Green tea. Medicinal properties of green tea. The benefits of green tea for the body. All properties and possible harm

We can talk endlessly about the benefits of green tea, because this product, unique in its properties, has not only pleasant taste, but also a therapeutic effect. Unfortunately, in our country this drink has only recently begun to gain popularity, while in the East it has been consumed for thousands of years. What are the benefits of green tea for the body and how to brew and drink it correctly, we will consider further.

Rich composition

Before we find out how green tea is good for the body, let's look at the composition of this drink. Tea leaves contain a large amount of vitamins (B, K, PP, C, P) and organic compounds (fluorine, magnesium, iodine, silicon, zinc and copper).

The plant bioflavonoids included in the composition perfectly strengthen the immune system, prevent the development of cancerous tumors, and cope well with allergic reactions and inflammatory skin diseases.

Catechins cope well with colds, and also slow down the aging process of cells and increase the body's protective functions. Fluoride is important for strengthening gums and protecting tooth enamel from caries. Dentists prescribe green as a rinse for oral diseases.

The benefits of green tea are also due to the presence of theine, a type of alkaloid. Theine has an invigorating effect similar to caffeine, but has a gentler effect on the body. Black tea, on the contrary, can overstimulate nervous system. Theine increases both physical and mental activity, and also improves memory. Unlike caffeine, it is eliminated from the body faster and is not addictive.

Properties of the medicinal drink

First of all, green tea is important for normalizing the functioning of the heart and blood vessels. It strengthens the walls of blood vessels, reduces the risk of developing diabetes and the appearance of cholesterol plaques. Regular consumption of green tea has been proven to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. To do this, it is enough to drink 4 cups of drink during the day.

The drink is also effective in restoring the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Firstly, tea serves to prevent the development of peptic ulcers, and secondly, it does an excellent job of relieving cramps and intestinal colic. This variety of tea leaves has a beneficial effect on kidney health, as it has a good diuretic effect and prevents the formation of stones.

Polyphenols perfectly reduce oxidative processes in muscles, which is especially important for athletes.

Tea leaves have an antibacterial and astringent effect, so it is actively used to treat skin wounds and inflammation of the eye mucosa. For those who often spend time at the computer, you can use strong tea leaves to constrict blood vessels and relieve dry eye mucosa syndrome.

Thick tea leaves are used as folk remedy from dysentery. Positive Action achieved due to the catechins included in the composition, which are active against coccus and dysentery bacteria. It is enough to drink a cold strong infusion of 2 tbsp. l. half an hour before meals. The effect is achieved within 24 hours.

A decoction of green tea helps cope with sore throat and stomatitis. The natural composition and antimicrobial effect are designed to relieve inflammation of the throat cavity, for which doctors prescribe rinsing with a decoction.

It has been scientifically proven that this drink cleanses the body of free radicals and toxins, thereby preventing the development of tumor formations.

Green tea leaves are an excellent antidepressant. Not in vain Chinese tea serves as the basis for the traditional tea drinking process. It relieves tension and calms the nervous system after a hard day at work.

Benefits of tea for women

In addition to its therapeutic effect, green tea has a number of properties that are of great importance specifically for women. These include promoting the process of weight loss, as well as the use of the rich composition of the drink in for cosmetic purposes.

Nutritionists often recommend that women suffering from excess weight, include green tea in your diet. Moreover, you should drink at least two cups a day. When losing weight, it is prescribed to cleanse the body of waste and toxins, as well as to reduce appetite. It has been proven that this tea variety contributes to the normalization of the digestive tract and the rapid breakdown of fats.

How to use:

• Drink the drink no later than half an hour before meals.
• Avoid sugar and other sweet additives.
• Combine green tea with mint, hibiscus, jasmine, rose hips and other fat-burning herbs.
• To enhance the effect, you can add cinnamon or ginger to the drink.

There is an effective express diet that is good not only for women, but also for men. If you need to quickly lose 2-3 kg, use the following recipe:

1. Brew a strong decoction of green tea leaves; you can use milk oolong for this purpose.
2. Mix it with milk in proportions of 50:50.
3. Drink the drink in small portions throughout the day. In total, you need to consume two liters of this milk tea per day.
4. To improve the taste, you can add a teaspoon of honey to the drink.

Precautionary measures

Like any other drink, green tea has contraindications for consumption. Its use should be limited in the following cases:

• For liver diseases.
• Stomach ulcer.
• For nervous exhaustion.
• Hypertension.
• Elevated temperature.

The drink can also be harmful to the health of a pregnant woman and the development of the fetus. Therefore, it is better to postpone drinking the drink until the second trimester of pregnancy.

