Convention vs. Modern Views

As with most conventions, the usual way of drinking green tea is without milk. Its delicate color hinting at a lovely golden color with dull infusion of sap green makes it a delicacy for many. However, just like the Slavs and others in some Eastern countries, tea is consumed neat – no infusions, no milk, and certainly no sweeteners. Infact, the very pairing of the two is considered unhealthy. At the same time, many cultures across the globe add milk in teas traditionally.

Green tea in particular has always been seen as something where the inclusion of milk would diminish its healthful effects. Yet there are some cultures that cannot bring itself to consume any kind of tea, green or otherwise, without sweetening it and whitening it with milk, to the extent that Starbucks has introduced the green latte, which for some is hugely cringe worthy!

So let us understand what is it that can go against adding milk to green tea

Conventionally, green tea contains just the right ingredients in it to speed up metabolism, helping burn fats as it has high oxidative reactions and thus also helping in calorie burning.

Casein, the protein found in dairy milk, is supposed to bind itself with the flavonols found in tea, thus reducing its benefits. In fact, milk in any kind of tea reduces the availability of catechins and antioxidants that are most beneficial for us.

Then what is this new hype of drinking green tea with milk all about?

Well the fact is that any kind of beverage that jeopardizes the calorie count you may have decided on because of additions like sugar and dairy is bound to make the desired weight loss target all the more tougher. Adding sugar and milk to tea especially green tea does make it calorie dense.

A clear cup of green tea is a mere 2 calories. Adding sugar and milk to it makes it like any other calorie-dense drink!

What are the alternatives on offer?

Well if dairy contains casein that could impair the positive effects of flavonols and catechins, why not prepare your tea with soy milk? Soy milk could be added as well for the same effect as dairy, and since it contains lecithin which has a different molecular structure from casein,it will thus not impair the positive effects on the antioxidant-rich green tea.

An Academic View

A study in Germany in 2006 concluded however that if milk is added to tea, it does reduce its positive impact on reducing coronary challenges. Yet, another conclusion says what the world is trying to understand better now, there are 200 bioactives in tea which cannot be destroyed by the mere inclusion of milk in it!

However, any kind of additions like honey, sugar, or any form of milk, be it almond milk or soy, has been known to reduce the positive effect of all that green tea is supposed to provide, which again raises the dilemma– those who drink green tea for its flavor will never want to lose its pure essence, while those drinking it with sugar and milk are simply adding another calorie-filled beverage that has very little to offer in terms of good health. Any inclusion of sugar, milk, or even honey completely cancels the presence of polyphenols in the green tea, causing more chances of ill effects on intestinal mucosa and tooth decay apart froms luggish metabolism.

The Clear Green Habit

While there is no doubting the fact that women in particular need milk as a source of major calcium source, it need not come in combination with tea, and when it does, it will not be digested as well as when it is taken in a different form and not necessarily from dairy milk.

Making a habit of drinking clear green tea with perhaps just a slice of lemon infused in it is the best means to develop a taste for it, which is truly unique. Adding a little zing with the help of a slice of lime will aid in better absorption of its healthy benefits and also aid digestion and metabolism.

Can green tea be taken in any other form than the conventional tea bag infusion? Yes, and that form is the green tea powder called as Matcha Tea, which is the purest form of green tea and can be blended with variety of forms of milk, be it coconut milk, soy, full-fat dairy, or even almond milk, to give you the most fascinating form of latte with sweeteners added as well. Yet apart from the heavenly taste that all tea drinkers would love to enjoy, this very creamy tea is far removed from any confirmed benefits that the clear green tea is supposed to have.

Making a habit of drinking clear green tea will help all who wish to benefit from its antioxidant, cancer preventing, anti-cholesterol, and sugar controlling qualities and above all its benefits as metabolism booster – all of which will get compromised if milk and sugar are added to it.

