Green tea benefits and harms. Green tea Benefits of green tea
Green tea, like other types of tea, is obtained from tea bush(tea or camellia sinensis), which is a plant of the genus Camellia families Teahouses. From the name “Camellia sinensis” one can correctly conclude that the tea bush was first cultivated in China. From there it came to Japan, then the Dutch brought it to the island of Java, and the British brought it to the Himalayas. After this, tea spread to India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Indonesia, and South America.
The difference between green tea and its more popular black “brother” lies in the processing of the tea leaves. Let's talk in more detail about how green tea is obtained.
Green tea production technology
Green tea production technology consists of the following stages: fixation (steaming), curling, drying and sorting.
Fixing (steaming) is the treatment of tea leaves with steam at a temperature of 170-180 o C (Japanese method) or frying the tea leaves in braziers (hemispherical metal cauldrons), where it is heated to a temperature of 80-90 o C (Chinese method). The purpose of this stage is the inactivation (elimination of activity) of enzymes and associated chemical transformations. Thus, the main feature in the production of green tea is that they try to stop the fermentation process (oxidative reactions) in it, and not intensify it as in the case of black tea. Steaming or roasting makes the tea leaves elastic, making them easy to roll. After the moisture content of the tea leaves drops to approximately 60%, the rolling stage begins.
The purpose of twisting is to crush the leaf tissue, after which cell sap is released on its surface.
After the twisting stage, the raw material is sent to drying. There the tea acquires an olive green color, and its humidity does not exceed 5%. Drying is carried out with hot air at a temperature of 95-105 o C.
Sorting is the final stage of green tea production, which consists of grouping teas according to their uniform appearance (leaf tea or broken tea, tea leaf crumbs or seeding).
Important components of green tea
Alkaloids
Green tea has in its chemical composition caffeine, the content of which is higher than in natural coffee. The amount of caffeine directly depends on the correct tea production technology, as well as the initial growing conditions of the tea bush. Green tea also contains theobromine And theophylline.
Polyphenols
Up to 30% of the composition of green tea consists of polyphenols, in particular catechins, of which the greatest interest is Epigallocatechin gallate. This tea also contains tannin, the content of which is 2 times higher than in its black counterpart.
Vitamins and minerals
Green tea also contains vitamins (P, C, A, B1, B2, B3, E, etc.) and minerals (calcium, fluorine, iron, iodine, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, chromium, manganese, selenium, zinc, etc.).
Benefits of green tea
Green tea has undergone many scientific and medical studies, and to this day continues to arouse interest in its properties, as well as its effect on human health. The results of these studies often contradict each other, but in general the following can be said about green tea:
- Catechins contained in green tea are actively absorbed by the lens and retina of the eye, resulting in oxidative stress in the eyes(the process of cell damage due to oxidation) is reduced for up to 20 hours. Hong Kong scientists have concluded that green tea may be promising in preventing glaucoma.
- Research conducted in Slovenia has shown that green tea extract has antimicrobial activity.
- Epigallocatechin gallate helps protect brain cells. An experiment conducted at the Israeli University of Technology on mice showed that this type of catechin fights Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.
- Epigallocatechin gallate has been laboratory proven to inhibit the growth of cancer cells in prostate cancer. It is also combined with tamoxifen suppresses the development of breast cancer (in vivo experiment, i.e., on a living organism, was carried out on mice, in vitro experiment, i.e., in a test tube, on human cells).
- Green tea reduces the risk of developing memory and attention disorders by 2 times. The key to this effect, which has been confirmed in vivo in humans, may lie in the ability of epigallocatechin gallate to cross the blood-brain barrier.
- Green tea extract containing polyphenols and caffeine restores thermogenesis(heat generation by the body) and stimulates fat oxidation. As a result, the metabolic rate increases. The number of heartbeats remains the same. Due to these properties, the risk of developing heart disease when drinking green tea is reduced. And this was confirmed by in vivo experience in people who had acute myocardial infarction. When drinking green tea, the mortality rate among such people from a second heart attack decreased by almost 2 times.
- By itself, drinking green tea does not reduce cholesterol levels in the human body (although animal studies have shown the opposite). However, when added to green tea extract theaflavine(a pigment that gives dry tea leaves a characteristic shine) contained in black tea, cholesterol levels in the human body are reduced.
- Green tea improves human immunity and is also an energy stimulant (due to active fat oxidation).