In old age, you should also not get carried away with tea infusion from green leaves. The fact is that with age there is a danger of arthritis and arthrosis. The uric acid produced in the body must be eliminated regularly. At the same time, the purines contained in green tea complicate the urinary process. Therefore, if your kidneys are not working like clockwork, limit your drink to one cup per week.

How to brew

Try not to make dark brews. Water manages to absorb beneficial properties within 2-4 minutes. With prolonged infusion, all useful components are destroyed and instead healthy tea we get colored water.

To prepare the correct infusion, take 1 tsp. tea leaves for half a glass of liquid. Place the tea leaves in the teapot and fill with water. Cover the teapot with a lid and leave the drink to saturate the water with aromatic esters. After a couple of minutes, you can pour the tea into portioned cups and enjoy the impeccable taste.

For brewing, you should use purified well or filtered water. It is better not to pour it from the tap, as it is too hard

Green tea for cosmetic purposes

The benefits of this wonderful drink are widely used not only in medicine, but also in cosmetology.

Try making a face mask that is beneficial for tired skin. Take the yolk of one egg, 20 g. flour and 3 tbsp. spoons of strong tea leaves. Mix the ingredients and apply the mask to your face, avoiding the area around the eyes. Leave the mask on for 20 minutes, then rinse off warm water. You will be surprised at the fantastic effect it will have on your skin - it will be evened out and acquire a healthy glow.

Green tea can be used to make cosmetic ice cubes that can be used to wipe the skin after washing your face in the morning. The recipe is extremely simple - brew green tea, pour it into ice cube trays and put it in the freezer to harden. Such rubbing perfectly invigorates the skin in the morning, tightens it and improves appearance.

Special lotions will help cope with increased swelling of the skin around the eyes. To do this, you will need thick tea leaves, which remains after preparing the drink. Place the tea leaves in gauze or thin cotton cloth and place the lotions on your closed eyelids. Leave them to act for 15-20 minutes.

The tonic properties of green tea have an effective effect on the appearance of the skin, tightening it and restoring it after stress and a hard day.

Mask for oily skin

Those with oily skin will find the following recipe useful: mix a teaspoon of crushed green tea leaves with a tablespoon of dry yeast. Pour boiling water over the resulting mixture and leave for 20 minutes to thicken. Add lemon juice to the mask and apply it to the skin. As soon as the mixture begins to dry, rinse it off with warm water. This mask perfectly removes excess oil from the skin and also tightens pores.

Hair Mask

For women with dry hair along the length and oily hair at the roots, a mask is perfect for strengthening and accelerating growth.

You will need:

• 2 tbsp. l. burdock oil;
• 100 ml water;
• a teaspoon of green tea;
• white of one egg.

Prepare an infusion of tea leaves and water, add the remaining ingredients to it. Heat the mask in a water bath and apply to the hair roots and lengths. Warm your head with a shower cap and towel. Leave the mask on for 30 minutes. Wash off any remaining residue with shampoo.

This combination of ingredients makes hair shiny and silky, and regular use can significantly accelerate the growth of healthy hair.

Green tea has its origins in Asian countries, but over time it taste qualities loved by people all over the world. Today there are quite a few varieties of the drink, which differ in the method of preparation, brewing and quality. Everyone knows that green tea contains invigorating caffeine, but what other qualities are inherent in the drink? Let's figure it out together.

Composition of green tea

Since the list of elements has been studied far and wide, scientists have identified more than 1,500 different substances. The most valuable minerals are phosphorus, magnesium, rubidium, boron, zinc, chromium, calcium, potassium, fluorine, iron, etc. In addition, the drink contains dietary fiber, ash, pectin compounds, tannins, caffeine, and catechins.

Mineral elements are responsible for the activity of the heart muscle, they enrich the blood and stabilize the pulse. Minerals affect metabolic processes, significantly accelerating them.

Theine is a well-known invigorating element, an analogue of caffeine. There is about the same amount of caffeine in green tea as there is caffeine in medium-brewed coffee. Green tea in the morning is just as invigorating. It stimulates brain neurons, awakening and energizing for the whole day. Theine has a much gentler effect on the body, unlike caffeine.

The drink accumulates many catechins, which belong to the flavonoid family. These natural antioxidants cleanse the cavity of internal organs from radionuclides, free radicals, toxic substances and slagging. Against the background of comprehensive cleansing, comfortable weight loss occurs without stress for the body.

