Feed Your Soul While Nourishing Your Body | The Health Benefits Of Green Tea

Tea has been used for thousands of years to maintain a healthy body. Its even been used as medicine in many cultures over the years. Most teas, except for herbal teas, come from the plant, Camellia sinensis. This plant has the ability to naturally suppress many viral bacterial and fungal infections. Antioxidants in tea is not news, but one specific antioxidant actually attaches to some strands of the flu preventing it from attacking your cells. In addition to antioxidants, Green tea can offer other health benefits such as improving cardiovascular health and reducing stress!

Provides Antioxidants

Green tea contains antioxidants. Antioxidants are powerful substances that prohibit the oxidation of other molecules in your body. Unfortunately, in most cases, free radicals greatly outnumber your naturally occurring antioxidants. The antioxidants found in green tea include polyphenols. The polyphenols found in green tea provide six times the radical-quenching potential of those found in black tea, according to a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Reduces Stress

Since Green tea contains caffeine you may not think of it as a stress reliever but it can be. Its more than just the ritual of sipping something hot, Green tea can be help you relax due to the L-theanine. L-theanine is a unique amino acid that has been found to promote relation by increasing alpha brain waves and decreasing beta brain waves. This is beneficial for relaxation because alpha brain waves are associated with a relaxed yet focused brain. Beta brain waves are more associated with an excited and non-focused state of mind.

Improves Cardiovascular Health

People who consume five or more cups of green tea per day are less likely to develop high blood pressure and diabetes, or die of cardiovascular disease or even of  a stroke, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is been found to prevent the thickening of the heart muscle, therefore improving heart health. While helping to prevent fatty buildup in the arteries EGCG may even reduce cholesterol levels.

"Tea is to the body as music is to the soul." ~ Earlene Grey

SOURCES: Click to learn more about the Health Benefits of Drinking Green tea, the Benefits of Antioxidants, the Advantages of Green Tea While Sick, and Stress Relief with L-theanine.