Would you believe me if I told you that green tea could drastically improve your health and help you realize most of your health & fitness goals? Well, by the time you scan through this article (I know you’re guilty of skim-reading :p), you’ll be speeding over to the nearest store to buy a box of green tea! A few months ago, I used to think of green tea as nothing more than a crappy version of black tea.
I won’t even lie to you by pretending like it was delicious at first or that I felt magically uplifted. That wasn’t the case.
For the first week or so, it took some getting used to.
The bitter aftertaste of green tea is hard to sell to newcomers because most people are so fixated on instant results. But, if you hang in there and commit to drinking between 2 – 4 cups of green tea every single day, it will make such a drastic impact on how you feel inside that the bitter taste drowns away.
Now, 7 months later, I crave green tea. If I go even an afternoon without it, I’ll start getting annoyed at myself for not brewing a cup sooner.
Without getting too wrapped up about how I feel, let’s talk about what you have to gain from green tea!
6 OUTSTANDING HEALTH BENEFITS OF DRINKING GREEN TEA
1. IT CONTAINS BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS THAT IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH
You may be thinking, what the hell are bioactive compounds? Basically, it is a compound that has an effect on living organism’s tissue and cells. These are non-essential nutrients but when present in the body, they improve health.
A lot of bioactive compounds act as antioxidants which rid the body of toxins and unwanted chemicals. These bioactive compounds or antioxidants fight free radicals which are known to cause damage to cells around the body and are often attributed to aging.
The most notable bioactive compound in green tea is called EGCG – Epigallocatechin Gallate.
This antioxidant has been researched thoroughly and has shown signs of fighting many diseases!
If you’re looking to fight off that crappy fatigued feeling in your body, green tea is the way to go! It will clear out those toxins faster than you’d ever realize.
2. GREEN TEA WILL HELP YOU BURN FAT AND LOSE WEIGHT
After a few studies, it has been deduced that green tea boosts the metabolism and is often calorie-free or insanely low in calories.
According to The Beauty Gypsy, “The catechins in green tea inhibit an important enzyme – catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) – that speeds up the metabolism, thereby stepping up the calorie burn.”
In my own experience, the real weight loss took place when I replaced traditional sweetened tea and beverages with green tea. The lack of caffeine and sugar from cutting out those drinks coupled with the fat burning properties of green tea, I was able to drop a significant amount of weight.
Combine that with a great diet plan and an effective workout program, you’ll be shedding pounds like a snake sheds its skin. With absolute ease!
3. GREEN TEA IS FANTASTIC FOR SKIN CONDITIONS
I’ve said this in previous posts but I’ll say it again, to treat the outside of the skin, you have to treat it from the inside.
Most inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis and acne tend to be exacerbated by a hormonal imbalance or a build-up of toxins in your body.
One of the ways to combat these issues it to consume green tea.
Its antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial properties is a wonderful way of staving off those harmful free radicals that are destroying the quality of your skin and it calms down flare-ups.
Also, by replacing harmful chemicals from products with a natural green tea face wash, your skin is given the time to breathe and regulate its own ph levels resulting in healthier looking skin.
4. GREEN TEA CAN KILL BAD BACTERIA
Believe it or not, our gut is made up of massive amounts of bacteria. Guess what? Not all bacteria are bad.
The gut relies on good bacteria to fight off bad bacteria and aid in digestion. You may have come across probiotics? They’re good bacteria that are essential for optimal health.
Because green tea contains catechins, it helps kill off bad bacteria and ward off viruses that may result in illnesses.
When there aren’t too much bad bacteria in the body, good bacteria can easily feed off healthy fiber and multiply. If you’re looking to improve the condition of your gums, teeth and breath, try drinking green regularly!
5. GREEN TEA MAY HELP YOU LIVE MUCH LONGER
Look, something this beneficial consumed regularly has to have an impact on the overall length of your life, right?
If it is shown to help reduce oxidative stress, prevent cancers, reduce diabetes, lower cardiovascular disease and prevent Alzheimer’s, then your chances of living longer increase exponentially.
Many premature deaths are caused by most of the diseases mentioned above so by trying to prevent them, you are taking an active step towards extending your own life.
In fact, studies conducted on Japanese folks who drank 5 or more cups of green tea per day reduced their risk of dying within the 6 – 11 year periods that the studies went on for.
6. THE ANTIOXIDANTS IN GREEN TEA HELP REDUCE YOUR RISK OF GETTING CANCER
Cancer is worse than the plague. I’ve had more than 2 close aunties suffer from cancer and I can honestly say it infects more than just the body.
So many lives are affected by the detrimental effects of cancer and it touches everyone’s lives in some way or another.
Having knowledge places an obligation and a responsibility to implement as much cancer preventing actions into our daily lives. More so than that, we must spread as much helpful information to as many people as possible.
Look, toxins or oxidative stress contributes significantly to the development of cancer. So, the first place to start in prevention and extra treatment is to take in antioxidants on a regular basis.
As it turns out, green tea is antioxidant-rich. Here’s what I found from authority nutrition regarding statistics. Women have a 22% lower risk of developing breast cancer and men have a 48% lower risk of developing prostate cancer by simply drinking green tea!
That’s absolutely insane!
All it takes is a cup or two every day to significantly reduce your risk of developing these forms of cancer. Why aren’t you doing it? Don’t you want to live to see your grandchildren grow up?
Make the effort now! A slightly bitter aftertaste is a damn small price to pay to increase your lifespan. I really want you to take this seriously. It’s for your own wellbeing.
CONCLUSION
All you have to do is brew a cup of green tea (perhaps with each meal) and benefit from all it’s healing properties without having to do anything.
Sip it while reading or book or when you’re watching TV.
It really is worth the time and effort. When your body starts to feel leaner and cleaner, you’ll truly appreciate the wonderful effects of green tea.