References:

• https://greenteaartisan.com/shouldnt-really-drink-green-tea-milk/
• http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/09/27/161895873/health-benefits-of-tea-milking-it-or-not
• http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/a10550/health-benefits-of-green-tea/
• http://bottomlineinc.com/health/diet-nutrition/does-milk-hurt-the-health-benefits-of-tea

So what does that really mean? It means that our system gets food from alkaline sources as well as acidic sources and it will then have to create a balance to meet its best immunity, repair mechanism, and organ health. In fact, it is widely believed in medical science as well as holistic health that if we overemphasize on one kind of food, it could debilitate our balance, thus causing several health issues, some of them as serious as cancer, immune deficiencies, and bone weakness.

What should the pH of your body be?

Our body is naturally inclined to be alkaline, and that is because as man was evolving, his main sources of food came from plant sources till such time that grains and dairy overtook that. If we consume too many acidic foods, this balance can be disturbed. Foods such as those laden with sugars or fatty food are very hard to digest, while too much dairy and legumes and the likes will cause your body’s pH balance to go completely awry. Switching to foods that have more alkaline content will aid in restoring that lost balance. Such foods are highly therapeutic in terms of alleviating your system from probable health issues such as inflammation, indigestion, acid reflux, skin breakouts, joint pain, depression, fatigue, and insomnia.

What if the balance is lost?

Ideally, the pH balance is supposed to be around 7, and whenever the balance is disturbed, the body makes up the alkaline state by drawing it from the bones. This, over a period of time, causes bone weakness and osteoporosis. This alkalizing of calcium from bones could eventually lead to several other debilitating results due to loss of bone minerals. This is also called as leeching process. Consuming foods that are highly alkaline helps restore bone health and stops this process of bone weakening.

Why should I be so concerned about alkaline foods?

Our taste buds always guide us to choose the kinds of food that our palette gets used to. Those averse to green vegetables or those wanting more of sweets have just turned their palette to register those taste alone, and over a period of time, their bodies develop a high acidic content which soon surfaces as several health issues. What you have to do is substitute these acidic foods with alkaline ones. In your food regime, try and have as many alkaline foods as you have that of the acidic variety.

Identifying Alkaline Foods

The good news is that some of the best alkaline foods are also the ones that are easy to digest, easily available, and highly nutritional for our bodies. The point really is that while we may be getting several benefits from dairy and meat, it also has to be consumed with a balance of other alkaline foods to sustain the nutrition from the other foods. Simply adding more alkaline foods like green leafy vegetables, non-dairy fats, almonds in place of peanuts, and lots of lemon and orange juice, skipping your coffee for freshly juiced cucumber, and adding spices such as turmeric, coriander, cumin,  fennel, paprika, cardamom, and cinnamon will help deliver just the right amount of alkaline bases to your system.

Green tea is another such wonder beverage that can substitute black tea and coffee as it happens to be foremost in mending the alleviating high acids and flushes the body with an effective dose of alkaline so as to generate more balance.

Green Tea: Does it aid in balancing the pH?

We need to look at what green tea is ultimately made up of to understand its pH balancing act.

Green tea comes from the plant called Camellia sinensis, and instead of being fermented, it is basically heated and packed for consumption which makes it completely different in its processing. It thus reduces its oxidation which in turn helps the green tea to retain catechins which make up its main antioxidant component. The world over, this beverage has wowed all who believe in health diets as it is supposed to be the finest way to regulate caffeine intake which we get from our cup of joe and black tea.

Its well-known effects include reducing the ill effects of caffeine in the body which is highly acidic and causes palpitations, anxiety, depression, hypertension, clotting of blood, and inflammations. Above all, EGCG or epigallocatechin 3, its most important component, helps fight fat buildup, speeds up metabolism, reduces chances of stroke, and also fights cancer. It has amazing effect on balancing your cholesterol, reducing the harmful LDLs and thus aiding the reduction of plaque in arteries.

Does green tea affect our alkaline diet?

that happen, we have to have adequate amounts of alkaline foods reducing the acidic ones. Where does having green tea feature in this? Well, it is only slightly acidic and the caffeine it produces can be limited by the manner in which you consume the tea. Firstly, do not steep green tea ever. Always try and use firm long-leaved ones rather than tea bags. Lastly, it is always better to throw away the first infusion of the tea bag after steeping for 30 seconds as it would help reduce its caffeine.

