How many cups of green tea should we drink a day? Does green tea make you thin?

Green tea

Green tea is one of the most useful drinks in the world and is rich in antioxidants and nutrients that have a tremendous effect on health.

Some of the beneficial effects of green tea include increasing mental efficiency, helping to burn excess fat, reducing the risk of some types of cancer and dozens of other cases that we will discuss in this article.

Green tea is rich in polyphenols such as flavonoids, which are very powerful antioxidants.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is another very powerful antioxidant found in green tea and is actually the main ingredient that promotes the healing properties of green tea and distinguishes it from other herbs.

Antioxidants reduce the formation of free radicals and protect the body's cells against them. Free radicals are known to play a role in aging and the development of various diseases, especially cancer.

Green tea contains small amounts of minerals and vitamins such as vitamins K and C, B5, E, fluoride, manganese, selenium, which are useful for health.


Properties of green tea

Consumption of green tea increases alertness and brain function, and the substance that plays a role in the field is caffeine. Green tea does not contain as much caffeine as coffee, but it does have enough to relieve drowsiness and numbness.

Caffeine and its relationship with brain activity:

One of the active and effective ingredients in green tea is caffeine, which stimulates the brain and adrenal glands. The primary mechanism of caffeine in the brain is the inhibition of a neurotransmitter called adenosine. By inhibiting adenosine, caffeine causes the production of more neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine, thereby causing Improves mood, increases vitality and brain reaction time, strengthens memory and alertness, in this field, many researches have been done and these effects have been completely proven. It is worth mentioning that these effects last up to a few hours after consuming green tea or coffee. They disappear and their effect is not lasting.


The beneficial substances in green tea do not end in caffeine. Green tea contains an amino acid called L-Theanine, which increases the neurotransmitter activity called GABA, which has anti-stress and anti-anxiety properties, and with this mechanism, causes relaxation and We feel comfortable. L-Theanine also increases the production of dopamine (another neurotransmitter) and alpha waves in the brain, which is associated with positive effects such as vitality and optimism. Studies show that caffeine and L-Theanine improve brain function and memory and increase They focus. The amount of amino acid L-Theanine in green place is more than the amount of caffeine in it (unlike coffee) and you will feel relaxed by drinking green tea along with increasing alertness.

One of the reasons that some people experience restlessness and anxiety while drinking coffee is the high amount of caffeine in coffee, which causes the stress hormone (cortisol) to be released too much into the bloodstream.

Many people say that drinking green tea gives them more energy and more energy than drinking coffee.

Green tea is a natural fat burner:

If you look at the label of fat-burning supplements and diet pills, you will find green tea or its extract in many of them. Numerous human experiments have shown that green tea increases fat metabolism, in a study of 37 athletes. It was observed that consumption of green tea increased the melting rate of fats by up to 17% and also increased their energy and physical strength by up to 4%.

It should be noted that in some studies and experiments, green tea has no effect on fat burning in some people and this mechanism is apparently different in each person. Of course, the effect of caffeine on increasing physical strength and energy has been fully proven.


Green tea reduces the risk of some types of cancer:

Cancer is associated with the uncontrolled growth of cells in the body in an abnormal way and is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. It is clear that free radicals and oxidative reactions lead to the spread of cancer and foods containing antioxidants such as Green tea can help prevent cancer. Green tea contains powerful antioxidants and is thought to have a positive effect on reducing the incidence of three types of cancer:

Breast Cancer: Some studies suggest that women who drink 2 to 3 cups of green tea daily are 22% less likely to develop breast cancer.

Prostate cancer: Drinking green tea daily seems to reduce the risk of prostate cancer by up to 48%, prostate cancer is more common in men over 60 years.

Colon Cancer: A study of 69,710 Chinese women by a Chinese oncologist in 2011 found that of those women who drank green tea daily, they were 57% less likely to develop colon cancer.

Remember that adding milk, sugar and other additives reduces the antioxidant properties of green tea.

 Green tea protects the brain in the elderly and helps prevent dementia: In addition to short-term effects on the brain and memory, green tea may protect the brain in the elderly and prevent Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's is the most common neurological and cerebral disease. In the elderly, which is associated with forgetfulness and memory loss, in various studies, researchers have found that green tea also reduces inflammation of the central nervous system.

Green tea promotes oral health: The compounds in green tea have other biological effects, with some research suggesting that the compounds in green tea kill and inhibit some bacteria and viruses, such as viruses. Influenza and help reduce infection with this function. In Japan, some doctors believe that whispering green tea can cure infection and inflammation in the throat when you have a cold.

Streptococcus mutans is a bacterium that causes plaque and tooth decay. Studies show that green tea compounds inhibit the growth and proliferation of this bacterium and reduce tooth decay. Other studies show that green tea also reduces bad breath.

Green Tea and Diabetes: Type 2 diabetes has become a global problem and now affects more than 300 million people worldwide. In diabetes, blood sugar rises and the body is unable to control and reduce it, and the main cause is decreased production of insulin or resistance of cells and their lack of response to this hormone.

According to 7 separate studies of 28,670 people, those who drink a few cups of green tea a day are 18% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Green Tea and Heart Disease: The antioxidants in green tea prevent the oxidation of bad cholesterol (LDL) and turn it into a viscous and dangerous substance that causes clogged arteries and heart attack.

Drinking green tea daily reduces the risk of heart disease by 31%.

Green Tea and Slimming: A study was conducted on 240 men and women who performed the same weight loss program and divided them into two groups. The first group had 3 to 4 cups of green tea in addition to their daily weight loss program, but The second group performed a slimming program without green tea, after 12 weeks it was observed that the first group lost 13% more weight than the second group.

How much green tea to drink per day:

1 to 2 cups of green tea a day is useful for most people.

The properties and benefits of green tea were mentioned, but this does not mean that excessive consumption of it increases our health, and excessive consumption of green tea due to caffeine in it can be harmful.

Excessive caffeine consumption can cause anxiety, restlessness, high blood pressure, insomnia and even mild addiction in some people.

Also try to use organic green tea that is free of pesticides and chemicals.

The right way to prepare green tea:

Pour some green tea into a glass (the appropriate amount is a quarter to half a teaspoon), then add boiling water to it and put a lid on the glass and drink it after 7 to 10 minutes.

Brewing green tea in a teapot, tea maker and high heat for a long time causes the elimination of antioxidants in it. Consumption of tea bags is also not recommended.

Try to choose green tea that is produced and packaged by reputable companies, low-quality samples of green tea contain a lot of fluoride, which is not good for the body.