The positive effects of green tea on the human body have been known for a long time. But not everyone knows why and how this happens. The thing is that it contains up to 300 chemical compounds. The most important of them are theine (tea caffeine), theophylline and theobromine.
In addition to these substances, the drink contains tannin, a tannin that helps improve the digestive process and normalize the gastrointestinal tract. Tannin also removes radioactive substances from the body and helps get rid of germs.
Also, the effect of green tea on the body is explained by the presence of catechins in it, i.e. substances with antimicrobial properties. From 16 to 25 percent of the volume of this useful product is occupied by proteins and amino acids. The nutritional effect of tea leaves on the body is so great that it is not inferior to legumes. Green tea contains 17 amino acids, from which it is necessary to isolate the glutamine amino acid, which has a positive effect on the nervous system.
How does green tea affect the human body?
The drink contains minerals, which include fluoride, which protects teeth from caries, phosphorus, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system, and iodine, which has an anti-sclerotic effect. Green tea also contains organic acids: malic, citric, succinic and oxalic, due to which the value of the product increases significantly.
It is an excellent remedy for relieving headaches, strengthening internal reserves and improving visual function. In addition, it affects the entire body, increasing its adaptive functions and resistance to various diseases.
Green tea has many beneficial properties. It relieves fatigue, gives strength and makes us more efficient. The drink contains caffeine, which acts complexly together with other alkaloids, which makes the effect of tea on the body long and mild.
This product enhances the excitatory processes of the nervous system, dilates blood vessels and saturates them with oxygen. A person who drinks green tea increases resistance to infections and stress, he remembers and assimilates new information faster.
Tea leaves are useful for respiratory diseases: bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia. Green tea acts in such a way that it relieves fever, dilates the airways, enhances lung ventilation, sweating and urination.
In addition to these properties, this drink has a warming and disinfecting effect on the nasopharynx. Rinsing the nose with warm tea leaves for rhinitis and gargling for sore throats and tonsillitis is very effective. If you have a high temperature, never drink hot tea, as it puts stress on your heart and kidneys. If you are hypothermic, green tea with honey will help prevent a cold.
The best thirst-quenching drink during hot weather is also green tea, due to its unique property of removing more heat from the body during evaporation than it contains.
The effect of this drink on blood vessels has long been known. It expands them, lowering blood pressure at this time. Thanks to research by Japanese scientists, it became known that with regular consumption of green tea, patients with hypertension feel much better due to the fact that this product reduces blood pressure in the vessels by 10-20 percent.
To enhance the effect, drink the drink together with ascorbic acid. Tea leaves have a healing effect on the body of any person. It has a beneficial effect on the heart and strengthens the walls of capillaries and blood vessels.
One cannot ignore the fact that green tea prevents the deposit of fats and lipids and even helps get rid of existing fat deposits. The drink contains a lot of iron and potassium salts, and this helps normalize the function of the heart muscle. The activity of the spleen and liver is activated due to the catechins contained in tea. This is what makes this product so beneficial for stroke survivors.
Green tea is an excellent antiseptic and antibactericidal agent. It contains a large amount of tannins, which suppress the processes of decay in the intestines, neutralize toxins and destroy pathogenic bacteria. You need to choose high quality tea, since the effectiveness of its properties depends on this. A too strong drink is not recommended for people suffering from gastritis or ulcers, since in this case the acidity of gastric juice may increase. Also, you should not use it without measure, so as not to lose calcium.
With all this, green tea is included in the list of the healthiest products, so it should be included in the daily diet of every person who monitors their health and wants to prolong their youth!
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Green tea is recognized as the first of 10 foods that promote health and longevity. Minimal processing of this type of tea preserves most of the vitamins, minerals and other bioactive substances that affect all organs and systems of the human body.