Green Tea as a Great Alkalizer

The process by which this mildly acidic beverage turns into an alkalizer makes it one of the most potent forms of diet balancing inclusions for those wanting to reduce their acidic food content. Green tea, when consumed to up to two cups a day, is the best means to ward off Alzheimer’s, cancer, depression, and menopausal issues. It helps in fighting fat by increasing your metabolism and works well as an antimicrobial agent, fighting all kinds of infections.

Also see: Is green tea acidic and is green tea metabolism booster

References:

• http://www.natureandhealth.com.au/news/the-alkaline-diet
• http://www.sunshinecoastnaturalhealth.com/single-post/2016/09/29/Should-we-be-eating-an-alkaline-diet
• https://eatheallove.com/2013/05/11/are-you-too-acidic/
• http://uses-and-benefits.com/green-tea/is-green-tea-acidic/
• https://thealkalinediet.org/blog/does-green-tea-have-caffeine
• https://thealkalinediet.org/blog/does-green-tea-have-caffeine

The food or the diet we take in provides the essential starting point for creating the pathways that send the energy needed by the cells. These are counted in calories. The basic chemicals that we get from our nutrition are then sent through pathways that enzymes in our body will decide upon. Enzymes in our body, therefore, are critical as they are the ones that help direct the necessary chemical from the nutrition to activate and charge your cell life.

What does boosting of metabolism mean?

You will reach a certain part in your life when you realize that your weight has “plateaued” – despite there being plenty of changes in terms of exercise and even dietary changes, the needle on the weighing scale does not budge. It simply means that as you grow older, your ability to burn fat gets reduced, and with every passing year, you could be gaining as much as 2 pounds, which by the time you are fifty could add up to almost 40 extra pounds. However, apart from this lament of slowing down of the BMR or the basal metabolic rate, our genetics, age, calorie intake, weight, muscle mass, and gender will also affect our metabolic rate over time.

However, the fact remains that with the slowing down of metabolism with age, there is undoubtedly the threat of gaining weight and its associated complications.

Proponents of Green Tea as a Metabolic Booster

To get into this argument is necessary from the point of view of the beverage itself – what exactly makes this tea so different from other drinks? There are several companies that are selling many of their products with little or no scientific backing on how it actually could assist the change in metabolic rate.As far as green tea is concerned, there are many who are completely convinced of its impact on metabolism and those who look at it a little more skeptically.

If one were to go by the facts presented by the proponents of green tea and its miraculous uses, the answer would be a resounding yes.

Green tea, unlike the fermented black teas, is a more raw form of the wonderful beverage, and while the Western world has been drinking black tea in many different forms, the green unfermented and unprocessed version has been a staple in the Eastern parts of the world, particularly in Japan.

What benefits does green tea have?

• Presence of catechins in green tea helps prevent the absorption of glucose into fat cells. The after meal hike in insulin is regulated by these catechins which remain active for almost 24 hours, and they can inhibit the subsequent absorption of glucose in fat cells. The more insulin in the body we have, the more fat storage occurs.
• Most importantly, a study that was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that for a period of 24 hours after reen tea has been consumed, the catechin and polyphenols found in green tea help in increasing fat oxidation, thus increasing the thermogenesis or the fat burning rate of your body. A significant increase has been recorded which confirms the fact that green tea does impact our body’s fat burning capacity.
• Does green tea help one lose weight? Well, the study conducted by the University of Chicago on rats ( and yes, do note: not humans ) goes on to suggest that it did impact the rats who showed a marked difference from those who were not given green tea extract – the ones given green tea extract showed lowering of body fat by 21%.

Contentious Views

While some views suggest that it isn’t the green tea that helps in shedding weight but simply the switch from having a heavy cup of mocha with double cream and sugar in the morning or that tall glass of frappe with loads of calories, sure enough, green tea with lime and any other kinds of flavoring will help shed those unnecessary calories we begin our day with.

