The benefits of green tea

On the occasion of International Tea Day, Nutrimuscle explains the reasons for incorporating this drink into your daily diet. Both for health and in sport, green tea has many virtues.

Contents

• A global impact drink
• What is Green Tea?
• The health benefits of green tea
• The benefits of green tea for sports

A global impact drink

Second most consumed drink in the world behind water, tea is a drink that can be found in many countries, and has been for millennia. Imported from the East, it plays a considerable role in the economic development of certain populations while ensuring the sustainable use of ecosystems.

By 2027, tea production is expected to increase due to increased demand in Western countries. It is therefore essential to adapt to environmental standards in order to preserve the richness of the soil and tea crops.

What is Green Tea?

There are many varieties of tea: green, black, oolong, white, and rarer, yellow and purple.

Green tea is unfermented and unoxidized tea, unlike black tea. It contains a high rate of catechins (12%), powerful antioxidants with many benefits. It is also less rich in theine, the molecule that is also found in caffeine with stimulating effects.

In sport, green tea is used in particular to burn more fat, in the form of a drink or a food supplement. As a drink, it is important not to infuse green tea for more than two minutes at a temperature between 50 and 75°C. Infusing green tea with too hot water destroys vitamins and antioxidants.

The health benefits of green tea

Green tea has many health benefits. Among these :

Anti-cancer action: Studies have shown that regular intake of green tea reduces the risk of many cancers, including prostate cancer and breast cancer. The polyphenols present in green tea attack exclusively cancerous cells by producing an oxidative action in the mitochondria. Conversely, against healthy cells, polyphenols have a protective effect by preventing attacks by free radicals.

Polyphenols also block the proliferation of blood vessels that supply cancer cells. In this way, cancer cells can no longer feed and die, for lack of nutrients.

In prevention or in addition to medication, tea reduces the number of cancer cells. The latter is to be consumed in addition to a healthy and balanced diet and by eliminating risk factors (tobacco, pollution, alcohol).

Rich in antioxidants: Among the antioxidants present in tea, we mainly find epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). This powerful antioxidant protects cells from free radical-induced oxidation. To benefit from the best possible assimilation of these antioxidants, it is recommended to consume green tea on an empty stomach.

Green tea for sports

Recommended for athletes, green tea also has many benefits in the world of sport.

Slimming effects

Green tea has slimming properties. It is therefore ideal to integrate as part of a weight loss or dry period.

The catechins present in green tea stimulate thermogenesis, which has the effect of burning calories by increasing body temperature. In addition, green tea accelerates fat oxidation and reduces the secretion of insulin, a hormone that promotes weight gain. Finally, it prevents fat cells from growing and destroys them.

Green tea and sports activity synergy

Catechins allow fats to be used as fuel. This way more fat is burned during exercise.

A study has shown that calorie expenditure increases by 4% over 24 hours by taking green tea morning, noon and evening. Another study showed that over a period of 10 weeks at 584 mg of catechins per day, the energy contribution from fat increased by 6% in a population of athletic men.

In short, green tea has many virtues, both for health and for sport. It is strongly recommended to incorporate it into a healthy and varied diet in order to benefit from its effects. Its cultivation is valuable in many parts of the world, so it is important to preserve the environment to preserve the nutrients of the tea for the long term.