Beneficial properties of green tea

1. Research by Chinese scientists has proven the benefits of the drink for people with bone problems. Thanks to catechins, bone growth is activated, their destruction is prevented, and complete mineralization with useful substances occurs. When drinking green tea systematically, the risk of bone fractures and teeth crumbling is reduced.
2. Arthrosis and other ailments of this kind appear against the background of a high accumulation of salts. If you introduce a drink made from green tea leaves into daily menu, painful symptoms are reduced.
3. The drink should be consumed to reduce intracranial pressure. One mug of green tea will replace 2 tablets of citramone, which eliminates headaches, throbbing in the temples, and severe migraines.
4. There are also some beneficial properties for people who suffer from a hangover. The drink removes unpleasant symptoms, promotes rapid disintegration and withdrawal ethyl alcohol from the body. In this case, you need to brew the tea 2 times, the first time the water is drained to eliminate excess theine.
5. It contains B vitamins, which are responsible for the nervous system. Green tea controls a person’s psycho-emotional background, fighting the effects of stress. But it should not be taken at night to avoid insomnia and overexcitation.
6. Tea in combination with honey is an excellent way to boost the immune system during the spread of viral infections and the off-season. The drink does not allow bacteria to negatively affect healthy tissues.
7. The composition contains fluoride, which strengthens tooth enamel, reduces bleeding gums, and prevents caries. Traditional healers recommend rubbing your teeth with the grounds of brewed tea once a day.
8. The drink should be consumed daily by categories of people who suffer from eye diseases. Green tea improves vision, protects against cataracts and glaucoma. It is useful to combine taking the drug with special exercises for the eye muscles.
9. It contains a lot of polyphenolic substances that cleanse blood channels and remove cholesterol accumulations. All this leads to serious prevention of atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The drink protects the brain from poisons.
10. Not without value for heart patients and hypertensive patients. Green tea reduces indicators blood pressure due to its diuretic effect. The drug also promotes the outflow of bile, relieving the work of the liver.
11. The beneficial properties of the drink for the body were discovered back in ancient times. Regular consumption in moderate quantities stabilizes blood sugar levels.
12. Tea is often used in dietetics; its unique composition suppresses the feeling of hunger for a while. The body fully receives all the necessary enzymes and substances. Green tea perfectly prevents cancer due to the abundance of antioxidants.

1. The benefits of green tea come in many ways. In ancient China, the drink was used to get rid of ailments of various natures. The composition prevents prostate cancer and increases vitality.
2. Systematic consumption of the drink promotes increased testosterone production. Tea helps to cope with the consequences of the negative effects of electrical appliances on the male body. General well-being improves, the nervous system calms down.

Green tea for children

1. Please note that it is prohibited to include any type of tea in children’s diets until they are 2-3 years old. The problem is that the composition contains tannins. Such enzymes can cause prolonged constipation, appetite worsens, and metabolism is disrupted.
2. Any tea contains theine, which is harmless to an adult. As for children, the effect is negative. The child begins to cry more often, becomes nervous and irritable. Normal sleep is disrupted.
3. Tea has a diuretic effect, which is harmful specifically to children. The drink washes out all the necessary minerals from the body, and the bones simply become fragile. Tea also contains a dangerous enzyme in the form of theophylline, which enhances the effects of theine.
4. Preschool children are allowed to be given only black tea in diluted form. The drink can be mixed with milk. This product contains a minimal amount of enzymes that irritate the nervous system.

Green tea during pregnancy

1. Green tea in moderation is an excellent addition to your diet. The drink contains a valuable composition. A serving of tea will help get rid of heartburn almost immediately.
2. You are allowed to drink no more than 2 cups of the drink during the day. Sugar must not be added. The benefit is achieved if the girls do not have any contraindications or pathologies associated with the gastrointestinal tract.
3. It is important to be careful; studies have shown that green tea interferes with the normal absorption of folic acid. The enzyme is important for the development of the baby and the formation of the nervous system.
4. Experts do not recommend drinking tea in the first month of trying to conceive a baby and the first 2 weeks of pregnancy. Next, the drink should be introduced into the diet after consultation with the doctor and the absence of contraindications.
5. Be sure to check the daily amount of tea, otherwise excess caffeine can lead to insufficient weight of the baby and premature birth. Abuse of green tea leads to miscarriage.
6. Many people think that the benefits of green tea breastfeeding invaluable. It is worth noting that such an opinion is far from the truth. The drink only relaxes the ducts in the mammary gland. Milk production does not increase from taking raw materials.

1. The drink triggers all metabolic processes in the body, which results in comfortable weight loss. Partially, weight loss is achieved by cleansing the intestines of stagnation, as well as removing excess fluid.
2. Everyone knows that it is impossible to lose weight with a contaminated body. You must first remove toxic substances and heavy metal salts. Green tea does this job perfectly.
3. The drink also suppresses the feeling of hunger, so if there are no problems with the gastrointestinal tract, it can be consumed when the desire to eat arises. It is enough to drink tea with honey, and after half an hour have a full meal.
4. Milk Oolong or Milk Oolong tea especially reduces appetite. The drink has a light creamy taste and does not negatively affect the walls of the stomach, so it is drunk regularly.