The ability of tea to strengthen the immune system, relieve cerebral vascular spasms, activate the heart, improve sleep, strengthen the nervous system, relieve depression, increase sexual energy and fight excess weight has been scientifically proven. The mechanisms of the anti-cancer and anti-radiation effects of tea remain unexplored, but the benefits of tea in these cases are undoubted. It is possible that tea helps prevent cancer by purifying the blood and strengthening the immune system. The anti-radiation effect of green tea is eloquently demonstrated by the fact that residents of Hiroshima, who regularly drink several cups of green tea a day, not only survived the explosion, but also improved their condition. Japanese green tea has the ability to absorb and remove strontium-90 from the body, even if it has managed to be deposited in bone tissue. By the way, a modern person, surrounded by radiation from a computer, TV and other devices and inhaling city air, simply needs regular consumption of green tea, which has such valuable properties.
In addition to normalizing the functioning of the body, green tea is also a powerful spiritual stimulant. This is why green tea and oolong tea are used in the Chinese and Japanese tea ceremony. During the ceremony, tea promotes maximum concentration and openness to new ideas. There are often cases when, over a cup of tea, an understanding of a problem comes and a completely non-standard solution to it. High-quality tea is a mild psychostimulant that regulates mental processes without causing harm to the body. With regular consumption of green tea, vision sharpens and the susceptibility of the nervous system increases, reaction speed increases, the thinking process accelerates, the ability to concentrate for a long time increases and creative activity is stimulated.
Tea makes us resistant to stress and helps improve mood during depression. All this can also be explained by cleansing the blood of toxins, but it is much more pleasant to realize that together with tea we are pouring into ourselves a mysterious, magical essence. Tea connoisseurs note that conversations over tea are different from everyday conversations and reveal the best side of the interlocutor. However, only fresh and properly prepared tea has such wonderful properties.
Despite the fact that tea packages indicate a shelf life of one to three years, three-year-old tea is much inferior in taste and beneficial properties to fresh tea. When buying tea, you should make it a rule to look at the production date. The information on the packaging will help you avoid another problem - flavorings. The very fact that “natural-identical flavorings” had to be added to green tea makes one wonder about its quality (or age). Even if the tea contains additives such as jasmine, hibiscus, chrysanthemum, pieces of fruit, lemon zest and other beautiful things, it is better to check the information on the packaging. Perhaps these additives only cover up the use of flavorings.
One should not assume that green tea is a new and unusual product for Russia. Green tea was popular in Russia long before Europe learned about it. Only in the 19th century, following the English fashion, did Russians switch to black tea en masse. The love for black tea and the established traditions of preparing it “in Russian” often make it difficult to realize the fact that black tea is made from the same tea leaves as green tea, but undergoes additional processing, which makes it less healthy.
The most common mistake when brewing green tea is using the “traditional Russian method,” in which the tea is prepared in advance in a large teapot, infused for a long time, diluted with boiling water to taste and flavored with sugar. The taste of black tea is difficult to spoil by improper preparation, so this economical method seems to many to be the only correct one. Green tea is smoother and richer. It requires special attention. It is not surprising that green tea has so few admirers in Russia - it is quite difficult to enjoy the bitter liquid of a cloudy yellow color with a pungent odor... In addition, with this method of brewing, tea loses all its beneficial properties and even acquires harmful ones. It is completely pointless to force yourself to drink improperly prepared tea in order to lose excess weight.
To enjoy green tea, you need soft water without any foreign odors. Under no circumstances should you bring water to a boil, even when brewing black tea. Green tea is much finer than black tea, and too hot water will destroy its taste, aroma and beneficial properties. 80-85C is the ideal water temperature for green teas. It is best to infuse tea in a small clay teapot. It is difficult to make recommendations on the number of tea leaves and steeping time because it depends on the type of tea and when it was picked, the softness of the water and personal preference. To begin with, you can brew one teaspoon of tea per 100 ml of water; if the taste is not bright enough, next time increase the dose.
The taste properties of each tea are determined experimentally. It takes a lot of experience and special knowledge to prepare unfamiliar tea correctly the first time. The only thing to remember when preparing green tea is that its infusion time should not exceed 10 seconds. (Of course, you can follow the package directions and brew for 3-4 minutes, but who likes the results?) Many green teas become bitter even when steeped for 3-4 seconds. Diluting tea with water negates its beneficial properties. Adding sugar equates tea to compote, which in itself is not bad, but makes no sense, especially if the tea is expensive. High-quality teas can withstand up to 15 repeated brews. This is why the teapot should be small.