Apart from that, there is very little to suggest that drinking green tea alone will help you to suddenly lose weight.

Balancing Out the Truth from the Hype

There is enough evidence, however, to suggest that tea has the added advantage of catechins and polyphenols that activate the digestive action, flushing out those toxins that tend to make our basal metabolism rather sluggish. It is this 5% to 12 % increase that can be derived from drinking green tea that can act as a catalyst in our larger weight loss program. Drinking green tea soon after having your meals helps slow down the release of insulin into the bloodstream, a phenomenon known to cause increase in craving for food, especially sugary foods.

Recent studies have also shown the presence of Epigallocatechin Gallate or EGCG in green tea which is known to be a fat burner. Along with caffeine, it is known to increase thermogenesis.

Drinking green tea has the combined benefits of caffeine and catechins. These substances are known to rev up metabolism. In order to get the full benefit of it, you have to combine the green tea habit with regular excercise. As per a research conducted in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, rats ingested with greentea extracts and were made to actively excercise did show accellerated results ( 17% reduction in fasting blood glucose level and reduction in insulin resistance of 65% ).

So when you opt for green tea, remember that the myth of it being a catalyst in weight loss isn’t all untrue and there is definite proof that it does aid increasing metabolism, helps suppress sugar craving, suppresses the  appetite, and also helps in giving you the best alternative as a beverage to support your weight loss plan. It is so much better than your morning coffee laden with sugars and cream, which in any case is highly acidic in its effect and heavy in calories.

References:

• http://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/What-is-Metabolism.aspx
• http://www.livestrong.com/article/315926-teas-that-burn-fat-boost-metabolism/
• http://www.ivlproducts.com/Health-Library/Health-Concerns/Weight-Management/How-Green-Tea-Boosts-Metabolism/
• http://www.colonhealth.net/weight_loss/Green_Tea_Increases_Metabolic_Weight_Loss.html
• http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/11/10/432727282/will-drinking-green-tea-boost-your-metabolism-no-so-fast
• http://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/diets/boost-metabolism-high-metabolism-diet
• http://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/2016-09-23/how-much-does-your-metabolism-really-slow-over-the-years
• Ways to boost metabolism
• Research suggests that green tea, exercise boost weight loss, health

Various studies including the one at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland show that green tea’s antioxidant property from polyphenols is the key to its skin-protective qualities. The polyphenols in green tea are mainly the type called catechins that include gallocatechin (GC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin (EC), and the most abundant and active epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).

In addition to the anti oxidants, green tea also contains enzymes, amino acids, Vitamin B, folate, manganese, potassium, magnesium and caffeine that enable it to provide the following skin benefits,

Treats Acne

According to a 2012 study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, one of green tea’s catechins, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), helps treat acne by fighting bacteria that cause it. Catechins also help in regulating hormonal imbalance, one of the causes of acne.

In addition, anti-inflammatory property of green tea helps reduce the redness, swelling and inflammation brought about by acne. Aside from drinking 4-5 cups of green tea daily you can apply brewed tea bags on acne to remove toxins and kill bacteria that caused swelling and inflammation.

A study by the American Academy of Dermatology compared skin creams with 3% green tea extract and benzoyl peroxide solutions as acne treatment. Both were effective in treating acne but the result also showed that another advantage of using green tea is that it had fewer side effects and did not exhibit dryness and flaking of skin found in acne treated by benzoyl peroxide.

Fights signs of aging

Polyphenols in green tea help delay skin sagging, age spots, wrinkles, fine lines and other signs of skin aging by neutralizing the harmful free radicals that speed up skin aging.

Prevents Skin Cancer

Green tea’s polyphenols slow down or prevent the growth of two proteins that are known be tumor cell growth promoters — Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) and the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). Green tea also heals keratosis, the scaly, pre-cancerous skin problem caused by too much sun exposure.

Helps prevent allergies

EGCG in green tea prevents allergies by blocking the production of histamine and immunoglobulin E (IgE), the compounds that react to pollen, pet dander, dust and other allergens.

Natural Sunscreen

Green tea is a natural sunscreen that protects the skin against free radicals and other harmful effects of exposure to UV rays from sunlight.

