Green Tea Benefits
The Green Tea benefits that come with consuming this traditional Asian tea are many. Most of the green tea benefits people seek revolve around a few properties that tea leaves inherently have which include :-
- Antioxidant Properties
- Weight Loss (Thermogenesis, Keeps fats from oxidizing)
- Lower Possibility Of Certain Cancers
- Improving Cholesterol Levels
This has made it a very popular drink especially in Asia due to the many green tea benefits. But lets look at the history of green tea. Almost all tea leaves come from a single plant species, Camellia Sinensis (Wiki). Chinese tea, white tea, black tea, yellow tea and green tea are all processed from Camellia Sinensis tea leaves. This genus of plants are native to South and East Asia which include countries like China, Japan, India and Korea.
Green tea refers to tea leaves that have undergone the least amount of oxidation during processing. As such, it retains most of its original composition even after processing. This is why they are so healthy as they still retain a good amount of flavonoids (Wiki) even after processing. White tea benefits are also similar as this type also doesn't go through much oxidation. By comparison, the tea that experiences the most amount of oxidation is black tea. Despite this, black tea is one of the most popular varieties of tea in the world.
They are the preferred version in certain regions of the world which include the Middle East, South Asia and some parts of Europe. While the cheapest teas in the world are undoubtedly very low grade black versions, high grade black teas can also cost quite a bit to purchase. The primary amine that is found within the flavonoid that gives it much of its health benefits are the catechins (Wiki). They are a type of plant based antioxidant that gives green tea most of its health properties.They are sometimes used in green tea diet and are commonly sold in the form of green tea tablets and green tea extract. Green tea originally came from China were it has been consumed for over four thousand years.
It has led a double life, being both a traditional medicine as well as refreshing beverage. Today, it is of great cultural importance particularly the region within and around China. Which is why it is a hugely popular beverage in Japan and Korea. In fact, it is the beverage of choice for all meals in those countries. Its cultural importance goes beyond just being a beverage however. It is a crucial element in what is known as the tea ceremony. And there are three distinct culturally ingrained tea ceremonies performed around the world. They are the Chinese, Japanese and Korean tea ceremonies.
It is also the beverage of choice for all sorts of social gatherings which include hosting visitors, relatives or simply a quick meet up with friends. Like most good things in life however, some people may experience a few side effects. As all green teas contain a good amount of caffeine, these side effects are caffeine based. As such, side effects include heart palpitations, tremors, loss of appetite and restlessness. Overall, green tea benefits are the primary reason why more and more people are consuming green tea around the world.
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