With all its advantages, tea also has contraindications: excessive sensitivity to caffeine and caffeine addiction. Sensitivity to caffeine can be individual, which is very rare, and situational: with exacerbation of a stomach ulcer, hypertension, kidney disease, glaucoma, psychasthenia and any diseases accompanied by high fever. If you have a cold, you should drink weak green tea. Green tea in large quantities is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, but several cups of high-quality tea per day will be beneficial. Young children are very sensitive to tea. Children under 10-12 years old should not indulge in strong tea, but a weak infusion of green tea will provide the child’s body with vitamins and other beneficial substances.
It was known for its healing properties more than 4000 years ago. This tea comes from the same tea leaves as other types of tea, which differ in the way they are processed. Green tea is not fermented, which allows it to retain maximum nutrients. This type of tea has a rich history, shrouded in legends.
Green tea: what legends and history talk about
The story goes back to distant China. Tea began to be cultivated there even before our era. The Classic Book of Plants of the Divine Husbandman, written more than 2,500 years ago, tells the story of the Yellow Emperor as a healer. Research on various plants led him to poisoning. Leaves brewed in a vessel helped him remove toxins and avoid death.
Another legend tells about Bodhidharma, the founder of the Chan teachings. During his nine-year sitting meditation in the Shaolin Temple, he tore out his eyelids, which closed against his will, and wonderful tea bushes grew from them. Green tea leaves have since been used by monks to combat sleep.
In China, tea began to be used as a medicine. There were special officials responsible for the storage of tea and its consumption in the emperor's palace. Ordinary people could also be treated with tea; tea bushes grew in many provinces.
During the Tang Dynasty, it began to be used as a drink, and tea drinking became a kind of philosophy. Tea trees began to be grown in Buddhist temples, and important visitors to the temples were treated to a tasty drink. Lu Yu created the famous tea ceremony by researching tea. He wrote about the culture of drinking the drink in The Canon of Tea.
Features of green tea production
The technological chain of green tea production is designed in such a way that all beneficial substances are preserved in an active state. After picking, the tea leaves are left in the open air to dry. The leaves become wilted and soft, after which they are dried with hot air. This drying prevents the leaves from oxidizing. Tea leaves are rolled in a variety of ways to produce green tea with a unique appearance.
Tea leaves can have different appearances:
- Strongly twisted along the transverse axis. This type of tea is called pearl tea in China. The tea is marked with the Gunpowder symbol, which means gunpowder. It actually resembles balls or peculiar scales.
- Loosely twisted. The tea leaves of this tea are practically not twisted, the tea looks like whole leaf tea.
- Strongly twisted along the longitudinal axis. The tea looks like twisted spiral sticks. A striking example of this type of tea is the subspecies of elite gyekuro tea.
The process of twisting tea leaves increases the shelf life of the tea leaves, preserving its best properties, and allows you to regulate the process of extracting essential oils during brewing. Which type is better? Strongly twisted tea leaves produce a richer, stronger green tea. The leaves of elite green tea varieties are rolled by hand. High-quality tea has a natural green tint; darkening of the leaves is considered a defect.
The main producers of tea are Japan and China, although green tea is also grown in India, Ceylon, and Kenya. Zhejian Province is the largest producer of average quality tea, while Fujian Province produces higher quality tea. Elite tea is grown in Japan in the province of Uji.
Composition of green tea
- Tannins. These substances occupy more than one third of the composition of tea. They include various compounds of polyphenols, tannin, and catechins. High-grade green tea is rich in tannin, the amount is 2 times higher than the tannin content in black tea. When combined with caffeine, it forms caffeine tannate, which helps stimulate the nervous system.
- Alkaloids: caffeine, theophylline, theobromine. Green tea contains 1 to 4% caffeine, which is more than coffee. The amount of caffeine depends on the growing conditions of the tea, the size of the tea leaves, the processing method, and the brewing temperature.