Green tea can be combined with zinc oxide-based sunscreens without any chemical reaction because zinc oxide is inert. You can prepare a sunscreen solution by boiling for 5 to 10 minutes a half cup of green tea leaves in two cups of water. Use a cotton ball to apply the sunscreen solution to the skin.

Taking green tea

The University of Maryland Medical Center’s website, recommends taking daily 2 to 3 cups of boiled tea or 100 to 750 mg per day of green tea extract.

Precautions

• Green tea is not recommended for children. Pregnant women and those under mediation should not take green tea without their doctors’ approval.
• Don’t add milk to green tea as it reduces the anti-oxidant properties that treat acne.

Acne is found not only on the face but also at the back, neck, upper arms, shoulders and chest. It is common among teenagers as a result of hormonal changes during puberty, some of which cause production of more oil (sebum) from the hair follicles. Sebum is the natural oil produced to moisturize the skin.

According to studies, about 20% of acnes occur among adults caused by pregnancy, hormonal imbalances and taking contraceptives or certain medication.

Green Tea for Acne

There are many over-the-counter and prescribed treatments for acne but a growing number of acne sufferers are choosing natural treatments like green tea. Following are some of the reasons why green tea is the favored treatment for acne:

• Drinking green tea can reduce the skin’s production of sebum by about 50%.
• As a topical treatment, green tea is 50% more effective than benzoyl peroxide, an over-the-counter antibacterial acne medication.
• Green tea has 6 active catechins (potent antioxidants)including epigallocatenin – 3 gallate or EGCG the “magic” ingredient of green tea against acne.
• Drinking 3 to 4 cups of green tea daily helps balance hormones.
• Green tea helps prevent acne scarring and many more.

Choosing Green over Black and White Tea

Why should you use green tea to treat acne instead of black or white tea? After all, they are all made from Camellia sinensis tea leaves.

The difference is in the way or extent they were processed particularly the degree of oxidation.  White tea is the least oxidized, then green tea and then black tea the most oxidized.  It is during the oxidation process that the cathecins are converted to theaflavins in black tea. Theaflavin is another powerful antioxidant like cathecin but it doesn’t have enough EGCG, the effective ingredient against acne!Both white and green teas have adequate EGCG but white tea is expensive and on limited supply.

How to use green tea to fight adult acne?

There are two general ways, orally and topicallyto use green tea to fight acne:

Orally

Drink 4-5 cups of green tea and plain water daily.  You can also add 1 tablespoon lemon to a mug of brewed green tea and drink twice daily. Another way is to mix 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar to a cup of green tea.

Topically

• Apply brewed tea bags on acne lesions for about 5 minutes to reduce swelling and inflammation.
• Brew tea and apply with cotton ball or spray over affected area at least 3 time daily.  You may add lemon or apple cider vinegar to brewed tea.
• Prepare green tea face mask by mixing 1 teaspoon of green tea powder with water to make a paste. Apply to affected skin area and leave for 10 to 15 minutes or until the paste is dry. Rinse with warn water and dry.
• Add green tea leaves to facial wash.  Use as regular face wash but leave on for 5 to 7 minutes before rinsing with warn water.

Warning

• Green tea is not for pregnant women.
• Adding milk to green tea reduces its antioxidant properties that treat acne.

The differences in their appearance and active nutrients or ingredients are the result of the varying processes, particularly the levels of oxidation the leaves undergo. White and green teas are the least oxidized teas. In fact some white teas are not oxidized. Their zero or  low level of oxidation allow white and green teas to retain a higher amount or concentration of epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG, weight loss compound compared to the amount in black tea, which is more oxidized.

White or Green Tea

 Both white and green teas have high concentrations of EGCG but why is it  green tea only  that is often recommended for people who want to lose weight.

White tea is the dried bud and young leaves of Camellia sinensis. The leaves are younger than those used for green tea. Only the bud and young tea leaves handpicked within the early days of spring are used for white tea.  The harvesting procedure, the short harvest time and the limited quantity of leaves that can be harvested per plant are the major reasons why white tea is not widely available and more expensive than the other types of tea.

