The December holiday has come and gone, and while it was loads of fun, can your body say the same? Need a little fixer-upper or perhaps a little detox? Then it’s time for you to start drinking some green tea! You’ll be surprised by all the good it can do, especially after your holiday. Don’t believe us? Well, here are 5 good reasons why this beverage should become a daily one for you.
- It prevents cholesterol build-up in arteries and helps prevent cardiovascular disease. According to research in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, a component in green tea called EGCG helps prevent fat build-up in the arteries.
- Research in the Archives of Oral Biology confirms that green tea has an antibacterial effect on harmful dental bacteria. Drink a cup without adding honey after lunch and you’re getting the effect of a mouth-wash, which is not a bad thing.
- The EGCG in green tea improves insulin use in the body, and this can prevent those blood sugar spikes and crashes that leave you tired, irritable, and craving unhealthy foods.
- Green tea may prevent skin damage and wrinkling. It seems that EGCG is a lot more powerful than vitamin E when it comes to destroying skin-damaging free radicals. Free radicals cause damage to healthy cells, so lessening their numbers may help reduce wrinkling and other signs of ageing.
- That potent antioxidant in green tea that fights free radicals doesn’t just have a positive effect on your skin cells. Free radicals are also being linked to other serious illnesses like diabetes, cancers and arthritis, so release that green tea ninja on them!
How to make green tea
The way to do it with loose tea is to add one or two teaspoons of green tea leaves to a cup of boiled water, preferably in a tea strainer, and let it steep for five minutes. Or you can just get tea bags in a range of flavours from your supermarket or health-store. Experts recommend three cups daily, and, best of all, it contains a lot less caffeine than coffee or black tea.
Source: Care2.com