Your Expert Guide To Green Tea

What Is Green Tea?

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Green, black, white, and oolong teas are all derived from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What makes each of these teas different is how the leaves are processed.

When making black tea, leaves are harvested, mechanically broken down (torn or crushed), and allowed to wilt or oxidize. Green tea, on the other hand, is less oxidized and contains more catechins natural antioxidants than either black or oolong tea.

Most green tea leaves undergo heat treatment after harvesting, usually through a steaming or pan-frying process. This results in a smoother flavor and a lower caffeine content.

 

What Does Green Tea Do?

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With roots in traditional Chinese medicine, green tea has been said to have a number of positive effects, including giving you energy, promoting gastrointestinal health, and supporting healthy skin.

These health claims have led to a great deal of research into the benefits of green tea, and although not all of the claims have been fully proven, initial results are promising.

Still, green tea is primarily used as a stimulant, although it also has been shown to have antioxidant, diuretic, and fat-burning properties.

This has led to the development of a variety of supplements and extracts, with green tea appearing in everything from energy drinks to chewable vitamins. The most popular method of consumption, however, is still as a hot or cold beverage.

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Can Green Tea Help You Lose Weight?

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One of the often-touted benefits of green tea is enhanced fat oxidation, which leads to an overall reduction in body fat over time. However, it seems this effect is more noticeable in non-habitual caffeine users—people who do not use caffeine as often.

This study defined habitual caffeine users as those who consume greater than 300 milligrams of caffeine per day. This is about equal to one large coffee from your favorite coffee shop, two 16-ounce energy drinks, or two and a half cups of coffee brewed at home. Depending on what variety of tea you use, it could be as much as 6 cups of black tea (25-48 milligrams per cup), or even 10 cups green of tea (25-29 milligrams per cup) per day or more.

As long as your caffeine habit is less than this amount, you may see some additional weight-loss benefits by adding green tea, either in supplement or drink form, to your daily routine.

 

What Are The Other Health Benefits Of Green Tea?

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Green tea is an antioxidant powerhouse, and there is some research indicating that it can reduce the muscle damage that occurs with intense exercise.

One study found four weeks of supplementation with green tea extract led to higher antioxidant levels, as well as a blunted creatine kinase response to muscular endurance exercise—an indicator of muscle damage.

Also, high-dose supplemental EGCG ingestion—the catechin found in green tea—has been reported to decrease muscle soreness. This may mean quicker recovery over time, which could help those who engage in high-frequency training programs.

Drinking green tea has also been associated with markers of improved general health.

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