The Power of Herbs: Green Tea
For centuries, green tea has been used as a healing drink. It’s full of powerful polyphenol antioxidants, making it one of the most beneficial herbs available.
Benefits of Green Tea
- Improves brain function: Green tea contains caffeine, not as much as coffee, but just enough to increase the firing of neurons and the concentration of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. Studies show that green tea’s properties also improve mood, vigilance, reaction time, and memory.
- Protects against cancer: Green tea contains antioxidants that prevent oxidative damage that can lead to chronic inflammation, specifically cancers like breast, prostate and colorectal. Read more on tea’s effect on cancer.
- May help prevent chronic diseases: Studies show that green tea may improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar level to prevent type II diabetes; green tea may also improve some of the main risk factors for heart disease by improving total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
- May help you lose weight. Green tea can boost the metabolic rate, leading to potential weight loss.
Tips for Choosing Green Teas
Invest in high-quality green teas, like matcha powder or Japanese sencha (high levels of vitamin C and E). Good green teas can be a bit more pricey than your typical tea, but the health benefits can outweigh the costs.