Green tea for hypertension

1. Hypertensive patients know firsthand how difficult it is to live fully with a constant increase in blood pressure and its sharp fluctuations. The drink improves the course of the disease, stabilizing the indicators.
2. Useful qualities are achieved due to the diuretic effect. When excess fluid is removed, therapeutic and preventive therapy is carried out.
3. It is worth understanding that with normal or low blood pressure, tea should be consumed in moderate doses.

Green tea contraindications

1. It is not recommended to take medications based on green tea. The tablet contains an increased concentration of catechins, which exceeds the daily norm for humans.
2. Taking tea is contraindicated on an empty stomach. The drink has a negative effect on the mucous membranes of internal organs.
3. If you recently consumed alcohol and decided to refresh yourself with green tea, then alcohol together with the active substances of the raw materials form toxic compounds that destroy the liver and kidneys.

The beneficial effects of tea on the human body are ensured by a chemical list of substances. Not everyone knows that the drink contains ideally balanced vitamins, mineral compounds, flavonoids. They all complement each other's action.

Video: benefits of green tea

Green tea– the drink is not unique. It is prepared from tea tree leaves that have not been fermented. Famous rich chemical composition green tea. What a person eats and drinks affects his health. Drinks sold in stores contain chemicals that are not very beneficial to the body.

There is no doubt about one drink for a long time – green tea. However, it is worth knowing all its features, because green tea can bring health benefits and harm to the same extent.

Compound

Due to the fact that the processing of fresh products mainly consists of evaporating moisture from the tea leaf, the color and composition of the finished tea leaves are as close as possible to the natural original product. Only concentration useful substances, becomes many times larger.

The chemical composition includes such an abundance of elements that green tea is considered one of the most valuable products for the human body. It contains vitamins, microelements, and macroelements.

Tea composition:

1. Vitamins – for example, vitamin P, which promotes vascular health and elasticity and supports the overall cardiovascular system; vitamin C, which is found in green tea more than in lemons and oranges; vitamin K, which ensures normal blood clotting; vitamin B, which has a beneficial effect on the nervous system; vitamins A, PP, D and E.
2. Minerals and trace elements - for example, zinc, necessary for the growth and strengthening of hair, teeth and nails; as well as iodine, which supports the endocrine system; fluoride, which strengthens gums and teeth; potassium is a friend of the heart muscle; copper, which promotes women's health, and manganese. The minerals contained in the leaves help the proper functioning of internal organs, strengthen the immune system, maintain the balance of all body systems and normalize metabolism, which, among other things, promotes weight loss.
3. Caffeine - well, everyone knows caffeine, its invigorating and tonic properties are familiar to coffee lovers, but with green tea It is not that simple. The fact is that it contains “another caffeine” - theine, the effect of which is much softer and at the same time more extended. In addition, it is completely eliminated from the body without causing side effects. When I, an experienced coffee drinker, suddenly started to have high blood pressure, my doctor recommended replacing my morning coffee with green tea, and the positive experience inspired me so much that I completely switched to it. Amazingly, my blood pressure returned to normal.
4. Antioxidants are flavonoids (catechins), which not only slow down the aging process, but even protect against cancer. There is an opinion that green tea, rich in catechins like no other, slows down and even stops the growth of tumors. Catechins also regulate blood sugar, which makes this drink incredibly useful for patients with diabetes.

Green tea contains catechin four main components. Just one of these components is 100 times greater than the antioxidant properties of vitamin C. Studies have shown that one cup of green tea contains up to 40 mg of polyphenols, which is many times greater than the antioxidant effect of the same apples, spinach or broccoli.

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.

Remember that the recommended brewing water temperature is around 80-90 degrees. Without a thermometer at hand, determining the appropriate temperature is quite simple. You need to open the lid of the kettle and when steam starts to rise, bring your hand to it. The steam should not burn your hand. This temperature will be optimal. Learn once and for all - boiling water destroys most of the beneficial substances in tea, making this drink useless!

A strong drink is definitely harmful in the following situations:

1. 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.
2. With an 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 is what causes it harmful effects, for example due to theobromine.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Leaching of beneficial microelements. Tea removes metals from the body. Again because of theine.
8. 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.
9. 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.