- Systematic consumption of green tea leads to normalization of a person’s body weight.
- Containing a large amount of antioxidants, green tea extract prevents skin aging and protects it from ultraviolet radiation.
- Despite the lack of scientific evidence that green tea can reduce the risk of developing gastric diseases, as well as help with existing problems associated with them, traditional medicine uses this tea as a remedy for dysentery, for indigestion, and also attributes to it the ability to eliminate colitis.
- Science has not proven that green tea in any way affects respiratory diseases, but traditional medicine suggests that green tea can treat rhinitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis, stomatitis and conjunctivitis (in the form of rinses and rinses). The results of such treatment are unknown.
- As for dentistry, green tea contains fluoride, so rinsing your teeth and gums with green tea is a preventative against caries.
- Thanks to the same catechins that reduce oxidative processes in muscles, green tea helps keep body muscles toned.
- Green tea can reduce the risk of HIV infection. In addition, it is able to stop the development of the disease in the infected person. These studies are only in the early stages and they are all related to the same type of catechin, called epigallocatechin gallate.
- Green tea lowers systolic and diastolic blood pressure when brewed correctly.
Harm of green tea
Excessive consumption of green tea due to its high content of catechins can lead to liver disease. The daily intake of catechins is 500 mg. Many weight loss products are made based on green tea extract and contain more than 700 mg of catechins in a single dose, which poses a health hazard.
Also, excessive consumption of green tea can cause complications on the kidneys (green tea contains purines and their derivatives). In addition, since green tea somewhat complicates the process of removing uric acid from the body, it is contraindicated for people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and gout, as well as various diseases of the kidneys and gallbladder.
Green tea should not be consumed by people with increased nervous excitability.
Existing myths about green tea
- Green tea tones and calms. Green tea either tones or calms. If green tea is brewed for 1-2 minutes, it will lower blood pressure due to its minimal caffeine content. The water temperature should be 70-80 degrees. If you infuse green tea for 6-9 minutes, brewing it with water at 80-90 degrees, you will get a strong tonic drink that increases blood pressure.
- Green tea can be stored in a teapot for a day or more. In fact any tea must be drunk in 1 tea ceremony (in 1 sitting). Within a day, brewed tea will turn into poison, because... the minerals in its composition will be completely oxidized.
- It is harmful to drink green tea with milk. It is not true. Simply, when mixing tea with milk, the composition of the tea changes. Tannin forms chelate complexes with milk. In this case, the tea will simply become less tonic.
- Coffee and green tea contain equal amounts of caffeine. This is wrong. Green tea contains more caffeine than any type of coffee. This is partly due to the fact that a large amount of caffeine is lost during the processing of coffee beans.
- Green tea has hallucinogenic properties. This is pure fiction. Green tea can tone you up and can relax you. But it does not contain substances that can cause hallucinations.
Green tea has been known for its healing properties over 4,000 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.
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. The leaves of the tea bush, 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 has the form of twisted spiral-shaped 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 from 1 to 4% caffeine, this is... 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 teas 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 beneficial properties of green tea are due to its 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 stimulate 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 is beneficial for hypertensives, 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.
19/01/2020
Green tea is a miracle drink, a product known for its medicinal properties for more than 4,000 years. Perhaps the most mysterious and amazing of drinks.
Few people know that the source of green tea is the same tea bushes from which black, red, and yellow varieties of tea are obtained. The difference between them lies in the method of processing the leaves of the bush. Green tea is not subjected to fermentation and withering, which black tea necessarily goes through. Thanks to this, green tea retains maximum health benefits.
What exactly substances are we talking about? What is the chemical composition of green tea leaves? What are the benefits of green tea? We tried to answer these questions below, guided by the results of research by scientists from the world's leading universities and laboratories.
Chemical composition of green tea
Tannins
They occupy approximately a third of the composition of green tea. They are various compounds of tannin, polyphenols, catechins and their derivatives. Green tea contains approximately twice as much tannin as black tea. High-grade green tea is especially rich in this substance. The combination of tannin with caffeine forms caffeine tannate, it is the latter that stimulates the nervous and cardiovascular systems, causing rumors about the dangers of green tea.
Alkaloids
The amount of caffeine in green tea is about 1-4%. The figure even exceeds that of natural coffee. Its exact content depends on the size of the tea leaves (small leaves contain more caffeine), growing conditions, processing method, and temperature of the brewing water (hotter water increases the amount of caffeine in the cup). In addition to caffeine, green tea also contains other alkaloids such as theobromine and theophylline, which help dilate blood vessels.
