Health Benefits of Green Tea

By Paula Spencer Scott WebMD Feature Reviewed byDavid Kiefer, MD A cup of green tea is a good way to start your day !"t#s t$e $ealt$iest t$ing " can t$in% of to drin%,! says &$ristop$er 'c$ner, P$D (e is a researc$ scientist in nutrition at t$e "ca$n Sc$ool of Medicine at Mount Sinai !)reen tea is beyond a super food ! "n t$e past *+ years, t$ousands of studies $ave s$own green tea,s benefits Healthy cells W$y is green tea so good for you- !"t#s all about t$e catechin content,! says Bet$ Reardon, RD, a Boston nutritionist &atec$ins are antio.idants t$at fig$t and /ay even prevent cell da/age )reen tea is not processed /uc$ before it is poured in your cup, so it is ric$ in catec$ins Healthy heart )reen tea $as been s$own to i/prove blood flow and lower c$olesterol A *+01 review of /any studies found green tea $elped prevent a range of $eart2related issues, fro/ $ig$ blood pressure to congestive $eart failure Brain health W$at,s good for t$e $eart is usually good for t$e brain, and your brain needs $ealt$y blood vessels, too "n one Swiss study, MR"s revealed t$at people w$o dran% green tea $ad greater activity in t$e wor%ing2/e/ory area of t$eir brains )reen tea $as also been s$own to $elp bloc% t$e for/ation of pla3ues t$at are lin%ed to Al4$ei/er#s disease Diabetes )reen tea see/s to $elp %eep blood sugar stable in people wit$ diabetes Because catec$ins lower

c$olesterol and blood pressure, t$ey can protect against t$e da/age a $ig$2fat diet can cause, 'c$ner says Weight loss )reen tea can $elp increase and even c$ange your /etabolis/, so you burn /ore calories fro/ fat Studies s$ow t$at green tea can also $elp you %eep weig$t off once you,ve lost it "t#s also a s/art swap for sugary drin%s !All t$ings being e3ual, if you sub 02* cups of green tea for one can of soda, over t$e ne.t year you#d save over 5+,+++ calories,! says 'c$ner 6$at#s /ore t$an 05 pounds Cancer role Studies on green tea,s i/pact on cancer $ave been /i.ed But green tea is %nown to aid $ealt$y cells in all stages of growt$ 6$ere are so/e indications green tea /ay $elp destroy cancer cells Less stress Sipping tea $elps you slow down and rela., Reardon says An a/ino acid called t$eanine found in green tea can provide a cal/ing effect

For a healthy cuppa:

Don#t add green tea to boiling water 7ou#ll %ill $elpful catec$ins

Better8 09+20:+ degree F water

Add le/on ;ita/in & /a%es t$e $ealt$y co/pounds in green tea easier to absorb

Dairy /il%, on t$e ot$er $and, /a%es it $arder to absorb t$e catec$ins <evels of t$e $ealt$ful co/pounds in green tea can vary Rule of t$u/b8 Pricier teas usually $ave /ore, and canned green2tea drin%s $ave less

Ai/ for at least four cups a day, two wit$ caffeine and two wit$out =ven /ore t$an t$at see/s to $ave little

$ealt$ downside, ot$er t$an t$e possible effects of caffeine, 'c$ner says !6$ere could not be a /ore si/ple way to i/prove your $ealt$,! $e says