What Are The Health Benefits Of Tea
Studies have shown many potential mental health and physical health benefits of tea. It’s true that none of the research can prove causality, but also, none of the studies have shown tea to be harmful , and they are numerous enough that many experts agree the benefits are worth continuing to explore.
You cant talk about the health benefits of tea without mentioning L-theanine, an amino acid found in tea and some mushrooms. All teas can be good for you, but teas that contain this amino acid are especially beneficial because they have been shown to keep you calm and de-stress you, all while helping you concentrate. While more research needs to be done to definitively back up these claims, preliminary studies show this to be true: One smaller 2007 study published in Biological Psychology, for instance, found that subjects who drank theanine-rich matcha showed lower anxiety levels than those who were given a placebo.
Beyond L-theanine, tea continues to be researched as a rich source of antioxidants called flavonoids, mostly found in green and black tea. Research has found that these flavonoids might reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke and could be related to cardiovascular mortality risk. In one meta-analysis published in Advances in Nutrition, just a 1-cup increase in daily tea consumption was associated with a 2 percent decrease in any cardiovascular event. However, more research needs to be done to demonstrate any proven benefits.
Lipton Honey Lemon Green Tea
Lipton is one of the best tea brands that offer different tea varieties at reasonable prices. Lipton Green Tea is 100% pure, simple, and delicious tea that is made from the finest tea leaves. Just feel light and active every morning with a cup of hot Lipton Green Tea. You can drink this one without milk and sugar and hence gives zero calories as compared to the normal black teas and coffees. It is also rich in Catechins that doubles up as a refreshing beverage. Its calorie-free hydrating agent makes every cup a magical experience.
Delicious Versatile And Timeless
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People have consumed green tea for thousands of years. In beverage form, whether hot or iced, it’s known for gentle flavors that range from earthy to sweet. On top of that, green tea can be used as an ingredient in everything from ice cream to cakes to smoothies. There are several varieties of green tea leaves, two of the most popular being matcha and sencha.
We’ve rounded up our favorite green teas below and detailed what we like, and even dislike about each one. We researched top-rated options in a range of categories to ensure that all sorts of tea drinkers can find the right pick. After all, everyone should be able to enjoy the culinary versatility and delicious taste of green tea.
For a soothing cup, here are the best green teas to buy.
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Vahdam Organic Himalayan Green Tea
Vahdam is a well-known green tea brand for many reasons.;
Not only is their tea certified organic, they also use 100% real ingredients sourced from the Himalayas. The brand is certified Carbon and Plastic neutral, and their tea is ethically sourced using fair trade practices, as their website shares. Vahdam even donates 1% of their revenue to fund the education of their tea growers children.
Their full-leaf green tea pyramid can be brewed in three to five minutes. Unlike other teas on todays list, it offers a high caffeine level when you need more pep in your step.
Whats In It For Your Health
Many people take the best green tea for its supposed health benefits and lay claims to health improvements, evident from taking it. There are researches conducted on the health effects. All the same, these researches have proved inconsistent, hindering authenticity claims that it may improve health conditions.
Notwithstanding, here are some of them:
- Weight loss: Claims have been laid to the slimming effects of this wonderful beverage. But whether these are actual facts, this beverage helps refresh and revives and therefore, put one in the right mind to lose weight if necessary, for health.
- Heart health: Thanks to their antioxidants, studies show that taking a high-quality green tea brand may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart attack, among others. These lead to a better chance of a long and healthy life. However, some studies have also shown that their caffeine content may increase the risk of irregular heartbeat.
- Cancer prevention: While some studies have shown effects, the work of these leaves on different cancer types is still unclear.
Other studies have focused on their effects with conditions such as tooth loss, hydration and a lot of others.
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Bigelow Green Tea Bags
The Bigelow Brand of Green tea is devoted to the task of providing quality to its customers for quite a while now. The experience in green tea that you will find here is no exception either. The tea that you get from this brand is rich in flavor and enticingly accurate when it comes to aroma.
The thing that you probably like about this brand is that their packaging ensures that the tea retains all of its qualities after being brewed. This allows you to get the very best in green tea-based experience no matter where you are. Truly this is one of the best green tea brands.
Key Features:
- Contains plenty of beneficial antioxidants
- Comes individually wrapped in foil pouches
- Is available in numerous exciting flavors
- Made by a family-owned company
Specification:
- Some teabags tear when you try to open them
Learn how to use this product in the following video:
Twinings Jasmine Green Tea
Twinings rounds out our list of affordable green tea brands. This London-based tea company has been around since 1706. They claim you wont find any artificial ingredients in their green tea, as its been harvested and cultivated to their highest standards.