Amino acids and enzymes
If we talk about the presence of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, then tea contains only protein substances such as amino acids and enzymes. Japanese varieties of green tea boast the best protein composition. Green tea is a low-calorie product, so you can drink it without worrying about gaining extra pounds. The calorie content of green tea without added sugar is close to zero; in extreme cases, it can be equal to ten calories in one cup.
In 100 g of product: proteins 20 g, fats 5.1 g, carbohydrates 4 g. Calorie content 141 kcal.
Vitamins
Green tea leaves contain four times more vitamin P than citrus fruits and large amounts of vitamin C. These vitamins are known to mutually enhance each other's healing properties. They help improve immunity and protect cells from destruction. In addition, green tea contains six times more provitamin A (carotene) than carrots. A carotene, is known to enhance the elimination of free radicals and is beneficial for vision.
B vitamins occupy an important place in green tea. Vitamin B1 regulates the body's carbohydrate balance. Vitamin B2 helps fight bacteria and viruses, strengthens nails and hair. Vitamin B3 enhances the production of red blood cells and reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood. Green tea is also rich in vitamin E, which strengthens cell membranes and has an antioxidant effect on the body. In addition, this vitamin has a positive effect on the human reproductive system.
Trace elements and minerals
We are talking about calcium, fluorine, iron, iodine, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, gold, sodium. Tea leaves also contain essential oils, although most of them are lost during processing. In their place come new compounds that make the drink especially tasty and aromatic. In addition, special green tea essential oil is produced from tea leaves, which is actively used for cosmetic and medicinal purposes.
Green tea is a real treasure trove of precious medicinal properties. It is no coincidence that the Chinese treat 400 people with it! diseases and is considered a natural miracle doctor.
What are the benefits of green tea?
The rich chemical composition of green tea determines its unique healing properties and allows us to give a detailed answer to the question of how green tea is beneficial.
Green tea - bio-, immuno-, energy stimulant
- Green tea - excellent biostimulant, vitamin and energy drink. This is an elixir of a cheerful, positive mood and good health.
- Periodic consumption of green tea has a positive effect on the immune system, prevents the occurrence of chronic diseases, and helps destroy bacteria.
- It has a powerful antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal effect, especially in the early stages (problems such as salmonella, Helicobacter pylori, influenza virus and herpes simplex, candidiasis).
Green tea - oncoprotector and “nurse”, eco-product No. 1
- Renders antioxidant effect and actively fights cancer (in Japan it is a mandatory element of any anti-cancer diet). However, the anti-cancer mechanism of action of green tea is not entirely clear. Some researchers associate it with the blood-purifying properties of the product, in particular the ability of polyphenols to remove carcinogens. At the same time, tea improves immunity, which is also important for preventing cancer.
- Green tea removes salts of heavy metals from the body - lead, mercury, cadmium, zinc and even strontium-90 (the most dangerous radioactive isotope) - and other waste.
- Green tea can to some extent neutralize the negative effects of various radiations. If you spend a lot of time at the computer or in front of the TV, then green tea is your drink. The product is very popular among adherents of eco-diet.
Green tea - a drink of youth, longevity, beauty
- Among the centenarians who have crossed the 90-year threshold of life, there are many who constantly drink green tea - a longevity drink that is included in all healthy nutrition systems.
- Green tea ideally regulates metabolism, being. In China it is used to treat obesity. Flavonoids regulate blood sugar levels by exerting an insulin-like effect.
- There are studies showing that tea reduces the risk of hip fracture in older women.
- Green tea extract is actively used in cosmetology, as it has the ability to keep the skin young and healthy, improve complexion and, being a powerful antioxidant, generally slow down the aging of the body, including visible and aesthetic ones. Green tea is a real drink of youth and beauty.
It is very good to rinse oily hair with green tea. And for spider veins on the face and dry, aging skin, a mask made from brewed black tea is excellent, which, after cooling, should be applied thickly to the face for half an hour, then rinsed off and lubricated with a rich cream. Ice cubes made from a strong infusion of green tea, to which you can add lemon juice (if the skin is very dry, then a little) are very refreshing and toning.
There are hundreds of such recipes. Some are recorded in the monuments of medieval Chinese literature - for example, about the sexual secrets of emperors.
