5 Benefits of Green Tea You Should Know About!

How do you know if someone is on diet? They will tell you!

The second best method is to spot the cup of green tea, never too far away from the ‘homo-diet conscious’. With each leisurely sip, your friendly neighbourhood diet-man will extol the virtues of this “green elixir from heaven”, sometimes coolly slipping it into a completely random conversation,

“So GST is rolling out tomorrow no? I am telling you this is the best thing that has happened to our country in ages. Just like this green tea to my body, LOL!”

Such evangelism of green tea makes you wonder if its patrons have found the hidden map to the fountain of youth itself!. Well, they, in fact, might have found something that comes close. Don’t believe us? Read it yourself:

While various studies have pointed towards the health benefits of green tea, here is a list of 5 top benefits that you should know:

1. Makes You Smarter

Studies now show that apart from helping you stay awake the night before that project deadline, green tea also helps you become smarter so that you don’t have to stay awake the night to finish that project!

Apart from caffeine, green tea contains the amino acid L-theanine. This amino acid helps you overcome anxiety and improves your mood. It has been shown that the combination of caffeine and L-theanine can improve brain function. In fact, many people who consume green tea are reported to be much more productive at work. Even the HR department!

2. Helps You Burn Fat Faster

How do you lose weight? Take away your plump friend’s smartphone and shove him into the crowd at “Kumbh Mela”!

However, if you want to lose your body weight then we suggest you switch from the regular ‘cutting chai’ to green tea. Studies have shown that drinking green tea may increase your fat burning rate by as much as 17%!

The presence of both, caffeine and EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate), help green tea break down the fat in the body and move them into the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, the fats then become available to be used as a source of energy and this helps you lose weight faster.

3. Lowers The Risk of Cancer

Among the many benefits of green tea is its ability to reduce the risk of cancer. In the medical circles, it is known that oxidative damage can contribute to the development of cancer.

This is where the antioxidants present in the green tea come to the rescue. Rich in antioxidants, it has been shown that drinking green tea can reduce the risk of breast cancer by up to 22%, prostate cancer by up to 48% and colorectal cancer by up to 57%!

4. Beats Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is just another bane of the 21st century. The worst part is, there is no cure! However, green tea may just be the ray of hope for the millions of people at risk of type 2 diabetes.

Studies now show that consuming green tea may reduce the risk of diabetes. Green tea can improve insulin sensitivity of the body. This, in turn, helps in reducing blood sugar levels, thus reducing the risk of diabetes.

In fact, some studies show that drinking green tea reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by as much as 42%!.

5. Reduces The Risk of Heart Disease

Heart disease still remains one of the biggest killers in India, followed very closely by a particularly infamous song about taking ‘selfies’!

While the other issue may never see a cure, studies show that green tea can reduce the risk of heart disease. Green tea helps reduce the LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) while boosting the HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol). The HDL cholesterol sweeps away the LDL cholesterol and prevents the arteries from getting clogged.

Green tea may not be the most delicious beverage out there, but as we have seen so far, it packs a healthy punch. Plus the warm, slightly bitter taste can be surprisingly addictive. If you too are about to join the bandwagon, the unofficial association of green tea drinkers welcomes you with open arms! Have a good week ahead!