Green Tea Benefits
Note: Although PopTopics has evolved to focuse more on popular news topics, this old school PopTopic about Green Tea was a favorite so we kept it around. Enjoy!
Are there health benefits from drinking green tea?
You do not have to look too hard to find people who are willing to discuss benefits from drinking green tea. These discussions about the benefits of green tea tend to revolve around the following three facts:
- Green tea is made from the tea plant which is naturally high is various types of antioxidants.
- Green tea is processed in a manner that helps to retain this high concentration of naturally occurring antioxidants.
- Antioxidants are known to react with and neutralize free radicals.
Neutralizing free radicals is generally regarded as good since many experts believe that free radicals act to promote a wide range of health problems. However, it is important to note that some free radicals play important roles in our bodies such as with protecting us from viruses and bacteria. Therefore, elimination of all free radicals is perhaps not the ideal balance to strive for. Currently, lots of research is underway to further explore antioxidants and the potential health benefits of foods that contain them such as green tea.
Bold Claims About Green Tea Benefits
For what it is worth, the following is a list of the green tea benefits that some websites claim to be true: lowers cholesterol, promotes weight loss, reduces blood pressure, helps prevent heart disease, reduces risk of stroke, prevents cavities, slows aging, rejuvenates skin, helps digestion, boosts immune system, minimizes bad breath, reduces fatigue, etc. The only negative things I read about green tea are that it contains caffeine and fluoride. However, many quickly spin these facts into positives by stating that fluoride helps the teeth and that green tea typically has less than half the caffeine of coffee. Typically, these types of claims originate from sites that allow you to purchase green tea or buy green tea extract online.
Listen to the Experts
Many of the claimed benefits of green tea may prove to be true. However, I would definitely not believe all of the green tea hype you can read on the Internet. I give far more credence to what is written about green tea on authoritative websites such as N.C.I. and the A.C.S.
Concluding Remarks About Green Tea
Green tea is an inexpensive beverage that has been enjoyed by millions of people for thousands of years. Even though the official verdict is still not out, these individuals may have already received numerous green tea health benefits. Perhaps you will consider adding green tea to your diet.