What are the benefits of green tea for the nervous and endocrine systems of the body?
- A cup of green tea = headache pill. How green tea is beneficial antidepressant, it can be considered a real medicine for a stress-depleted nervous system.
- Drinking green tea helps activate the brain and concentrate attention. Tea is one of the obligatory components, not so much drinking as chewing fresh and dried leaves).
- Green tea with milk is a good prophylactic for nervous “burnouts” and polyneuritis. (See the article for the recipe.)
- The benefits of green tea for some diseases of the endocrine system are obvious, but! high iodine content casts doubt on the usefulness of green tea (for thyroiditis, for example); research results are contradictory.
- To prevent car sickness, chewing dry green tea helps with seasickness.
What are the benefits of green tea for the digestive system?
- Green tea is recommended for dysbacteriosis and food poisoning as an excellent detoxifier. If you are poisoned by medications, drink green tea with milk and sugar.
- Green tea should definitely be in your diet if you have poor digestion. The fact is that tannin promotes normal digestion of food, so it is advisable to drink it after every meal.
- For indigestion It is recommended to drink strongly brewed green tea; it will destroy pathogenic microbes in the intestines and stomach. After the condition has normalized, you should brew weak green tea and drink it for another 2-3 days so that it strengthens the motility of the digestive tract and intestinal tone.
- The benefits of green tea are questionable during exacerbations of gastric diseases - gastritis, for example. And it is better to avoid a strong brewed drink if you have a duodenal ulcer.
- But green tea will come to the rescue for painful colitis. Take it 4 times a day after meals, 2 tbsp. l. (strong decoction) or use as enemas.
- In folk medicine, the drink is traditionally used as anti-dysentery remedy. Catechins have a direct antimicrobial effect; they are effective against dysentery, typhoid and coccal bacteria. The recipe for a cure for dysentery looks like this: grind 50 g of green tea, pour in a liter of cool water and leave for half an hour. Then simmer over low heat for 1 hour. Filter the resulting infusion, cool and take 30 minutes before meals 4 times a day, 2 tbsp. l. Can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.
- Green tea can be used for weight loss, as it helps to enhance metabolic processes and accelerate the removal of fat from the body. Tea regulates the level nodrenaline, plays an important role in the formation of fat. When you drink green tea, you quietly get rid of fat in the hips, waist, and buttocks.
Benefits of green tea for the cardiovascular system
- Green tea makes blood vessels more elastic, strengthens their walls, preventing the danger of internal hemorrhages. Green tea polyphenols prevent blood clots.
- The benefits of green tea are well known. This is an excellent remedy for the prevention of atherosclerosis, heart disease, and cerebrovascular diseases.
- Green tea is also useful as a means of preventing heart attacks. At least that's what Dutch scientists think. People who drink 4 glasses of green tea a day + eat an apple or onion suffered from myocardial infarction half as often as others. Dutch researchers made this conclusion after studying the eating habits of a large group of people who lived to old age. Thus, green tea can be called one of the...
- Of particular note are the healing properties of tea in the initial stages of hypertension. Japanese doctors claim that with long-term use it can reduce blood pressure by 10-20 units.
The healing properties of green tea for diseases of the ear, nose and throat
- Strong brew of green tea helps for conjunctivitis and other inflammatory eye diseases. If your eyes are very tired from the computer, green tea will also help relieve tension and “cleanse” your eyes.
- Green tea is beneficial for rhinitis - as a means to effectively rinse the sinuses. Pour 1 teaspoon of tea with a glass of boiling water, leave for 15-30 minutes and rinse the strained infusion with a syringe. The procedure can be done 6-10 times a day.
- For sore throat, laryngitis, pharyngitis, stomatitis Warm infusion of green tea (2 tsp per glass of boiling water, pour and leave for about half an hour) gargle and gargle.
More about the medicinal properties of green tea
- For burns. Brew green tea, cool and apply a cotton swab to the burns. Washing a wound with green tea is effective due to the activity of tannins, which have a hemostatic and wound-healing effect.
- Dentistry. Drinking tea has a positive effect on the condition of teeth and gums, as it contains fluoride. To prevent caries, it is recommended to rinse your teeth with freshly brewed tea.
- For pregnant women. Green tea is also good for them (but not more than 2 cups a day and not throughout pregnancy - why, read the article)
- Muscular system. Tea polyphenols reduce oxidative processes in the body, and this protects against muscle injuries. Therefore, if you exercise, be sure to drink green tea.