Why green tea in bags is harmful:

1. The vast majority of brands of bagged teas contain so-called tea waste (damaged leaves, petioles, sticks), which is rejected during the production of high-quality loose-leaf teas. The taste and benefits of such tea dust are minimal.
2. Many brands of tea bags, in addition to the tea leaf itself, contain various plant components (tree leaves, grass) of dubious quality or origin.
3. Often, expired tea leaves are used to produce tea bags. The paper in which tea is packaged contains thermoplastic fiber (to give shape). This substance upon contact with hot water releases various harmful substances.

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.

Benefits of green tea

The beneficial properties of green tea have long been used in Asia - China, Japan, and Central Asian peoples drink this “health cocktail” every day: chilled in the heat, hot in the cold season. Look at Japanese women - their wonderful skin, youthfulness and slimness have long served as a model for all women.

Of course, a diet rich in seafood also plays an important role in maintaining youth and health, but the “drink of life” - green tea - is one of the most important components of this diet. Do you think it’s in vain that movie stars and glamorous divas in their expensive spas long ago started the fashion of indulging in a cup of green tea, which perfectly helps cleanse and rejuvenate the body?

The product has a huge number of useful properties, but the most important of them are:

1. Reducing the growth of cancerous tumors. Ability to stop and delay growth various types tumors and fight the activity of cancer cells (however, according to some studies, green tea is ineffective against breast tumors).
2. The ability to remove free radicals from the body and protect against exposure to increased radiation.
3. Prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system, including heart attacks and strokes, lowering blood pressure.
4. Breakdown of fats, removal of harmful cholesterol from the body, normalization of metabolism and weight control.
5. Fighting oral diseases, eliminating periodontal disease and bad breath, preventing tooth decay.
6. Normalization and maintenance of healthy intestinal microflora.
7. Removing toxins, salts, including radioactive metal compounds from the body.
8. Maintaining vigor and daily activity, combating decreased vitality, drowsiness, and headaches.
9. Improving brain (mental) activity and reactions.
10. Relieving anxiety, depression, stress, normalizing sleep (if used correctly).
11. Reducing the harmful effects of tobacco on the body.
12. Fighting urolithiasis and cholelithiasis. Restoring water balance in the body.
13. Slowing down the aging process, increasing the overall tone of the body.
14. Improving the functioning of the endocrine, cardiovascular, immune and digestive systems.
15. Maintaining visual acuity, good skin and hair condition.

How to properly prepare green tea

There are many recipes for preparing this drink, but first of all you need to understand exactly what effect you want to achieve by drinking it. If the matter is taste preferences, then you can brew it almost any way you like - some people like the combination of tea with milk or lemon, some choose flavored or mixed varieties, some add a drop of honey or sugar to their taste.

• use ceramic, porcelain or glass containers for brewing;
• brew tea with not too hot water - 60-80 degrees will be enough (tea will brew even in absolutely cold water). In order to determine whether the water has reached the desired temperature, you need to listen - the bubbles in boiling water should rustle like the wind in a pine forest;
• During brewing, you should not add sweet additives - it is better to add them immediately before use;
• various additives to tea will help enhance certain properties of tea - tea with milk will help satisfy hunger; Hibiscus will enhance metabolic processes and give the tea a slight diuretic effect.

Green tea will turn out much tastier if you heat the teapot with steam, pour tea at the rate of a teaspoon per glass, and pour hot water. You can brew tea with milk, or make tea in the usual way, and add milk to taste. This drink will help satisfy hunger and normalize blood pressure.

Does green tea raise or lower blood pressure?

As you know, the terms arterial hypertension and arterial hypertension are considered synonymous. Although, to be precise, “hypertension” means an increase in vascular tone, and “hypertension” means “an increase in pressure in the system.”

Increase in blood pressure to 140/90 mm Hg. is not always associated with an increase in vascular tone. High values ​​can be observed with their normal and even decreased tone due to an increase in cardiac output for one reason or another. Therefore, discussions about the benefits of green teas for lowering or increasing blood pressure continue.

• According to one point of view, there is no change in indicators. The caffeine contained in the composition stimulates cardiac activity, which initially increases blood pressure. At the same time, the vasomotor center of the medulla oblongata, which is responsible for the narrowing or expansion of blood vessels, gives the command to reduce tone, as a result of which the indicators quickly return to normal. Research has found that green drink has the property of thinning the blood, making it more fluid. As a result, the load on the heart muscle is significantly reduced, blood pressure levels are normalized, and the risk of stroke is reduced.
• Other studies, with varying degrees of certainty, confirm the benefits of green tea for reducing the level of “bad” cholesterol, strengthening and increasing the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels due to its high content of tannins. The best effect is achieved by consuming high-quality varieties made from the upper young leaves.
• Green teas are beneficial due to their diuretic effect and therefore can be used in the treatment of cardiovascular or kidney diseases and in reducing swelling. The results obtained allow us to recommend drinking a green drink to all healthy people to reduce the risk of arterial hypertension, as well as in the initial stages of this disease. Many patients note normalization or a noticeable decrease in indicators and improvement in their condition. But it is not possible to talk about a complete cure of the disease using this method.