- Vitamins. Vitamin C contained in tea helps improve immunity. The carotene content exceeds the amount of vitamin A in carrots. This vitamin is good for vision. Green tea contains all B vitamins. They help fight viruses, regulate the body's carbohydrate balance, reduce cholesterol, and have an antioxidant effect on the body.
- Minerals and trace elements. These are iron, fluorine, potassium, sodium, gold, magnesium, calcium. The leaves contain a sufficient amount of essential oils, some of which are lost during processing.
- Enzymes and amino acids. Japanese green tea varieties are rich in the best protein composition. When drinking tea without sugar, you don't have to worry about extra pounds. Green tea has no calories.
Benefits of green tea
The benefits are due to their rich chemical composition.
Tea is an excellent energy stimulant. This is a drink of good mood, well-being, vigor and health. Regular consumption of green tea prevents the occurrence of chronic diseases, has a beneficial effect on the immune system, and helps destroy bacteria. Green tea has antimicrobial, antiviral and antibacterial properties.
Scientists from Japan believe that green tea has unique properties that can actively fight cancer. It is included in the diet of cancer patients because it supports the immune system and removes carcinogens from the body. Green tea is able to remove salts of heavy metals - the dangerous radioactive isotope strontium-90, mercury, lead, zinc and cadmium. It neutralizes the negative effects of any radiation. This one is for those who spend a lot of time on electronic devices.
Green tea is a drink of longevity and youth. It regulates metabolism and blood sugar levels. Tea extract is actively used in cosmetology, as it improves complexion, slows down the aging of the body, and is an excellent antioxidant. Rinsing oily hair with a decoction of tea leaves improves their condition. Masks made from brewed green tea are effective; ice cubes made from a strong infusion tone and refresh the skin.
A cup of green tea can relieve headaches and cope with stress. For an exhausted nervous system, this is a real find, tasty and without chemicals. Drinking green tea will also help to activate the brain, and green tea is also useful for concentrating.
For poor digestion, indigestion, poisoning, green tea will help. Its properties destroy pathogenic microbes in the stomach, enhance the motility of the digestive tract, and remove toxins from the body. Strong tea taken after meals four times a day helps with painful colitis. In case of drug poisoning, you should drink a cup of green tea with sugar and milk.
Green tea affects the walls of blood vessels, making them more elastic, preventing the formation of blood clots. Doctors recommend tea for the prevention of heart disease and atherosclerosis. Dutch scientists conducted a series of studies showing that people who drank four cups of green tea a day avoided heart attacks. In the initial stage of hypertension, a tea drink reduces blood pressure by 10-20 units.
Strong green tea helps with eye inflammation to relieve tension and fatigue. Proven benefits for sore throat, laryngitis, pharyngitis. For rhinitis, it is useful to rinse the sinuses with a decoction of green tea. In dentistry, tea is recommended for the prevention of caries as a mouth rinse.
Green tea is consumed to prevent the formation of stones in the kidneys and liver, and to activate the functioning of the spleen and liver.
Green tea: contraindications
The benefits of green tea have been proven, but you should still not abuse it.
- It is not recommended for older people due to the fact that tea can trigger negative processes in the joints. This is dangerous for rheumatoid arthritis and gout.
- Large amounts of tea have a bad effect on diseased kidneys. Tea increases acidity, so you should not drink it if gastritis or stomach ulcers worsen.
- Due to the increased stress on the kidneys, green tea is not recommended at high temperatures.
- A dangerous load awaits the kidneys if you combine alcohol and green tea.
- The presence of caffeine makes green tea harmful for hypertensive patients, people who suffer from changes in blood pressure.
- Tea is contraindicated for thyroid diseases.
- You should not drink stale or low-quality tea.
- You should not drink tea very hot and strong, so as not to provoke a headache and burn your internal organs.
- Women during lactation should be careful when drinking green tea; caffeine can have an stimulating effect on the child and impair his sleep.