Green Tea for Weight Loss

Various studies that have been conducted so far show that the amount of weight lost from drinking 3 to 4 cups of green tea daily isn’t significant. So, you can’t rely on just drinking green tea to lose weight. However, there are several ways green tea can be useful in enhancing the effectiveness of various weigh- management activities or programs as shown below:

Calorie-free Drink

Green tea can be the healthiest, calorie-free drink to replace body fluids lost due to exercise and other strenuous activities to lose weight. While water is easily available and costs less, it lacks the antioxidants and other beneficial ingredients for good health.

Low caffeine content

Green tea contains significantly lower amount of caffeine compared to other types of tea (except white tea). You can drink more green tea without suffering from insomnia, nervousness and other side effects of caffeine.

Studies show that caffeine works with EGCG to improve green tea’s ability to help the drinker lose weight.

Metabolism enhancer

Caffeine and EGCG in green tea work together to help increase the drinker’s metabolism according to separate studies published in Obesity Research in 2005 and in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry in January 2011.

 Diuretic

 Like other foods rich in potassium, magnesium and caffeine, green tea is a diuretic. Green tea’s diuretic effect helps the body in getting rid of excess fluids and reducing weight.

Endurance booster

Green tea’s catechins are your natural endurance boosters. More endurance means that you are able to do more exercise, burn more fat and consequently lose more weight.

 Reminders

Green tea drinkers should be aware of the following:

• A study was published in Nutrients in 2011 that milk proteins reduce or prevent green tea’s ability to increase metabolism. So, don’t drink green tea while consuming dairy products.
• Drink tea before meals so that it can fill you up and reduce the amount of the meal you eat.
• Green tea may interact with certain drugs and food supplements. If you’re under medication or pregnant, check with your doctor if it would be safe to drink green tea

When you take the first sip of the tea, your mind is charged up. Because every tea is rich in polyphenols, your brain cells get stimulated and work more proficiently. But when it is about green tea, you’re calm and relaxed. But do you know the pH of green tea? Why is green tea recommended after meals?

Is Green Tea Acidic ?

A freshly brewed green tea is near neutral in pH value.

Note that this is for freshly brewed green tea assuming that there are no additional ingredients. When you buy ready-to-drink green tea, it usually contains additional ingredients that change its pH value.

So you can drink freshly brewed green tea when you are in alkaline diet

Acid and Alkaline Balance

Whatever you eat has a reaction in your body. It depends on that whether it turns acidic or alkaline. Our body has a special system regulating and maintaining the friendly pH. If the food is below the 7.2 pH level, then it turns acidic, whereas if the food is greater than the 7.2 pH level, then it does the alkaline reactions. Your healthy blood is slight towards the alkalinity (pH level 7.3 to 7.4). But when it turns acidic, then you’re more vulnerable to illnesses and medical issues. Hence, the food with the alkaline nature should be selected.

Green Tea Is Alkaline

Luckily, green tea is alkaline in nature because it has a pH greater than 7.2. Hence, the alkalinity helps in neutralizing the disturbed acid levels in your body. The alkalinity of green tea enables the easier digestion as compared to coffee or tea. So, drinking green tea after meals makes the digestion easier and healthier.

On the contrary, coffee and tea are usually acidic in nature, meaning more caffeine, which can be difficult to digest compared to green tea. Being alkaline in nature and lesser in caffeine content, green tea is supposed to be the best option among all. Also, the steady amount of the caffeine also helps to improve your brain cell’s activity, thus enhancing your concentration.
The antioxidant richness in green tea also contributes to its alkaline nature. Because the antioxidants are higher in green tea, having a cup of green tea at least once in a day is suggested for people living with any cardiovascular disease. Also, green tea helps fight cancer cells.

What do researchers say?

In the latest studies, it is concluded that if you start your day with alkaline drink or food, you will tend to crave more for the alkaline foods, but if you’re starting your day with the acidic food, you will crave acidic food more. Go for the balanced diet option, instead of fulfilling your foodie temptations. So, what is the better option? Decide wisely. Don’t make the blind move!