- Excretory systems. Green tea activates the activity of the liver and spleen; it is consumed to prevent the formation of stones in the liver, kidneys and bladder (however, excessive consumption can lead to exactly the opposite results).
We hope the above information has helped you understand the benefits of green tea and whether it is worth including it in your diet.
Green tea contraindications
However, the picture would be incomplete if we ignored the question of why green tea is harmful, and for whom it is harmful, what are the contraindications of green tea.
Oddly enough, the first and most significant contraindication is elderly age. Elderly people should not get carried away with this drink, as it triggers negative processes in the joints. We are talking, in particular, about such a disease as gout and rheumatoid arthritis. If you have such a diagnosis, or if you unhealthy kidneys, it is recommended to drink no more than a cup of green tea per week.
What's the matter? A by-product of our cells is uric acid. The kidneys remove it from the body because it does not need it. However, purines, which are found in large quantities in green tea, complicate this process. The load on the kidneys increases, the excretion of uric acid slows down, which, finding no way out, penetrates into the intra-articular fluid, and there crystallizes in the form of a salt clot. Actually, we described the disease gout.
Excessive consumption of green tea (more than 3 cups per day) may, according to some studies, lead to the formation of kidney and gallstones- this is the property of polyphenols. If you already have stones, it is especially not recommended to drink green tea.
Since green tea (like black tea, however) increases the acidity of gastric juice, you should not drink it for exacerbations of ulcers, erosion and gastritis.
Green tea should not be consumed at high temperature, since in this case the load on the kidneys increases.
Caution must be exercised with severe arrhythmia, anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure. Caffeine and other alkaloids are still stimulants.
Stale green tea contains a large amount of purines, which are very aggressive towards people with hypertension, gout and glaucoma.
If we add it up, we get the following list:
Green tea contraindications + *with caution*:
- elderly age
- sick kidneys
- rheumatoid arthritis, gout
- glaucoma
- kidney and gallstones
- exacerbation of gastritis, ulcers, erosion of the stomach and duodenum
- heat
- With alcohol
- heart attack
- high pressure
- nervous excitability
- stale tea
How to brew green tea correctly
About the procedure, even the ceremony
The most important thing is not to pour boiling water over it, as this will destroy all the beneficial properties of green tea. Recommended temperature is 80-85 degrees, no more. When choosing green tea, pay attention to its color - it should be a light, golden-pistachio shade. Well, properly brewed tea also has a noble light greenish-yellow tone.
How to brew green tea for hypertension
Rinse dry tea with warm boiled water to reduce caffeine content. Then pour 3 grams of tea into a glass of water heated to a temperature of 80 degrees. You need to insist for 10 minutes. Drink a glass three times a day after meals. At the same time, keep an eye on other liquids consumed during the day - together with tea, it should not be more than 1.5 liters.
Nursing mothers are prescribed green tea with milk or cream - for good lactation, due to the rich set of vitamins + low allergenicity.
A useful recipe for vitamin deficiency
At the end of the conversation, some useful recipe is appropriate - for example, helping with vitamin deficiency.
Pour 5 g of dry tea leaves with a glass of boiling water, leave for 10-15 minutes. Add 1 tsp. rosehip syrup. Drink this wonderful decoction warm, one glass 3 times a day after meals.
Many people love green tea! This drink has been known since ancient times for its irreplaceable medicinal properties. Few people know that the green tea that we are used to seeing on store shelves is collected from the same tea plantations, but with different processing of the leaves, two grades of tea are obtained - black and green.
Only black tea undergoes fermentation and processing such as withering. But green leaves do not undergo such processing, and this is good, because the maximum amount of beneficial properties for our health is preserved.
Caffeine stimulates our nervous system, and doctors have proven that such tea has an advantage in caffeine content over natural coffee; it was found many times more in tea. This figure is approximately 1-5%.
Composition of green tea
When we studied the chemical composition of green tea, we found that tannins occupy more than half of the composition. Green tea contains tannin, and it turned out to be even three and a half times more than black tea. A high content of ascorbic acid was found in green tea leaves, and there was several times more of it than in citrus fruits.
Green tea is ahead of carrots in terms of carotene content, because green tea contains several times more of this provitamin A. These well-known antioxidants protect our body from free radicals, help the immune system function, and protect cells from harmful damage.