The best varieties of green tea
There are hundreds of varieties of green tea. Depending on the country of growth, time of collection, processing process, they differ in appearance, taste and aroma. Chinese, Japanese, Georgian and Ceylon varieties are recognized as the best all over the world.
When choosing the best green tea, you need to pay special attention to its brewing. Using soft water at a certain temperature and good tea will allow you to get a high-quality, tasty and healthy drink. Green tea can deliver indescribable pleasure, produce a beneficial effect, and allow you to heal and rejuvenate the body. Regular consumption of tea is the key to longevity, beauty and youth.
Today there is a lot of information about the benefits of green tea, but can you trust it? Indeed, the fact that this drink helps to cope with many diseases was known back in ancient times. For centuries it has been used as a preventive and medicinal product, and modern doctors have only confirmed its properties. Let's try to figure out in what cases it is worth drinking green tea.
The chemical composition of this drink is very rich. About a third of it is occupied by valuable tannins, which are various compounds of tannin, catechins, polyphenols, etc. High-grade green tea contains twice as much tannin as black tea. The chemical combination of this substance with caffeine has a stimulating effect and affects the functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems.
This tea is also rich in alkaloids - for example, it contains more caffeine than natural coffee - 1-4%, there is also theobromine and theophylline.
Basic chemical indicators of green and black tea The drink also contains protein substances – amino acids and enzymes. Most of them are found in green tea from Japan.
It also contains a lot of vitamins. Green tea leaves contain more vitamin P than citrus fruits, and there is also a lot of vitamin C. They enhance each other’s effects, help strengthen the immune system and protect the body’s cells from destruction. In addition, this tea contains six times more carotene (vitamin A) than carrots, and it helps remove free radicals and improves vision.
Excessive consumption of green tea can lead to loss of energy, nausea and increased blood pressure.
The drink is very rich in B vitamins: vitamin B1, which regulates carbohydrate balance in the body, B2, which strengthens hair, nails and immunity, B3, which cleanses the blood of cholesterol. It also contains vitamin E, an antioxidant that strengthens cell membranes.
Of the trace elements and minerals found in green tea, calcium, fluorine, iron, iodine, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, gold, and sodium are found. It also contains valuable essential oils, which, unfortunately, are often lost during processing.
Benefits of green tea (Video)
The extremely rich composition of green tea allows you to use it for a variety of diseases or drink it for prevention. This drink is an excellent stimulant for the nervous, cardiovascular and immune systems. If you use it regularly, you may notice that over time you will begin to get sick less. This is explained not only by the stimulation of the body’s defenses, but also by the drink’s own antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activity.
Green tea helps cleanse the body of carcinogens. It removes heavy metals from the body and, according to some studies, even fights cancer. To some extent, this drink can even neutralize the harmful effects of various radiations, which will be useful for those who spend a lot of time at the computer or in front of the TV screen. True, there is no scientific confirmation of this fact yet.
Very often people are confused about what effect green tea has - invigorating or calming. It depends on the infusion time. If the tea is brewed for more than 2-4 minutes, it turns out to be invigorating, if it takes 5, it becomes calming, and after 6, it is simply a pleasant and healthy drink.
There are studies that confirm that green tea can activate the whole body, treat endocrine diseases and normalize digestion, improve skin and hair. Let's try to figure out if this is so.
Green tea for skin and hair
Due to its antioxidant and antibacterial properties, green tea is widely used in cosmetology. Of course, when preparing cosmetics, it is not the drink that is used, but the leaves of the plant. But at home you can also use regular tea leaves. Even simply drinking the drink can significantly improve the condition of your skin, but if you freeze it and wipe your face with a piece of ice in the morning, this will help achieve amazing results. For oily skin, you can add a little lemon juice to this ice.
Green tea can be used to make effective face and hair masks. If your face suffers from dryness, then you should not overcool it; a mask made from warm tea leaves will do. After it, the skin should be thickly lubricated with a rich cream. This mask helps get rid of spider veins and rejuvenate the skin.
