Green tea is the healthiest beverage on the planet.

1. Green Tea Contains Bioactive Compounds That Improve Health

It is loaded with polyphenols like flavonoids and catechins, which function as powerful antioxidants.
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.

2. Compounds in Green Tea Improves Brain Function, Helps You Relax and Makes You Smarter

One of the compounds is caffeine although it doesn’t contain as much as coffee, but enough to produce a response without causing the “jittery” effects associated with too much caffeine.
What caffeine does in the brain is to block an inhibitory neurotransmitter called Adenosine. This way, it actually increases the firing of neurons and the concentration of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine.

It also has the amino acid L-theanine, which increases the activity of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, which has anti-anxiety effects. It also increases dopamine and the production of alpha waves in the brain.

Studies show that caffeine and L-theanine can have synergistic effects. The combination of the two is particularly potent at improving brain function

3. Green Tea Increases Fat Burning and Improves Physical Performance

A study showed that fat oxidation was increased by 17%, indicating that green tea may selectively increase the burning of fat.

The small amount of caffeine itself has also been shown to improve physical performance by mobilizing fatty acids from the fat tissues and making them available for use as energy.

4. Antioxidants in Green Tea Lower Your Risk of Various Types of Cancer

Green tea is an excellent source of powerful antioxidants, so it makes perfect sense that it could reduce your risk of cancer, which it appears to do:

Breast cancer: A meta-analysis of observational studies found that women who drank the most green tea had a 22% lower risk of developing breast cancer.
Prostate cancer: One study found that men drinking green tea had a 48% lower risk of developing prostate cancer, which is the most common cancer in men.
Colorectal cancer: A study of 69,710 Chinese women found that green tea drinkers had a 57% lower risk of colorectal cancer.

5. Green Tea Protects Your Brain in Old Age, Lowering Your Risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

Multiple studies show that the catechin compounds in green tea can have various protective effects on neurons in test tubes and animal models, potentially lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

6. Green Tea Can Kill Bacteria, Which Improves Dental Health and Lowers Your Risk of Infection

Studies show that catechins can kill bacteria and inhibit viruses like the influenza virus, lowering your risk of infections.

Streptococcus mutans is the primary harmful bacteria in the mouth. It causes plaque formation and is a leading contributor to cavities and tooth decay, which the catechins in green tea can inhibit the growth of.

7. Green Tea Lowers Your Risk of Type II Diabetes

One study in Japanese individuals found that those who drank the most green tea had a 42% lower risk of developing type II diabetes.

8. Green Tea Reduces Your Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke, are the biggest causes of death in the world.

Studies show that green tea can improve some of the main risk factors for these diseases.

Green tea also dramatically increases the antioxidant capability of the blood, which protects the LDL cholesterol particles from oxidation, which is one part of the pathway towards heart disease.

9. Green Tea Helps You Lose Weight and Lower Your Risk of Becoming Obese

Given that green tea can boost the metabolic rate in the short term, it makes sense that it could help you lose weight.

Several studies show that green tea leads to decreases in body fat, especially in the abdominal area.

A study was a randomized controlled trial in 240 men and women that went on for 12 weeks. In this study, the green tea group had significant decreases in body fat percentage, body weight, waist circumference and abdominal fat.

10. Green Tea Decreases Your Risk of Dying and Help You Live Longer

In a study of 40,530 Japanese adults, those who drank the most green tea (5 or more cups per day) were significantly less likely to die during an 11 year period

Text Source: https://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-green-tea/
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/11-benefits-of-green-tea-that-you-didnt-know-about.html

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10 Proven Health Benefits of Green Tea