References

• http://liveenergized.com/alkaline-diet-resources/alkaline-herbal-teas/
• http://bembu.com/alkaline-foods
• http://living-qi.com/2011/09/09/get-alkaline-and-remove-acid-with-matcha-green-tea/
• http://www.naturalscoop.com/is-green-tea-alkaline-or-acidic/
• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/11082624/Fruit-teas-replacing-the-traditional-builders-tea.html
• http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf9706080
• https://www.healthwisecoffee.com/blogs/healthwise/57680067-which-is-healthier-coffee-or-green-tea
• http://www.livestrong.com/article/1002836-benefits-giving-up-coffee-green-tea/

Green Tea’s Caffeine Content

The types of green tea will vary in flavour, aroma and caffeine content due to different growing conditions, when they are harvested, processing, brand and brewing time. Generally speaking, the longer you brew your green tea, the higher caffeine content you end up with.

These factors and the wide selection of green tea make pinpointing its caffeine content a bit tricky. It is best to think of average values to get an idea of how much caffeine there is in green tea.

On average, an 8 fl. oz (236 ml) cup of green tea contains 25 mg of caffeine. Compared to the average cup of coffee, you have to drink three cups of green tea to equal the caffeine content in one cup. That’s because an 8 fl. oz (236 ml) cup of coffee typically gives you anywhere from 100 mg to 200 mg of caffeine. Put simply, green teen has much less caffeine in it than coffee does.

(Another good comparison to consider, is that there are popular anti-sleep aids with roughly 200 mg of caffeine in each tablet.)

Back to comparing green tea with coffee – let’s say you can’t start your morning without two cups of coffee and decide to switch to two cups of green tea instead. Right away, you are cutting your caffeine intake by at least 70%!

Matcha Tea

This type of green tea comes from Japan and is made by grinding green tea leaves into a fine powder. To make a cup of Matcha tea you combine the powder with hot water to produce the increasingly popular frothy, bright green beverage with its naturally rich and sweet flavour.

Caffeine in Matcha tea stands at 70 mg per 8 fl. oz (236 ml) cup. If you intend to make Koicha (thick Matcha tea), then you will need twice the amount of Matcha tea powder and will end up getting twice the amount of caffeine. That puts you squarely in the realm of coffee in terms of caffeine content. Matcha tea, however, is extremely high in antioxidants because you consume the whole leaves instead of just brewing them.

Matcha tea powder can even be used to make green tea ice cream, lattes, smoothies and other desserts and drinks.

So what’s the final word on green tea’s caffeine?

You can go ahead and enjoy your green tea and all its benefits knowing you are not overloading on caffeine. Green tea gives you a much smaller, steadier and gentler caffeine boost than coffee, creating stimulation which can aid concentration while helping you to relax and unwind. Regular green tea also contains less caffeine than Matcha tea which still has less caffeine than coffee.

To help us decide, let’s look at some of green tea’s benefits then some of its side effects.

The Benefits

Many of green tea’s benefits are attributed to the polyphenols it contains. These compounds which include tannins and catechins are thought to play a role in:

• protecting cartilage between bones
• preventing inflammation and swelling
• lessening the degeneration of bones
• inhibiting colon cancer development
• stimulating the immune system

Some of these functions make green tea particularly helpful to persons suffering from conditions such as arthritis.

The polyphenols also seem capable of fighting infections caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). Additionally, they are thought to lessen abnormal cell growth in the cervix. That makes them effective at helping to prevent genital warts and cervical cancer.

The 2-4 percent caffeine content of green tea explains its ability to:

• improve cognitive function, alertness, memory and mental clarity
• act as a diuretic to increase water loss through urination – helping to detoxify the liver, lower blood pressure and promote weight loss
• increase the release of neurotransmitters in the brain which stimulates the heart, muscles and nervous system

Theanine is one of these neurotransmitters which has also been shown to have a calming, effect without making you drowsy.

