Around 600,000 tonnes of green tea is consumed annually — a figure that has grown by approximately 20% in the last ten years. When you understand all the benefits of drinking green tea, its popularity isn’t surprising at all.
This grassy, flowery, and earthy concoction is prized for more than its taste. It contains a heady dose of polyphenols — micronutrients that protect you against the development and progression of many chronic diseases. Plus, it can help you live longer.
Let’s look at what science has to say about the advantages of green tea so that you can decide if it’s a worthwhile brew to adopt!
9 Science-Backed Benefits of Green Tea
Let’s take a look at the green tea leaves benefits:
Aids Heart Health
A 2022 meta-review has shown that green tea could have beneficial effects on cardiometabolic risk factors like weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, and lipids.
One way it helps is by lowering levels of TC and LDL cholesterols.
In addition, a 2006 study conducted on over 40,000 Japanese adults, claims that drinking more than 5 cups of green tea daily could lower the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality by 26%!
Weight Loss Management
According to a 2014 study, green tea concoctions with a high amount of active ingredients such as catechins and caffeine could help you burn more calories.
This is backed by a 2022 article that reveals its metabolic effects. When paired with moderate-intensity training, it could increase fat oxidation (FO) and have positive benefits on the body composition among sedentary obese/overweight people.
Bear in mind that these effects apply only if you drink the tea in excess.
According to a 2022 study, at least 4 cups of tea per week are needed to lower the risk of abdominal obesity in men by 44% while an inverse association has been found in women.
Improves Brain Function
According to a 2017 review, the presence of caffeine and l-theanine in green tea could have beneficial effects on cognition. It can induce a state of calm and relaxation, and its epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) content could also boost working memory.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Green tea is an excellent source of EGCG — a type of catechin known for improving the quality of life of patients with inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. According to a 2010 article, it may also prevent the loss of bone mineral density (BMD) in those with low bone masses. However, this is from animal studies only. Research in humans is required to support these findings.
Lower Risk of Developing Type-2 Diabetes
According to a 2013 meta-analysis, green tea can significantly reduce fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c (Hb A1c) and fasting insulin concentrations, making it effective for blood sugar control. Daily consumption could lower the risk of developing diabetes by 8% and the risk of death by 10% as suggested in a 2021 journal.
It improves insulin resistance, allowing cells in your muscles, fat, and liver to absorb glucose from your blood and convert it into energy. This can protect you against diabetes and complications like neuropathy and amputations.
Protect Against Neurodegenerative Diseases
Green tea could lower the risk of cognitive impairment in middle-aged and older individuals by 64%, making it helpful for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.
Based on a 2019 systematic review, it could reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, dementia, and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). It does so via 4 mechanisms: the antioxidant activity of catechins, reduction in brain inflammation, inhibition of amyloid-beta aggregation, and maintenance of healthy blood vessels.
Prevent Strokes
A 2019 study conducted on over 50,000 Korean adult men suggests that green tea is beneficial for strokes. While the exact mechanism is unclear, it’s possible that the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, and antithrombotic effects of the catechins found in green tea could have a positive impact on your heart.
As to how much you should drink to avail of its benefits, UCLA suggests drinking at least 3 cups per day, preferably more to ward off the risk of stroke.
Cancer Prevention Benefits
The polyphenols found in tea could protect the body against oxidative stress and the conditions that stem from it like cancer.
The tea’s components offer the chemoprevention of UVB-induced skin cancer. A 2010 study showed their potential for inhibiting the development of several types of cancer such as bladder, breast, colon, esophageal, forestomach, intestinal, liver, oral, prostate, skin, and stomach cancer.
That said, keep in mind that these results are a product of mice or cell studies. Research on humans is required to understand its effects on cancer prevention.
Live a Long Life
A 2019 study on Japanese men and women suggested that drinking green tea could lower the risk for all-cause mortality for heart and cerebrovascular disease, which may help one live longer. The same remains true in the China-PAR project which demonstrated the benefits of habitual tea consumption (more than thrice a week) for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) morbidity and mortality.
Is Green Tea Good for You?
That depends on your consumption.
While the average person drinks only 2 to 3 cups a day, the NCCIH shares that one can safely consume up to 8 cups daily. If you ingest more, its caffeine and tannins could trigger symptoms like anxiety, tremors, nausea, irregular heartbeat, irritability, and sleeping issues.
In addition, green tea may interact with medications that harm the liver and can decrease the potency of the following medicines, to name a few:
- Adenosine — used to treat specific types of irregular heartbeat
- Anticoagulants/antiplatelets — used to slow blood clotting
- Atorvastatin — used for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases
- Birth control (contraceptives)
- Nadolol — used in the treatment of hypertension
- Warfarin — used to treat blood clots
Additionally, its high polyphenol content can also interact with antibiotics, clozapine, cimetidine, disulfiram, estrogens, fluvoxamine, and lithium by affecting how the body breaks down caffeine. You must also steer clear of it — or at least leave a 1-hour gap between your meal and your brew— if you have iron-deficiency anemia.
Green Tea Takeaway
Now that you’re familiar with green tea drinking benefits, you may want to consider incorporating it into your diet to keep yourself fit and fine. If you’re on any medications, however, check with your doctor to ensure that there are no adverse effects.