Description
Green tea is an incredibly healthy tea originating from China and Japan. Green tea is derived from Camellia Sinensis leaves and flowers.
How to Do It
Add your green tea leaves or bag into a cup of hot water and wait 2 minutes.
There are a variety of green tea flavors you can try. At your local health store, you’ll find green tea infused with ginger, blueberries, as well as other fruits and herbs. You can also buy other variations of green tea such as matcha powder, which is a concentrated version of green tea.
Benefits
- Fat loss
- Increased energy
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Antioxidants
- Reduced appetite
- Improved brain health
Time Commitment
2 minutes to prepare
Why it works
Green tea helps increase your energy levels due to the caffeine it contains.
Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, inhibits the production of adenosine (which makes us sleepy) and increases a range of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine (1, 2).
Green tea helps to calm and relax your body. Inside green tea is an amino acid called L-theanine which is responsible for calming effects green tea has. According to research, L-theanine helps to increase GABA, a neurotransmitter which decreases stress and anxiety levels (3).
One clinical trial looking at 240 people showed that green tea caused a decrease in body weight and belly fat, primarily due to the caffeine and catechins green tea contains (4).
A literature review of the health benefits of green tea concluded that the antioxidants in green tea may be able to help reduce the risk of cancer in humans (5).
A review looking into the antiobesity effects of green tea also showed that compounds in green tea can help modify the appetite and help aid with weight loss (6).
Suggested Frequency
The benefits of green tea far outweigh any risks, so drink it as you please. Keep in mind that green tea is relatively high in caffeine and so it’s best to avoid drinking large amounts of the beverage in the afternoon and evening.
Supporting Studies and Articles
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1356551
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1600-0773.1995.tb00111.x
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17182482
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1038/oby.2007.176
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2855614/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21115335
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1964900/
- https://europepmc.org/articles/pmc3735300#bib13
- https://press.endocrine.org/doi/full/10.1210/endo.141.3.7368
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4997392/
Side Effects
Green tea may cause an upset stomach when you drink it on an empty stomach or when it is consumed in excess (7).
Green tea may decrease testosterone, which is the primary male sex hormone.
An in-virto study showed that the green tea catechins (EGCG and EC) inhibited the production of testosterone (8). Other studies on rats have confirmed similar results (9). It's important to note that these results are not done on humans.
Although green tea doesn't have as much caffeine as coffee, it still has around one-third the amount in an average cup. Caffeine is associated with a decrease in sleep quality and so limiting green tea intake is recommended if you struggle to sleep (10).
Green tea is generally seen as being safe. However, as with any substance you consume, how green tea affects you will depend on your own physiology.
Caffeine may increase acidity in your stomach and cause stomach issues thus if you notice that you have an upset stomach it may be a good idea to cut back on caffeine.
Required Equipment
Green tea bag
Gurus/Celebrities/Doing it
Johnny Depp
Lady Gaga
Category Health/Productivity/Mood:
- Health
- Productivity
- Mood
Suggested Time of Day
Late morning or early afternoon. 11 am to 3pm.
Also may be good after meals.
Notes
- Green tea is a great alternative to coffee if you’re trying to decrease your caffeine intake, or if you’re sensitive to larger amounts of caffeine.
- Despite green tea helping with weight loss, it is by no means a replacement for a healthy diet and exercise program.
- Avoid adding sugar to your green tea.
- When brewing green tea mix it with water that is slightly cooler than boiling to mitigate any bitter taste and get the most benefits from the leaves.