Green tea also contains flavonoids(a type of antioxidant). Antioxidants protect cells from oxidative stress caused by free radicals. Oxidative stressis thought to lead to cancer, as well as, to signs of aging. The flavonoids also benefit health by:

• helping to protect the blood vessels and the heart
• relieving allergy symptoms
• preventing inflammation
• fighting viruses

It is felt that green tea plays a role in alleviating several of the risk factors of metabolic syndrome. This is based on how it affects insulin resistance, body weight and hormonal imbalance.As a result green tea lowers the chance of you developing:

• heart diseases
• diabetes
• stroke

The Side Effects

These are mostly associated with pre-existing conditions and range from mild to potentially serious. Here is a list of some of the more common side effects of green tea:

• increases the risk of chronic daily headaches
• interferes with sleep patterns and may result in nervousness
• may cause an irregular heartbeat
• stimulates the muscles in the digestive system and may lead to vomiting or diarrhoea
• increases stomach acid production to give heartburn-like symptoms
• increases the risk of bleeding
• elevates pressure in the eyes – factor in glaucoma
• linked to cases of liver damage
• decreases the absorption of some nutrients, including protein, calcium, fat and iron
• increases the risk of a miscarriage during pregnancy and its compounds can pass into breast milk while nursing

The Conclusion

The best answer to “Is green tea bad for you” is “not if consumed in moderation”. That’s true for every food in your diet. If you suffer from any of the conditions mentioned or are just not sure how green tea will affect you, limit your intake and speak to your doctor about your concerns.

It was the ancient Chinese and Japanese cultures gave rise to the proliferation of tea drinking. As Portuguese, Greek, Cyprian, and Arabian merchants made their way through Asia, they brought back the seeds of tea plants. Britain was introduced to it in the 1600s by Catherine de Braganza of Portugal, and she in turn brought it to India in an attempt to curtail the Chinese monopoly. China, unwilling to part with much of its tea for anything Britain had to trade, had by now imposed a tax on tea’s exportation. The British East India Company then discovered opium and began growing it in India and trading it for China’s tea. Thus the supply of tea to Britain became endlessly ensured.

The acceptance of tea by religious authorities and royalty, coupled with the love of tea by the privileged classes erupted into the development of tea plantations in several countries, and as the trend spread to the West and worldwide, with China no longer the “center of the world”, the proliferation of tea drinkers grew.

But other than the delightful aroma and relaxing experience of tea drinking, is there any nutritional value or calories associated with tea and green tea in particular? Let’s break it down.

• Hydration is important to health and tea is obviously mostly water. In fact, it’s the next best thing to water. It contains virtually no calories unless you add honey, milk or some other ingredient.
• Green tea, Camellia sinensis, is picked and dried, and can be brewed in its original state, so it retains most of its natural antioxidants and alkaloids.
• Green tea contains vitamins A, E, C, and K with trace amounts of other vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, manganese, zinc, chromium, and selenium. Minerals in the soil are taken up through the plant, so the mineral content of each tea will depend on where and how it was grown.
• EGCG (epigallocatechingallate) is the real benefit of green tea. It’s an antioxidant polyphenol that’s being studied for its chemo-preventive effects and its role in DNA methylation, mitochondrial performance, neural cell growth, and other biological actions necessary for health.

Note: Taking green tea supplements can adversely affect blood platelet formation, so if you’re concerned about blood thinning, drinking green tea in moderation is OK, but don’t take supplements.

There are several types of green tea and the one you choose will depend on your own taste. For example:

• Young Green Sheng Pu-erh has a smoky character and an earthy grassy taste.
• Genmaicha is a mix of raw unfermented green tea leaves and roasted brown rice, some of which have “popped”. It has a nutty-sweet aroma.
• Dragon Well Green (LoongJien or Long Jing) has a very elemental vegetative aroma with a mellow round mouth feel.

Experiment with different types of green tea and remember, the most important part of making tea is in the 3 cardinal rules: Good tea, good tasting water, proper brewing. Once you’ve mastered that, it’s all a matter of taste. In the end, the art of tea is about the enjoyment of life.