Drinking green tea in a bathhouse is very beneficial for the skin.. It helps expand skin pores and increase sweating. Thus, the skin is deeply cleansed and acquires a fresh, healthy color. In addition, after this procedure, the walls of blood vessels are strengthened and small pimples disappear.
For digestive health
Green tea is an excellent means of detoxifying the body, so it is recommended for food poisoning. The strongly brewed drink has antibacterial properties, so it helps destroy pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract. It can also improve the condition of a patient with dysbiosis.
You can add fruits and herbs to green tea Those who have digestive problems should definitely drink green tea. Tannin helps normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, it enhances the motility of the digestive tract and intestinal tone. If you drink tea after every meal, you will soon notice improvements in your well-being.
Green tea should not be consumed at the same time as alcohol. This can lead to kidney problems, swelling and pain in the bladder.
You should avoid this drink in case of exacerbations of gastric diseases - for example, gastritis and ulcers. But even if at the moment the illness does not cause discomfort, it is better to drink weakly brewed tea.
For the cardiovascular system
We have already said that green tea makes the walls of blood vessels more elastic. This allows you to prevent their ruptures and internal hemorrhages. In addition, the polyphenols contained in the drink prevent the formation of blood clots. Its ability to lower cholesterol has long been known. This helps prevent atherosclerosis and some heart and vascular diseases.
High-quality green tea can even help prevent heart attacks Green tea helps prevent heart attack. This was stated by Dutch scientists who noticed that people who drink 4 glasses of this drink daily and eat one apple or one onion suffered from this disease half as often as others. Such conclusions were made after a detailed analysis of the eating habits of a fairly large group of elderly people.
The caffeine contained in the drink can be addictive, so you should not abuse tea.
It is also worth remembering the benefits of green tea in the initial stages of hypertension. Doctors from Japan claim that long-term use of this drink can lower blood pressure by 10-12 units.
Green tea for weight loss
Due to its ability to normalize digestion and activate the gastrointestinal tract, this drink can be used as a means of promoting weight loss. Of course, this does not mean that you can continue to overeat, and tea will solve all problems. But if you start eating right and drinking at least three cups a day, the results won’t take long to arrive.
Drinking green tea helps you lose weight In order for the effect to be maximum, it is necessary to give up too sweet, salty and fatty foods, and also increase physical activity. In this case, tea can be drunk both hot and cold. You can add ice cubes and lemon to the cooled tea, as well as decoctions of herbs such as lemon balm, mint, oregano, and chamomile. They will make tea not only more tasty and aromatic, but will also have a beneficial effect on digestion.
Benefits for the liver
Green tea is very useful for people suffering from liver disorders and bile flow disorders. It is especially effective for cholelithiasis. If you consume several cups of it a day, you can quietly get rid of sand, and even small stones can come out without serious consequences. This drink is also useful for those who suffer from bile stagnation.
Catechins in green tea protect the liver There are also studies that confirm that systematic consumption of green tea helps protect the liver from the harmful effects of alcohol and tobacco. This information cannot be considered completely reliable, but a couple of cups of tea will definitely not hurt people who smoke and like to drink.
You can add milk to green tea - this will give it a new taste and aroma and make it more nutritious.
Benefits of tea for teeth
Today it is definitely established that green tea helps to improve the health of teeth and gums. The substance responsible for this is catechin, which can even reduce the symptoms of periodontitis and other diseases. Regular consumption of this drink allows you to get rid of bleeding gums and generally make them stronger. And the antibacterial properties of tea help prevent the development of caries. It should be noted that improvement in oral health was recorded even in smoking patients.
Frequent consumption of green tea has a beneficial effect on dental health Separately, we need to consider the property of green tea to whiten teeth. This is due to the high fluoride content in it. Of course, your teeth will not become perfectly white immediately after drinking the drink, but if you drink it regularly and use it to rinse your mouth, you will definitely get results.
In addition, green tea helps get rid of bad breath, which often causes a lot of problems for patients and causes them to visit the dentist.
If you have any difficulties or problems, you can contact a certified specialist who will definitely help!