To draw a more definite conclusion about the benefits of green tea for reducing blood pressure when regular use, additional multi-year studies are required.

Green tea with milk

Perhaps the most  healthy drink for tooth enamel, this is green tea with resin, in bags or brewed from leaves. Due to its high calcium content (495 mg), it effectively strengthens tooth enamel and prevents its thinning. In addition, when consumed with milk, tea does not stain teeth (unlike black tea, the pigment of which is not always neutralized even by milk).

Another property that is beneficial for green tea in bags with milk is that it has an alkaline environment (thanks to milk), which means it can neutralize the acidity of the stomach. Therefore, the benefits of green tea and milk in any form are obvious for people suffering from heartburn, gastritis, and high acidity. When ingested, this drink, due to its alkaline environment, reduces the acidity of gastric juice. As a result, the severity of attacks of gastritis and heartburn decreases. To improve the taste, it can be consumed with honey, jasmine, mint, lemon balm and other additives.

What is the best way to consume green tea?

In order for green tea to bring maximum benefits, choose high-quality large-leaf products. It is advisable that the product contains only one ingredient. If you want to improve the taste, you can do it yourself by adding natural products, and not flavorings of unknown origin.

Tea is drunk freshly brewed. After just an hour, the concentration of vitamins in it decreases significantly. You should not heat tea because it forms harmful compounds. High-quality varieties are brewed 2-3 times, with the infusion time increasing by 20 seconds each time.

A hot drink destroys tooth enamel and irritates the stomach, while a cold drink is poorly absorbed and becomes less beneficial.

Green tea is a traditional oriental drink whose history goes back several thousand years. However, green tea packages appeared on the shelves of Russian stores relatively recently, only 30-40 years ago. This drink can be treated differently, considering it a medicine or poison. In both cases, you will be right, since green tea can not only alleviate a person’s condition and save him from various diseases, but also cause them to occur. The thing is that the leaves of this plant contain a huge amount of active substances, which in small doses improve the functions of various organs of the body. But if their concentration in the blood exceeds the maximum permissible norm, then serious health problems can arise. Therefore, there is a generally accepted rule that states that you can drink no more than 3 cups of green tea per day, otherwise you can hardly count on feeling great.

Composition of green tea

Tea leaves contain a huge amount of vitamins and microelements that the body of any person needs. First of all, these are alkaloids, which in small doses stimulate the brain and nervous system, are responsible for vigor, a surge of physical strength and increase the activity of the whole body. One of the most famous alkaloids is caffeine, present in coffee. It is also found in green tea, but not in pure form, and is called tenin. Its effect on the body is much milder than that of caffeine. However, an overdose of tenin can lead to serious disruptions in the functioning of internal organs.

In addition, green tea contains quite a lot of polyphenols, the mechanism of action of which on the human body has not yet been fully studied. However, it is known that they are able to suppress malignant tumor cells, as well as stimulate the work of the heart muscle.

It is worth mentioning separately that fresh green tea contains a huge amount of minerals, which are a kind of “building material” for the human body, and their supply should be constantly replenished. Tea is an ideal remedy in this regard. Plus, this drink is rich in vitamins B, K, A, PP and D, and is also a kind of record holder for the content of vitamin C, which is approximately the same in 100 ml of green tea as in a similar amount of natural tea lemon juice. In addition, green tea contains 17 different amino acids, which are responsible not only for the breakdown of fats and carbohydrates, but also stimulate the regenerative functions of the body. Do not also forget that green tea is one of the sources of vegetable protein, and two cups of this drink contain half of it daily norm, necessary for the normal functioning of the adult body.

Beneficial properties of green tea

Green tea has many advantages, the main one of which is the absorbent qualities of this drink. It is able to bind toxins and various harmful substances, removing them from the body naturally. This is why it is recommended to drink green tea for food poisoning and when you want to get rid of toxins. Moreover, this drink perfectly cleanses almost all internal organs, it helps remove sand and stones from the kidneys, reduces the amount of bilirubin in the liver, enhances intestinal motility and helps with constipation. In addition, green tea has excellent diaphoretic properties, so people who need it often drink it for cosmetic purposes. effective cleaning skin pores and improving its structure.