Such a wonderful drink as green tea contains many B vitamins, which are responsible for the functioning of nerve cells, vitamin E and many trace elements and minerals. Tea leaves contain a lot of essential oils, which are released during the tea brewing stage, making this drink surprisingly unique and magical.
How can it be useful?
- This is a wonderful aromatic vitamin drink, a real elixir of vigor, excellent well-being and high spirits. The drink has powerful antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties and stimulates the immune system.
- Has a good antioxidant effect. By the way, in Japan this tea is included in the anti-cancer therapy diet.
- The drink has an amazing ability to remove carcinogens from the body's cells, it miraculously lowers blood sugar levels, promotes the breakdown of heavy metal salts and their removal from the body, such as mercury, lead and other toxins.
A few more useful properties
- There is such an interesting fact that instead of a headache pill, you can drink a glass of freshly brewed green tea and the headache will go away. In addition, green tea is a good antidepressant, and a cup of this aromatic drink will help tone our nervous system, and stress will not be so bad.
- Doctors have found another feature of this drink; it turns out that the drink helps to concentrate a person’s attention and helps to activate blood flow in the brain. Knowing this effect, ancient yogis chewed dry and fresh tea leaves.
- Drinking green tea with milk is a sure prevention against nervous diseases and stress.
- Green tea saves you from motion sickness in the car; to do this, you need to chew a dry tea leaf.
- Confusion often arises, and tea lovers wonder what effect they will get after drinking a glass of green tea - will it invigorate them or, on the contrary, calm them down. It turns out that when this tea is brewed for 3-4 minutes, it has an invigorating effect, and if it takes longer, for example, 5-6 minutes, it has a calming effect.
Benefits of green tea for women?
- Green tea has long been used in the cosmetic industry due to its antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
- Cosmetologists use an extract from green tea leaves to help keep facial skin fresh and beautiful. If you drink this drink often, you will greatly improve the condition of your skin.
- Thanks to the antioxidant effect, the overall aging of the body slows down. By the way, iced strong tea cubes pleasantly tone and refresh your facial skin; it is especially useful to do this in the morning. You can add a little lemon juice to the tea brew, this will enhance the antioxidant effect.
- If you suffer from dry facial skin, then you should not expose your face to hypothermia; try making a face mask from lukewarm tea leaves. After the mask, you need to pat your face well with a towel and then lubricate it with a rich cream. Regular use of such a mask will help you keep your face young, and even get rid of vascular networks on your face.
- A visit to a bathhouse or sauna will be very beneficial for the skin, and drinking green tea will be very helpful. Under the influence of steam and green tea, sweating increases and the pores on the skin expand. After this pleasant procedure, the skin acquires an unusual, pleasant pink tint, becoming young and beautiful.
The benefits of green tea for men
Green tea is especially beneficial for men. This can be explained by the fact that green tea leaves contain a high content of zinc, and it is known to be the main “earner” of male testosterone production.
- It affects the reproductive function of the male body. Also, a positive effect for men can be observed in the fact that the properties of tea help fight stress, improving mood and increasing performance. Increases resistance to stress.
- If you drink one to two cups of green tea a day every day, you can avoid problems with potency. In addition, this drink will give a head start to any coffee; it tones and invigorates the body no worse.
- This wonderful drink can be recommended to our men as a preventive measure for prostate cancer.
For digestive health
The drink has amazing abilities in regulating digestion, it activates the gastrointestinal tract and therefore green tea is widely used for weight loss, it speeds up metabolic processes, helps remove toxins and fat deposits from the body.
- Tea helps control the level of the hormone norenaline, which is responsible for fat production. If you regularly drink green tea, you will not notice how you will begin to lose weight in the waist, abdomen, hips and buttocks.
- This, of course, does not mean that tea will help solve all your weight loss problems; you definitely need to adjust your diet, eliminate sweet, starchy and fatty foods, and increase physical activity. But if you decide to take this process seriously and start drinking green tea regularly, you will notice the result quite quickly.
- There is no need to drink green tea in large quantities; three to four cups a day will be enough. To achieve a positive effect in losing weight, it must be drunk both hot and cold.
- The taste of tea will become unique if, when brewing, add a small piece of lemon to it, sprinkle a little mint and lemon balm. With them, tea will acquire the magical aroma of a summer forest, become pleasant and more tasty.
For the cardiovascular system
Doctors advise taking the drink as a cholesterol-lowering food product. Substances contained in green tea prevent the formation of blood clots.