Brew a cup of their aromatic Jasmine Green Tea flavor, and youll taste pure green tea infused with real jasmine flowers, according to their website.
Looking for matcha green tea brands? There are so many companies selling this highly-praised green tea powder that we couldnt cover all of them without tripling the size of this guide. So stay tuned for the best matcha brands roundup!
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How I Pick The Best Green Tea To Drink: Types
Which is the best type of green tea? There are several kinds from which to choose. The best-known varieties are Sencha, Matcha, Hojicha, and Genmaicha.
- Genmaicha is a mixture of green tea and roasted rice: it is a nutritious, earthy, and strong tea with less caffeine than other varieties. It is good if caffeine is not your thing, or for introducing children to green tea.
- Hojicha is essentially roasted Sencha. It is less bitter than its raw cousin and contains less caffeine.
- Sencha is the most common type of green tea available worldwide. It is generally smooth and has a slightly bitter flavor. Gunpowder and pearl green tea are usually rolled out of sencha leaves.
- Matcha is the powder that comes from grinding Tencha leaves. This variety of tea is to be dissolved in the water right before drinking and has traditional uses. It also has more caffeine than the average green tea, and more concentrated antioxidant and other health pluses.
Nutritional Content Of Matcha Vs Green Tea
Although matcha and green tea both come from the same species of plant, Camellia sinensis, matcha has a higher concentration of therapeutic compounds. This is because the shade-harvesting practices of matcha yield higher levels of the alkaloid caffeine, the amino acid L-theanine, and the antioxidant EGCG.
According to a 2003 study, matcha contains roughly three times more EGCG than the average green tea. EGCG is thought to be responsible for several of green tea’s health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease and fighting inflammation.
In a recent study published in The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers demonstrated that EGCG can effectively guard against oxidative damage. The L-theanine in green tea is largely responsible for green tea’s calming effects.
According to a 2006 study published in The Journal of Herbal Pharmacotherapy, L-theanine accomplishes this by increasing levels of dopamine, serotonin, and GABA.
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Best Organic Green Tea To Reap Most Health Benefits
Green tea is the perfect healthy beverage to sip on year-round. You can drink it as a cool summer drink, a warm winter beverage, or a healthy and refreshing post-workout refresher. Green tea also has less caffeine per cup, making it a healthier alternative to your daily coffee.
And if youre looking to switch from endless cups of coffee or regular green tea and need something just as delicious, then organic green tea could be it for you. Our list of the 8 best organic green tea is sure to make your body and your taste buds sing.
Speeds Up Weight Loss
Green tea extract is famous in the weight loss industry. These highly concentrated forms of green tea are sold as weight loss aids that help people shed pounds faster.
Green tea catechins increase energy levels, speed up metabolism, and improve liver function. By speeding up metabolic rate, your body burns fat stores faster, meaning you lose weight faster. Essentially, green tea accelerates fat oxidation. These tea catechins also support the liver in breaking down fats into energy, which may help boost athletic performance and endurance .
It’s important to note that research shows that green tea tends to work better for some ethnicities. People of Asian descent have demonstrated better results when it comes to green tea and weight loss acceleration.
The impact of green tea on metabolism can also be weakened when it is combined with caffeine. Researchers recommend consuming less than 300 milligrams of caffeine to preserve the weight loss effects of green tea. Green tea is an excellent weight loss aid when used as a replacement for sugary sodas, regardless of ethnic background.
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How Much Caffeine Does Green Tea Contain
In general, green tea usually contains around 30-55mg per 8 oz serving depending on the type.6
Most teas contain less caffeine than coffee, usually half the amount, around 30-70 mg compared to 140 mg. They are also going to provide a more relaxed buzz compared to the jittery buzz experienced with coffee. This is due to the amino acid L-theanine which is present in tea.
Green teas with relatively lower amounts of caffeine are hojicha, genmaicha, gunpowder, and kukicha. Those with the highest amounts of caffeine are gyokuro and matcha.
Also Read:Does Matcha Green Tea Have Caffeine?
When Buying The Best Green Tea Dont Forget About Pesticides
Pesticides are commonly used to grow green tea and if you are looking to buy the best quality green tea, make sure its organic. Like this, you at least have one thing less to worry about. You dont want to drink green tea with the addition of pesticides, do you? But make sure that the organic green tea you buy is certified organic as otherwise, you may not be getting genuine organic green tea.