TO beneficial properties Green tea should also include its ability to remove radioactive substances from the body. Scientists have proven that this drink helps reduce the dose of radiation during exposure, so it is recommended to drink it for people who have undergone radiotherapy, live in environmentally unsafe areas, or are employed in hazardous industries. For the same reason, green tea should be included in the daily diet for people who spend too much time in front of the TV or computer monitor. In addition, this drink has a very beneficial effect on the visual organs and normalizes the functioning of the eyes. digestive system. It has been scientifically proven that hot green tea, which not only has analgesic properties, but also promotes the healing of lesions in the mucous membrane of the digestive system, helps with pain in the intestines and stomach associated with diseases such as ulcers or gastritis.

Green tea also has a very beneficial effect on the nervous system. Thanks to a unique complex of vitamins and microelements, this drink helps to effectively combat stress, chronic fatigue and depression. A cup of green tea, drunk daily in the morning, provides a good mood and improves the performance of the entire body. However, if this drink is consumed in the evening, it will help overcome and ensure proper rest for the body.

Green tea and blood pressure

Green tea has a very beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, it prevents the formation of cholesterol plaques, strengthens the heart muscle and increases the overall tone of the whole body. It is noteworthy that this drink helps both hypertensive and hypotensive patients with equal success, as it has the property of normalizing blood pressure. Due to the increased content of amino acids, green tea is recommended to be included in the daily diet for people who suffer from excess weight problems and metabolic disorders in the body.

Green tea during pregnancy

Despite its beneficial qualities, expectant mothers should not get carried away with this drink, as it can provoke an increase in the tone of the uterus, which often leads to premature birth. It is believed that during pregnancy you should limit your consumption of green tea to one cup a day, and a few weeks before giving birth, you should completely abandon this drink. You should not overuse green tea during lactation, since the tannin it contains has a very negative effect on the nervous system of babies, making them capricious and restless. At the same time, green tea helps enhance lactation, so you can drink 1 cup of this drink a day to activate the functioning of the mammary glands. True, in order to minimize the negative impact of tannin on the child’s body, it is worth diluting the brewed green tea with cow’s or goat milk in a ratio of one 1:1.

The benefits of green tea have been known to man for more than four thousand years.

Green tea is harvested from the same tea bushes as other varieties. The main difference is in the method of processing the leaves.

This type of drink does not go through the fermentation stage, which allows you to preserve the benefits of green tea and the maximum amount of necessary micro- and macroelements.

You can understand why green tea is beneficial after studying the chemical composition of the raw materials.

How to properly prepare green tea

There are many recipes for preparing this drink, but first of all you need to understand exactly what effect you want to achieve by drinking it. If it's a matter of taste preferences, then you can brew it almost any way you like - some people like the combination of tea with milk or lemon, some choose flavored or mixed varieties, some add a drop of honey or sugar to their taste. If you want to preserve the benefits of green tea as much as possible, then it is better to adhere to the following recommendations:

Use ceramic, porcelain or glass containers for brewing;

Brew tea with not too hot water - 60-80 degrees will be enough (tea will brew even in absolutely cold water). In order to determine whether the water has reached the desired temperature, you need to listen - the bubbles in boiling water should rustle like the wind in a pine forest;

During brewing, you should not add sweet additives - it is better to add them immediately before use;

Various additives in tea will help enhance certain properties of tea -

1. tea with milk will help satisfy hunger;

2. Hibiscus will enhance metabolic processes and give the tea a slight diuretic effect.

Green tea will turn out much tastier if you heat the teapot with steam, pour tea at the rate of a teaspoon per glass, and pour hot water.

You can brew tea with milk, or make tea in the usual way and add milk to taste. This drink will help satisfy hunger and normalize blood pressure.

Chemical composition of green tea: benefits and harms

The complex chemical composition of a properly prepared drink helps to cope with malaise and headaches, equalizes blood pressure and allows you to normalize metabolic processes in the body. You can talk about green tea, its benefits or harm, only by studying the most effective organic compounds that are included in its composition.

1. Catechins and polyphenols, including epigallocatechin gallate. Green tea contains many beneficial substances, but it is necessary to highlight polyphenols separately - phytonutrients that exhibit a pronounced antioxidant effect. Polyphenolic compounds help the body protect itself from the development of cancer. Polyphenols also prevent diseases of the cardiovascular system and diabetes. Polyphenols from green tea are best absorbed when consumed without sugar.

Catechins are beneficial not only immune system, but also metabolic processes. What catechins do:

Remove free radicals, slowing down the aging of all vital systems;

Adsorb cholesterol and slow down the development of atherosclerotic plaques;

Catechins are highly bioactive; they help regulate cell tone and permeability;

The antibacterial effect of catechins in green tea is beneficial not only during colds, increasing the body's resistance. In addition, they help destroy harmful microbes.

