http://www.cigna.com/healthwellness/hw/medical-tests/prothrombin-time-and-inr-hw203083

http://www.med.umich.edu/cvc/services/site_anticoag/warfarincoumadindiet.pdf

[TurboZamboni]

Warning…Your Green Tea Isn’t What You Think It Is
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3081338/posts

if your green tea has arsenic or lead in it, not so good.

[SuziQ]

INR is a reading for something in the blood for folks on blood thinners, like Coumadin or Warfarin. There is a level range that is supposed to be maintained, but I can't remember what it is. You have to go once a week to watch it. I was on them from time to time when my A-Fib would kick up, and I would need to have a Cardiac Electro-Conversion. I'm going in for a Cardiac Ablation tomorrow, and the doc has me on a different blood thinner called Xarelto. It doesn't have the same issues as coumadin, apparently, and you don't have to have blood tests every week.

Plavix is used to prevent blood clots after a heart attack, or a stroke, but I don't know how that differs from either Coumadin or Warfarin.

[TribalPrincess2U]

Thanks

[Nepeta]

I recommend buying loose tea instead of tea bags.

With loose tea, you can see what you are buying. The tea tends to be in larger pieces, so has less surface area to lose volatiles and otherwise degrade. Look into Asian markets; they will have loose teas in metal tins much cheaper than specialty shops.

[tinamina]

I make kombucha and drink some for breakfast every day but I was under the impression that it had to be made from black tea or it wouldn’t ferment. Apparently yours ferments properly?
I mix my kombucha with cold green tea and homemade kefir, whey protein and fruit for breakfast every day.

[MomwithHope]

Nice! I do kefir too but drink them separate. Yes you can make kombucha from green tea. Brews up great in 1 week or less. My scoby is getting pretty big, the kombucha has a big head like beer when I repour it.