To the sacramental question “To drink or not to drink green tea?” each of us has our own answer. For some, green tea is a real medicine, for others it is a useless, tasteless drink - just a tribute to fashion. The benefits and harms of green tea have been elucidated since its appearance in Ancient China. These disputes continue to this day. Let's try to finally figure it out.
Green tea is one of the most popular and favorite drinks in the world. Hundreds of years have passed since the ancient Chinese first poured boiling water over the leaves of the camellia tea bush. The love for green tea, having crossed the Great Wall of China, spread throughout the world. Today, millions of people drink it in colossal quantities. Green tea is used in pharmaceuticals, medicine, and cosmetology. Therefore, it is so important to know: what is more beneficial or harmful in this drink?
Composition of green tea
The tea plant has amazing properties. It is capable of absorbing from the soil and synthesizing various substances that are beneficial to humans. The chemical composition of fresh tea leaves and tea leaves prepared from it are far from the same. In dry tea leaves it is much more complex and varied.
Let's dive into the exact science of chemistry for a moment and try to talk about the benefits and harms of green tea at its respected level. Let's discuss the components of tea leaves and their effect on the human body.
Perhaps the main components of tea infusion are tannins. Among them, we highlight tannin. This is what gives green tea its wonderful taste.
The magnificent palette of essential oils included in the tea creates a unique bouquet of aromas for each variety. The quality of teas depends on essential oils.
One of the most attractive components of green tea is the invigorating alkaloid caffeine, also called theine. It is also found in coffee. But tea caffeine does not work like coffee caffeine. Its effect is softer, it has a gentler effect on the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Tea caffeine has an important property: it does not accumulate in the body. Therefore, the likelihood of poisoning by it is practically excluded. Although green tea contains more caffeine than coffee.
Caffeine, essential oils, and green tea tannins, acting together, help reduce the risk of tumors, prevent cell mutations and active oxidative processes. This means they work to preserve our health.
It seems incredible, but green tea is not inferior in nutritional value to legumes! This is due to the protein content in it. Japanese teas are especially rich in protein compounds.
Nature has not deprived green tea of beneficial amino acids. The most important function of which is the normalization of metabolic processes. Amino acids help restore the exhausted nervous system. Figuratively speaking, it restores those very nerve cells that are not restored. Another important property of tea amino acids is lowering blood pressure, but there are nuances here. In order for them to work, the tea should not be drunk too hot.
There are also plenty of vitamins in green tea. It is superior in vitamin P content to oranges and lemons. Vitamin P enhances the effect of vitamin C, which is also found in tea. And, speaking as a united front, R + C seriously increase resistance to colds, relieve tension and fatigue.
Green gulls are rich in vitamins B, PP, provitamin A or carotene (long live healthy hair!). A well-known fighter against the aging process of our body, the honored antioxidant vitamin E has also found its place in the chemical composition of the tea drink. Green tea contains magnesium, manganese, sodium, potassium, fluorine, iodine, and copper. Even gold! But they cannot be found in dry tea; these elements pass into the tea solution only during brewing.
There is another small group of chemical components in tea. These are resinous substances. Their role has not yet been fully studied, but it is quite obvious that they act as carriers of tea aroma. And to an even greater extent - as its clamps.
What remains a mystery is the exceptional ability of tea, when brewed, to release only useful substances into the infusion, while leaving useless substances undissolved. Tea prepared according to all the rules from high-quality infusion material is a unique concentration of the most valuable dietary, medicinal and flavoring substances.
Rules for brewing green tea
To get a truly high-quality and healthy drink, you need to know how to brew green tea correctly. There are classic brewing rules, following which all the properties of green tea will be revealed to you.
Let's remember them step by step:
- take a warm, dry teapot (clay, porcelain, glass);
- pour the tea leaves at the rate of 1.5 - 2 teaspoons per 200 ml of water;
- if loose leaf tea is used for brewing, the spoon is filled with the top, if broken tea is filled without the top;
- the kettle is not filled with water to the very top, you should always leave at least one centimeter;
- do not brew green tea with boiling water, the water should be no more than 70 - 80 degrees;
- It is better to brew especially exquisite green teas with water at an even lower temperature, but for a longer time;
- after brewing, cover the kettle with a napkin, closing the spout of the kettle - this way we will preserve the aroma of the drink and prevent volatile essential oils from evaporating;
- wait from 3 to 7 minutes and pour the divine drink into cups!