According to them, if you drink four glasses of this drink a day, plus eat a small onion and one green apple, this will help avoid myocardial infarction. Scientists made this conclusion after studying a group of elderly people, and came to the conclusion that green tea can honorably be considered one of the food secrets of centenarians.
By the way, Japanese doctors note the positive quality of green tea for hypertension, especially in the earliest stages of its development. They noticed that this tea can lower high blood pressure by 15-20 units.
Is green tea harmful?
Let's figure out a little about whether green tea can be harmful and how much you can drink it without harm to your health.
- This tea drink can be harmful to older people; they should not drink this drink, because it has been proven that it has a negative effect on human joints, causing gout.
- Green tea increases the acidity of the stomach and therefore people with gastrointestinal problems, gastritis and erosion should be more careful.
- Tea increases the risk of gallstones and kidney stones. If you already have stones, then it is better to avoid taking tea.
- Green tea is completely incompatible with alcohol, because the load on the kidneys increases many times over.
- People with symptoms such as severe unexplained restlessness, anxiety, frequent arrhythmia, hypertension and insomnia at night should be careful about taking this drink. Caffeine contained in tea is an stimulant, which can lead to sleep disturbances.
- Spilled tea or simply a stale drink contains a huge amount of purine substances, and in this form it is contraindicated for people with glaucoma, gout and hypertension.
Harm of green tea for women
Will regular drinking be beneficial or harmful to the female body?
We remind you that this tea product will be beneficial if used in moderation. In large doses, it is harmful, causes overstimulation, increases blood pressure, increases heart rate, reduces bone density and causes osteoporosis.
If you are anemic, it is better not to drink this tea at all. It interferes with the absorption of iron from food. And therefore, you should not combine green tea and iron-rich foods at lunch.
When carrying a child, you should also not get carried away with green tea. It reduces the absorption of folic acid, and this threatens negative consequences for the baby in the womb during pregnancy.
Are tea bags healthy?
Many will probably agree that bagged tea is very convenient, easy to use, and can be taken with you on the road or in nature. This is a good alternative to loose leaf tea.
Cheap types of tea are potentially dangerous, since in the production of such tea I use not very high-quality raw materials, there is a lot of tea dust, fungi and fluoride compounds accumulate in it, which negatively affect the genitourinary excretory system. And at best, such tea will taste “empty” and tasteless, and at worst, you will get a pale liquid with an inexpressive aroma instead of an invigorating and healthy drink.
If you choose an expensive type of tea in bags, you must first look at its composition; it should not contain anything unnecessary except tea and aromatic additives. The quality of tea depends on the size of the tea leaves; the larger they are, the better the quality of the tea.
When choosing tea, you need to focus on the tea bag itself. It is better that it is not made from ordinary glued paper, otherwise you should think more than once whether such tea could be useful. But cunning manufacturers have learned to mask the glue elements with aromatic additives. To avoid this, it is better to choose tea bags in the form of pyramids; they are made of special translucent packaging; it holds its shape well in water and does not swell. And it does not add any additional flavor to the tea.
The most venerable pharmaceutical companies, along with cosmetics manufacturers, use this unique, miraculous plant in their products. The beneficial properties of green tea are actively used in nourishing creams and dietary supplements.
Experience the effect of this wonderful product yourself - wash your face in the morning and before bed with a freshly brewed drink, you will feel an improvement in skin tone. It is very useful to wipe the neck and face area with pieces of frozen green tea. Repeat this procedure regularly, and you will be in a cheerful and cheerful mood. Drinking green tea will help you get rid of unhealthy breakouts on your skin as well as other such negative symptoms on your face and body.
Green tea can make you beautiful. If you have far-reaching plans for the evening, it will help you become simply stunning. This composition will awaken the beauty of your skin. Stir together approximately 20g plain flour, egg yolk and strong brewed tea. Apply for 15 minutes. Apply this mixture onto your face, rinsing thoroughly afterwards. Your skin will acquire a pleasant color, straighten and tighten. You can enhance this effect with a piece of iced green tea.
Black tea should not be ignored; its benefits are also obvious. During our youth, our mothers did without tanning salons to make their skin darker. To do this, pour a little water into black tea, put it on the fire, bringing it to a boil, and then infuse it, waiting for the liquid to cool. Rub the skin with this infusion twice a day. You will become tanned without sunbathing.
