Green tea, also known as chè xanh or trà tươi, is a familiar drink for many Vietnamese people. Fresh tea leaves boiled or infused with water to create a bitter-sweet taste that lingers, making it a staple in Vietnamese cuisine. If you regularly drink tea, your body may experience the following changes:
Increased alertness and productivity
Harvard School of Public Health states that, like coffee, green tea is a source of caffeine that can enhance brain function. Approximately 200g of green tea contains around 28mg of caffeine. If it is organic green tea, the caffeine content can go up to 31-45mg. Although the caffeine content in green tea is much lower compared to a cup of coffee (around 95mg), it can still help you stay alert, focused, and work more efficiently throughout the day.
Boosted metabolism
Green tea supports improved digestion. Drinking it continuously for 7 days can prevent constipation and bloating. Despite continuous consumption of green tea and regular bowel movements, the stomach remains unaffected.
Dr. Josh Axe explains: “Green tea is a healthy dietary supplement. Throughout the centuries, this beverage has been recognized for its metabolism-enhancing effects due to its specific antioxidant compounds.”
Green tea contains plenty of antioxidants that can aid digestion and even prevent cancer, tumors, high cholesterol, and heart disease.
Regulated blood sugar levels
Increased blood sugar is a concern for many people nowadays. Elevated blood sugar can lead to weight gain; not only can high blood sugar activate your body to store glucose as fat, but it can also cause unhealthy cravings and decreased energy levels. Fortunately, green tea can help. Japanese research and Mexican researchers have discovered that antioxidants in green tea limit the total amount of carbohydrates absorbed by the body after a meal, ultimately improving sugar metabolism.
Aid in weight loss
When you lose weight (white fat), you don’t actually eliminate fat cells; instead, fat cells or fat-generating cells will shrink. Green tea contains natural compounds that activate the shrinking of fat cells, helping you lose weight. These compounds are called catechins, which activate the release of fat from fat cells, especially in the abdomen.
Belly fat reduction
The most potent catechin in green tea is EGCG, a powerful compound responsible for most of the weight loss properties in green tea. In addition to boosting metabolism and promoting fat burning, EGCG can also prevent the formation of new fat cells.
A study found that men who consumed green tea containing 136mg of EGCG lost twice as much weight as the placebo group and four times the amount of belly fat in three months.
The amount of EGCG in green tea varies, but an average brewed cup contains 25-86mg per serving. To get more EGCG, choose powdered green tea (matcha).
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