When buying organic green tea also pay attention to its origins if it comes from a polluted region in China, it can still be contaminated with various toxins.
A good quality organic green tea may be difficult to find in supermarkets and local shops so the best is to buy it online. One of the places you can buy it from is The Tea Makers of London. I had a pleasure of sampling some of their green teas and what I really like about their online shop is that they explain everything about each tea, how its made and where it comes from.
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What Is Green Tea Club
Sign up free to Green Tea Club to get tips and exclusive articles about how to use your matcha and green tea for a healthy lifestyle. Green Tea Club is hosted by Kei Nishida, Author of Cook with Matcha and Green Tea and CEO of Japanese Green Tea Company.
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What The Research Shows
Green tea has been shown to improve blood flow and lower cholesterol. A 2013 review of many studies found green tea helped prevent a range of heart-related issues, from high blood pressure to congestive heart failure.
Whatâs good for the heart is usually good for the brain; your brain needs healthy blood vessels, too. In one Swiss study, MRIs revealed that people who drank green tea had greater activity in the working-memory area of their brains. Green tea has also been shown to help block the formation of plaques that are linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
Green tea seems to help keep blood sugar stable in people with diabetes. Because catechins lower cholesterol and blood pressure, they can help protect against the damage a high-fat diet can cause, Ochner says.
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Reduce The Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease
Some of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease are related to the total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and green tea can help improve these factors, lowering total and LDL cholesterol and protecting the LDL particles from oxidation.
People who drink green tea have up to a 31% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, according to studies.
Antioxidants May Lower The Risk Of Some Cancers
Cancer is caused by uncontrolled growth of cells. Its one of the worlds leading causes of death.
Research has shown that oxidative damage can lead to chronic inflammation, which can lead to chronic diseases, including cancers. Antioxidants can help protect against oxidative damage .
Green tea is an excellent source of powerful antioxidants.
Research has linked green tea compounds with a reduced risk of cancer, including the following studies:
- Breast cancer. A comprehensive review of observational studies found that women who drank the most green tea had an approximately 2030% lower risk of developing breast cancer, one of the most common cancers in women (
- 23 ).
Many observational studies indicate that green tea drinkers are less likely to develop several types of cancer, but more high quality research is needed to confirm these effects .
To get the most health benefits, avoid adding milk to your tea. Some studies suggest it can reduce the antioxidant value in some teas .
Summary
Green tea has powerful antioxidants that may protect against cancer. Multiple studies show that green tea drinkers have a lower risk of various types of cancer.
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Encha Matcha Organic Matcha From Farm To Cup
Image Source: Encha.com
Let me start by saying, Lis, Encha Founder, passion is so incredibly valuable and inspiring.I first became in touch with Li before Encha even started. I remember he messaged me about a Japan trip he was planning and asked me if there was anything I wanted to know about Japanese matcha and organic farming so he could search for the answers for me.
Not long after his trip, Encha was born and it is one of my favourite matcha brands to support and indulge in. While Encha is superior quality matcha, I know that my matcha knowledge has expanded thanks to Li. Thanks to him, I realized earlier years I was being overcharged for what I thought was high quality matcha.
All Enchas organic matcha has no pesticide, no synthetic fertilizer, no preservatives and is non-GMO.
When I first tried Enchas Latte Grade organic matcha I was impressed with how smooth it was. It had little to no astringency when prepared with just hot water. It is, however, not as delicate as their ceremonial grade.
If youre new to matcha, I would say you could even purchase the latte grade, over the ceremonial grade first to give it a try and save some money.
What Exactly Is Green Tea
If youre going to choose a high-quality green tea product its important to understand what green tea is first.
All tea whether its green, white, black, oolong, matcha, or pu-erh is made from the same plant called the Camellia sinensis plant. This plant is an evergreen plant from Asia which
is now grown around the world. This plant grows best in sub-tropical climates with high altitudes and deep soil.
So when you hear the word tea, it means anything that comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. Any other kind of beverage not made from this plant is not really considered tea. Other products that are often referred to as tea like herbal teas are actually considered tisanes.
Tisanes include fruit teas, herbal teas, rooibos, chamomile, and other beverages that dont come from the Camellia sinensis plant.
There are a few main components in all teas:
The difference between styles of tea like green, black, and white comes from the way these tea;leaves are processed and oxidized.
Oxidation is responsible for determining these different categories and colors of tea. Oxidation is the process that occurs when oxygen interacts with enzymes inside the tea leaves turning them a different color.
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