You don't need me to tell you that green tea is healthy. You've probably heard it a dozen times or more already. However, the specific benefits of green tea often remain mysterious to people. "It's healthy... but how can it help me be healthy?"
Below, you'll find detailed information on scientifically researched green tea benefits, such as specific benefits to the skin, bones and immune system. As always, I recommend opting for organic tea whenever possible, especially because some research shows that pesticides and other chemicals may cancel out many of tea's health benefits.
Green Tea & Weight Loss
One of the most common questions I get about tea is, "Will green tea help me lose weight?" I usually answer plainly: "If you usually drink sweetened drinks and you change to drinking unsweetened tea, you will very likely lose weight." Beyond that, research is mixed on whether or not green tea facilitates long-term weight loss. However, many scientists believe that the catechins found in green tea (such as EGCG) cause "thermogenesis" (the production of heat within the body which is related to burning calories). Catechins are thought to prolong thermogenesis by inhibiting certain chemicals in the brain, thus causing the body to burn more calories and increase fat oxidation.
Additionally, green tea extract has been shown to reduce blood fat, cholesterol and bloating, detoxify the body and suppress certain food cravings.
However, green tea is not a miracle cure that allows you to "Super Size" whatever you want and "make up for it" with a green tea. It may be a matter of burning a surplus of a mere 100 calories a day (enough to make a difference in your weight, but only if you have a relatively balanced diet anyway).
Many doctors recommend drinking at least three cups of green tea a day to raise the body's metabolic rate.
Green Tea Benefits People With Diabetes
I once counseled a man with Type II diabetes to switch from coffee to tea. He did so, and the effects were astonishing. He told me later that his entire life was changed as a result, and that he no longer felt a sense of dread upon awaking each day to an out-of-control cycle of insulin and blood sugar that was agitated by his coffee consumption.
Since then, an enormous amount of research on green tea's benefits for people with diabetes has come to light. Green tea helps regulate glucose levels (thus slowing the rise of blood sugar), triggers and stimulates insulin production (thus decreasing dependence on insulin as a drug), normalizes and regulated blood sugar, and (to some extent) activates the functioning of pancreas. This is incredible news for people with diabetes, especially if they are seeking to reduce their dependence on diabetes drugs.
Green Tea Boosts Exercise Endurance
As an additional boon to people seeking the two benefits listed above, green tea also increase the body's fat-burning abilities, improve muscle endurance and increase energy levels. It appears that this is caused by green tea's unique antioxidants and its caffeine contents. According to scientists, antioxidants present in green tea extracts increase body’s ability to burn fat as fuel which accounts for improved muscle endurance. It also enhances energy levels and boosts your metabolism.
Green Tea Prevents Cancer (and Slows Cancer Growth)
Numerous studies have demonstrated that tea is beneficial in preventing various types of cancers. These include prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, bladder cancer, lung cancer and stomach cancer. The catechins found in tea prevent cell mutation, deactivate certain carcinogens, and reduce the formation and growth of tumors. (It seems that they "starve" tumors by stopping the growth of new blood vessels that would otherwise feed the cancerous cells.)
Many doctors recommend drinking as many as four cups of green tea a day for green tea's anti-cancer benefits.
Green Tea Protects Your Skin
Green tea also helps keep you cancer-free in another way--by protecting your skin from the sun's harmful UV rays. In summertime and on smoggy days, these rays act as a type of radiation on your skin, increasing the risk of cell mutations and cancer. However, green tea's antioxidants have been shown to scavenge harmful free radicals formed in the body in response to UV rays.
Green Tea Benefits Heart Health
Tea consumption (regardless of tea type) is associated with a lower risk of heart disease and stroke. One Harvard study showed that people who drink at least one cup of tea a day have a 44 percent lower risk of heart attack. Daily green tea consumption has also been shown to improve the health of cells that line blood vessels, and to relax blood vessels and allow for easier blood flow. Furthermore, several animal studies have shown that tea also lowers cholesterol. (Although not much research has been done with human trials, I can support the extension of this benefit into the human realm anecdotally: I drink a lot of tea and doctors are always shocked by how healthy my cholesterol levels are.)
Green Tea & Oral Health
It would seem that green tea is really eager to help you out. You take a sip, and the first thing it does is help your mouth!
Green tea's unique blend of natural fluoride, polyphenols and catechins is associated with harmful killing oral bacteria. Drinking one or more cups of green tea a day was significantly associated with decreasing the risk of tooth loss in a study published by the European Journal of Nutrition. (However, like many of tea's benefits, this effect is likely cancelled out if you add sugar, honey or other sweeteners to your tea.)
Additionally, green tea contains compounds that may control inflammation, fight bacterial infection, lower acidity of saliva (thus preventing cavities), reduce dental plaque, reduce gum bleeding, control periodontal (gum) disease, prevent tooth loss and improve breath. It appears that these benefits can be reaped by regular green tea consumption, by swishing with green tea for five minutes after meals or by chewing gum or eating candies with green tea extract.
Green Tea’s Bone Health Benefits
It appears that green tea can benefit bone health in a range of ways.
In the long-term (i.e., over ten years), regular green tea consumption is associated with decreasing the risk of osteoporotic fractures. Scientists believe that tea helps diminish bone loss (thus decreasing osteoporosis-related problems) with its antioxidants and its anti-inflammatory benefits.
Additionally, tea is thought to suppress the breakdown of bone while increasing the amount and the activity level of bone building cells, thus further reducing issues associated with osteoporosis.
In an animal study, one categchin in green tea (EGC) has been found to promote bone growth by up to 79 percent, and to increase the level of bone mineralization, thus strengthening bones.
Green Tea Hydrates
Despite claims that tea is dehydrating, green tea has been shown to hydrate the body on a similar level to regular water. However, (organic) green tea has many benefits in addition to those of water, making it a healthier choice than regular water for many people.
Green Tea Prevents & Treats Neurological Diseases
Scientists believe that green tea consumption may prevent degenerative and neurological diseases (like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease). Also, the polyphenols in green tea maintain the parts of the brain that regulate learning and memory, making it an excellent study aid and general brain-boosting drink.
Green Tea’s Anti-Aging Benefits
The antioxidants in green tea fight free radicals in the body. This means that they may slow the aging process and promote longevity. Green tea contains especially high levels of oligomeric proanthocyanidins (one of the most powerful antioxidants), so it is thought to help slow down the premature aging process more than many other substances.
Green Tea Boosts Your Immunity
Whenever I get sick (which is not often), my mom always jokes, "Drink more tea!" (This is a joke because I already drink a lot of tea.) But I should listen to my mom, and so should you! It turns out that tea (and green tea in particular) offers many immune-boosting effects. These appear to be due to its polyphenols and flavonoids (which boost the immune system to make the human body stronger in fighting various infections), as well as its Vitamin C (which helps keep colds and the flu away).