Green teas can withstand more than one brew, so don’t rush to finish the ceremony. Brewing tea is a creative process, and the taste of the tea drink necessarily depends on the person who brews it. If tea is prepared with love for tea, with knowledge of the intricacies of the process and respect for you, then the benefits of green tea will increase many times over.
What are the benefits of green tea?
If we recall the “chemical” component of green tea, which we examined, then the beneficial properties of green tea will not be in doubt. But there is also something else...
Green tea is a good helper in the fight for a slim figure. It prevents the occurrence of diseases associated with metabolic disorders in the body. The tannin contained in tea activates the gastrointestinal tract and facilitates the digestion process. Wash down fatty foods with green tea and you will avoid the feeling of heaviness in your stomach.
Green tea pectins can break down fats. They will not be deposited on your waist and on the walls of blood vessels. The level of “bad” cholesterol in the blood will decrease, and, consequently, the risk of developing atherosclerosis.
Green tea will help with poisoning; it can even defeat intestinal infections. Thanks to its adsorbing ability, tea infusion removes harmful substances from the body. The diuretic effect of tea cleanses the kidneys of toxins and harmful salts. The likelihood of developing kidney and bladder stones is reduced.
Harmful factors follow us everywhere. This is radiation, solar radiation, exposure to televisions, cell phones, ecology, bad heredity...
So, according to recent studies, with regular consumption of tea, the risk of breast cancer in women is reduced by 90%, and other cancers by 60%!
Green tea helps you think. Because it dilates the blood vessels of the brain, improves its blood supply and oxygen supply. This process will significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
There is also an aesthetic side to the tea ceremony. Real green tea exhibits the “four tea jewels”: tenderness and three “freshnesses” - color, aroma, taste. Absolutely all the benefits of green tea on the human body cannot be listed! They have not all been studied. Tea has a complex effect on us. It has a beneficial effect on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, increases efficiency and vitality.
What harm can green tea cause?
But every barrel of honey, even the biggest one, has its own fly in the ointment. The benefits and harms of green tea are difficult to compare. In this comparison, benefit wins by a large margin. But let’s still discuss the fly in the ointment.
The energizing caffeine that helps us fight fatigue and lethargy can be tricky. Its stimulating qualities can deprive you of sleep, make you irritable, and increase your heart rate. Your body may become accustomed to caffeine and you will need more and more. Moderation must be observed in everything, even in tea drinking.
It is not advisable to drink strong green tea if you have gastritis or stomach ulcers, so as not to provoke irritation of the mucous membranes and pain. It is also undesirable for people with kidney stones, as well as those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
Chinese wisdom says: “Stale tea is like poison!” If green tea is left to brew, it becomes especially dangerous for patients with gout, glaucoma and hypertension. This infusion increases the content of caffeine and purine compounds. Drink freshly brewed tea!
Some more tips to help avoid harm from drinking tea:
- Do not drink green tea on an empty stomach;
- do not drink green tea immediately before meals, this will reduce the taste of food;
- Do not drink it immediately after meals, so as not to slow down the functioning of the digestive system;
- do not drink tea that is too hot;
- do not drink iced tea;
- do not drink too strong tea;
- do not brew tea for too long so as not to reduce its quality;
- Don't take your medicine with tea!
Green tea is considered an excellent medicine for maintaining health. Take it right. Nature has created a real health laboratory in the tea leaf. Complex chemical processes take place both in fresh tea leaves and in each teacup lying among thousands of others on your kitchen shelf. Its composition changes continuously right up to the first sip of the tea infusion.
Let every cup of this magical drink work for good. We remember with gratitude the unknown Chinese who poured boiling water over a tea leaf for the first time. But neither he nor the other ancients even knew about the great properties of green tea that we know today. And how many more discoveries are ahead!
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