In the long term, we can note the effectiveness of cahetins in accelerating metabolic processes.

An invigorating drink with a great taste, it contains catechins in significant quantities - about 62 mg per cup.

2. Tocopherols and vitamin E protect the human body from anemia and low activity levels.

3. Carotenoids are responsible for the color and aroma of tea, and on the other hand, they help the body synthesize vitamin A.

4. Ascorbic acid helps reduce body intoxication. Green tea reduces harm from stress, life in a polluted metropolis and harmful substances.

5. Alkaloids Green tea brings undeniable benefits - they increase the flow of energy, vigor and strength. The main alkaloids are caffeine, which is found in tea in the form of theine. Pure caffeine or theine has no odor or color of its own, but has a bitter taste. Due to the theine, green tea can practically not cause harm - it is almost impossible to be poisoned by caffeine while drinking tea.

6. Tannin and other tannins act as a source of vitamin P.

Green tea: benefits for health and well-being

This healthy drink is recommended as an ambulance for various ailments - headache, problems with blood pressure, women's troubles and other troubles can recede if you drink a cup of tea on time.

Biostimulation- acceleration of metabolic and metabolic processes allows you to speed up all functions of the life support system. If a person feels unwell, a cup of tea will bring him closer to normal health.

Immunoprotective functions green tea benefits not only regulate blood pressure; green tea is a source of minerals that are involved in the synthesis of antibacterial substances.

Natural energy drink gives a charge of vivacity, raises vitality and, which positively distinguishes this drink from coffee, does not put unnecessary strain on the heart.

Can green tea be harmful?

Any potent substance that affects the human body can cause harm. This is usually accidental due to regular improper preparation of tea or due to individual intolerance.

Those who experience nervous exhaustion are advised to temporarily abstain from green tea - it significantly stimulates the nervous system, which can lead to a loss of energy. Green tea should also be drunk carefully by those who have problems with heart function or insomnia.

Acute forms of hypertension and hypotension also require drinking green tea with caution.

How else can you enhance the benefits and reduce the harm from green tea:

You should not drink a stale drink. Yesterday's tea can make you feel worse.

It is better to refuse low-quality tea - an unpleasant aroma may indicate a violation of storage rules.

Green tea and alcohol go very, very poorly - the negative effect is felt immediately after consumption.

Due to the fact that the drink has a strong effect on its own, it is better to refrain from simultaneous use of the drug and tea.

The most beneficial tea is drunk in the morning.

Green tea: benefits and harms for pregnant and lactating women

Pregnancy has strange effects on female body, and sometimes doctors prohibit even the most seemingly harmless things.

But tea and other tonic drinks, even natural ones, cannot be considered truly harmless products. Green tea has a rich chemical composition, so its use during pregnancy should be treated with caution.

If a woman does not experience problems with her health, then a cup or two of green tea is unlikely to cause harm.

During pregnancy, tea will become a source of nutrients, level out the amount of sugar and protect against the development of cancer.

Experts and doctors recommend sticking to the drink consumption rate of 200-250 ml. tea a day, do not drink it instead of water. If a woman also consumes cocoa, Coca-Cola or chocolate, which contain enough caffeine, it is necessary to calculate the permissible amount of caffeine per day to avoid increased blood pressure and heart palpitations.

Green tea for weight loss: benefits, harm and properties

Many people are interested in losing weight, and the vast majority want to do it using some passive methods - they want to brew herbs and not bother themselves with any effort. Of course, this weight loss option is unlikely on its own, but it is indispensable as support during weight loss. How exactly does tea help you lose weight:

Helps break down bad cholesterol and fats - when followed properly healthy eating This drink will speed up metabolic processes and help get rid of toxins.

Gives energy and strength. A woman on a diet may experience a loss of energy, and invigorating herself with coffee or energy drinks is very harmful - this puts a lot of stress on the cardiovascular system and can lead to problems with blood pressure. At the same time, a pot of your favorite drink in the morning will help tone you up.

Antioxidants included in the chemical composition of the drink contribute to the rejuvenation of the skin and subcutaneous fats - the silhouette of the figure becomes toned and more slender.

To lose weight, the drink should be consumed without sugar or honey. A drop of milk will help reduce hunger, and a little lemon or ginger will speed up metabolic processes and help burn excess fat during exercise.

Also, people who watch their diet know how destructive failures and deviations from the diet are - in addition to the painful feeling of guilt after junk food or alcohol, there is also a feeling of mild poisoning.

A couple of cups will relieve discomfort, improve intestinal permeability and remove toxins.