Plain old black tea, which we all take for granted, actually comes from the same plant (Camellia sinensis) as green tea, oolong and white tea, with the difference in color and taste coming from how the leaves are treated after picking.
All of these contain a level of caffeine and plenty of antioxidants, so they act as a pick-me-up and have a number of health benefits.
When it comes to health, however, the pick of the crop is green tea – there’s a reason the Chinese have been drinking it for thousands of years!
Here are a few ways you can benefit from a daily drop of green tea:
General wellbeing
Green tea is packed with powerful antioxidants, including flavonoids and catchins, which are great for hoovering up free radicals in your body. Free radicals are known to be involved in cell degeneration, leading to ageing and any number of ailments.
Weight loss
Improving your diet and getting plenty of exercise is essential when it comes to losing weight, but you can boost your chances by adding a cup or two of green tea to your routine. Green tea is known to increase metabolism, helping you burn off calories and fat more efficiently.
Relaxation
Whether it’s because it’s a nice warming drink or simply the ritual of taking a few minutes out to make it – a nice mug of tea is a great stress reliever. The low caffeine content of green tea means you can have a few cups a day and not suffer some of the unpleasant side-effects too much coffee or black tea can bring on.
Heart health
Heart disease is one of Northern Ireland’s biggest killers and is linked to excess cholesterol. Green tea helps control cholesterol levels, which can help lower the risk of heart disease among regular drinkers.
Dental health
Among the key antioxidants in green tea are catechins, which have been linked to killing bacteria and inhibiting the spread of viruses. It has been observed that green tea can help lower the rate of tooth decay and even helps stave off bad breath.
It also contains a number of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, potassium and calcium.