But let's get back to green tea. This drink normalizes digestion processes. By constantly drinking green tea, you will make your internal organs - liver, intestines and stomach - work faster. You will also notice an additional effect - healthy gums and teeth. You are no longer afraid of stomatitis. All this is facilitated by the amazingly beneficial components that tea is rich in. The antioxidants present in tea are an amazing preventative against cancer, which has become a real scourge. The tea drink contains the required amount of a well-known antioxidant – zinc. This element is necessary for strengthening nails, hair growth, and helps heal wounds, for example, cuts.
Green tea preparations have a diuretic effect, but due to the stimulating effect of the plant, it cannot be used as a diuretic.
Green tea is the best remedy for fatigue. Green tea infusion is used as an antimicrobial agent for dysentery. This tea is a means of preventing urolithiasis and gallstone diseases. Green tea maintains body tone and quenches hunger.
The beneficial properties of green tea are due to the fact that it contains large quantities of various bioactive substances, microelements and vitamins. During the production process of the product, tea leaves do not undergo complete oxidation (fermentation), due to which they retain their green color. Thanks to gentle drying, the beneficial substances and vitamins contained in the leaves are not destroyed, unlike black tea.
Harm of green tea
Green tea contains substances that have both positive and negative effects on the human body. In addition, green tea contains theophylline and theobromine, which have a stimulating effect on the human nervous system. That is why an infusion of tea leaves is not recommended for people with increased excitability and insomnia.
Strong drink is definitely harmful if:
- For unstable nervous system and diseases of the cardiovascular tract. Of course, theine is harmful to them. But tea is rich in more than just theine; it contains substances that actively influence these systems, which causes its harmful effects, for example, due to theobromine.
- During pregnancy. It interferes with the natural breakdown of folic acid, which is so vital for the developing brain of the unborn baby. All this is due to the content of a large dose of a chemical drug with the unpronounceable name “gallatepigallocatechin”. Let us again mention caffeine, which is contraindicated for pregnant women. It has not been proven for certain whether black tea prevents the breakdown of folic acid, but it does contain caffeine. Just a few cups of any tea per day can cause the birth of a child with low birth weight, stimulate premature birth with possible fetal death.
- At a temperature. Tea contains theophylline, which can increase a person's temperature. Therefore, a patient with a fever, drinking green tea, will worsen his condition even more.
- For stomach ulcers. Tea is more likely to be contraindicated than actually harmful. Strong tea, and green tea in particular, increases the acidity of gastric juice, and this, in turn, interferes with the natural healing process of wounds. As a result, the patient's condition may worsen significantly.
- With an unhealthy liver. Here we should specifically mention green tea. Some compounds contained in tea are extremely taxing on the liver, especially if you drink this drink in large quantities. But black tea contains very few of these compounds.
- Leaching of beneficial microelements. Tea removes metals from the body. Again because of theine.
- For skeleton and bones. Tests carried out by scientists on animals showed unexpected results. It turns out that tea negatively affects the skeleton and, in particular, the density of bone tissue. To be fair, we note that such studies have not been done on humans.
- Formation of urea. Any tea is rich in purines, which synthesize urea during absorption. It is known to be poisonous and is difficult to remove from the body. Its salts synthesize crystals that develop gout. In addition, green tea disrupts the condition of people suffering from arthritis and rheumatism.
- For teeth. Although the opposite effect was mentioned here, there is evidence that tea has a detrimental effect on tooth enamel. What to believe? There’s no definite answer, but it’s hardly worth rinsing your teeth with tea when brushing.
- Iron absorption. Caffeine interferes with the absorption of essential iron.
Harm of tea from improper use:
- It has already been said that old tea is harmful. When stored for a long time, many purines accumulate in it. Although they are already formed at the time of brewing, over time the processes of their formation increase and after half an hour the tea is no longer worth drinking.
- The combined consumption of tea and alcohol causes intense formation of aldehydes, which harm the kidneys.
- Excessive consumption of the drink causes intoxication, headaches, nausea, and dizziness.
- An extremely hot drink should not be consumed in large doses. Therefore, if you constantly drink overheated tea, burns to internal organs will inevitably occur. They become deformed, shrink painfully, and cracks form in the tissues. These types of burns certainly increase the risk of cancer. It should be noted here that this is not a harm to tea as such.
- Brewing tea with boiling water makes it practically useless, since it destroys the most valuable substances. But there is a significant increase in harmful elements, the same purines, for example.