Green tea is a perennial evergreen shrub growing up to 10m in height. The plant has beautiful, long, dark green leaves that have the shape of an oval. The leaves contain supporting sclereids in their pulp. Located in the leaf axils fragrant flowers collected in 2-4 pieces or singly. The florets and bracts are arranged in a spiral. Fetus green tea- a box, slightly flattened, consisting of three valves. Inside the fruit there are round-shaped seeds, dark brown in color.

From the end of summer to the last days of autumn, the flowering period of this plant lasts. The plant bears fruit from October to December. Green tea plantations are found in China, India, Japan, South America and in Africa.

Green tea composition:

This fresh, strong drink contains a lot of chemicals, this is the reason for the beneficial effect of tea. More than half a thousand components are found in its leaves, including calcium, fluorine, which are so necessary for the body, as well as magnesium, phosphorus and many others. It contains several hundred complex compounds of organic origin and most of the known vitamins. The special usefulness of green tea is due to the presence of the following compounds in it:

Caffeine is the main alkaloid, its presence in tea gives strength and energy to our body, invigorates and activates the brain. However, regular tea does not contain caffeine, but its analogue, called theine. Theine action is somewhat milder than caffeine, while it also activates the energy of the human brain, improves mood, and with it performance and activity.

The minerals contained in green tea contribute to the proper functioning of all our organs. Preventing the imbalance of minerals, it strengthens the immune system, contributes to the excellent condition of nails, hair and teeth.

Catechins are flavonoids, excellent antioxidants. Their impact is ten times greater than the effect of vitamins. Drink a cup of green tea throughout the day and your body will get all the polyphenols it needs. A similar effect has been found in catechins in other natural foods, such as carrots and broccoli. Being an effective antioxidant, this product suppresses free radicals in the body, reducing the risk of. Tea increases natural immunity, destroys microbes, so it is recommended for dysentery.

The benefits of green tea

The benefits of green tea have been known for a long time. Moreover, this fact is recognized not only by folk healers, but also by official institutions. The most venerable pharmaceutical companies, along with cosmetics manufacturers, use this unique, miraculous plant in their products. Beneficial features green tea is actively used in nourishing creams and dietary supplements.

Experience the action of this wonderful product for yourself - wash your face in the morning and before going to 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 iced green tea. Repeat this procedure regularly, and you will be provided with a cheerful and cheerful mood. Green tea will help get rid of unhealthy, as well as other similar negative symptoms on the face and body.

Green tea can make you beautiful. If you have far-reaching plans for the evening, he will help you become simply stunning. The beauty of your skin will be awakened by such a composition. Mix about 20 g of ordinary flour, egg yolk and strong brewed tea. Apply for 15 min. this mass on the face, thoroughly washing off after that. Your skin will acquire a pleasant color, straighten and tighten. You can enhance this effect with a piece of green tea ice.

Do not ignore black tea, its benefits are also obvious. Our mothers in their youth did without tanning beds to make their skin swarthy. To do this, pour a little water into black tea, put on fire, bring to a boil, and then insist, waiting for the liquid to cool. Wipe the skin with this infusion twice a day. You will become tanned without sunbathing.

But back to green tea. This drink normalizes the processes of digestion. By constantly drinking green tea, you will make your internal organs work faster - the liver, intestines and stomach. You will also notice an additional effect -. You are no longer afraid of stomatitis. All this is facilitated by surprisingly useful components with which tea is saturated. The antioxidants that are present in tea are an amazing preventative against cancers that have become a real disaster. In a tea drink, the well-known zinc is present in the required amount. This element is necessary for strengthening nails, hair growth, and it also promotes tightening, for example, with 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 - the best remedy from fatigue. Green tea infusion is used as an antimicrobial agent for dysentery. This tea is a means of preventing urolithiasis and cholelithiasis. Green tea maintains the tone of the body and satisfies the feeling of hunger.

The beneficial properties of green tea are due to the fact that its composition contains a large number of various bioactive substances, trace elements and vitamins. During the production 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 in the leaves are not destroyed, unlike black tea.

How useful is green tea? This healing drink has a tonic effect on all body systems. It contains caffeine and tannin, which stimulate the mental activity of the brain. It is useful to drink it for the prevention of blood clots, it reduces the level, protects the liver from toxins and alleviates the symptoms of stage 2 diabetes.

This drink is recommended to be consumed after suffering colds for faster recovery of the body. It is said to be able to speed up the healing of wounds and burns. Regular consumption of tea leaf infusion relieves the symptoms of certain skin diseases.

Harm of green tea

The composition of green tea includes substances that have both positive and negative impact 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 with.

A strong drink is definitely harmful for:

With an unstable nervous system and with diseases of the cardiovascular tract. Of course, theine is bad for them. But tea is rich not only in 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 to the developing brain of an unborn baby. All this is due to the content in it of a large dose. chemical drug with the unpronounceable name "epigallocatechin gallate". Again, we mention caffeine, which is contraindicated for pregnant women. Whether black tea prevents the breakdown of folic acid has not been proven for certain, but it does contain caffeine. Just a few cups of any tea per day can cause the birth of a child with low weight, stimulate premature labor with possible fetal death.

At a temperature. Tea contains theophylline, which can raise a person's temperature. Therefore, a patient with a temperature, drinking green tea, will worsen his condition even more.

With a stomach ulcer. Rather, tea is contraindicated than really harmful. Strong tea, and green tea in particular, increases the acidity of gastric juice, and this, in turn, prevents natural process wound healing. As a result, the patient's condition may worsen significantly.

With an unhealthy liver. This is where green tea comes into play. Some of the compounds found in tea are extremely taxing on the liver, especially if the drink is drunk in large quantities. But in black tea, these compounds are very few.

Washing out beneficial trace elements. Tea removes metals from the body. Again because of theine.

For the skeleton and bones. The analyzes put by scientists on animals showed unexpected results. It turns out that tea has a negative effect on the skeleton and, in particular, on the density of bone tissue. In fairness, we note that such studies have not been done on humans.

Urea formation. Any tea is rich in purines, which in the process of assimilation synthesize urea. It is known to be poisonous, and is removed from the body with difficulty. Its salts synthesize crystals that develop gout. In addition, green tea disrupts the condition of people who are ill and.

For teeth. Although the opposite effect was mentioned here, there is evidence that tea has a detrimental effect on tooth enamel. What to believe? You can’t answer for sure, but it’s hardly worth rinsing your teeth with tea when brushing.

The absorption of iron. 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, it accumulates a lot of purines. Although at the time of brewing they are already formed, but over time, the processes of their formation increase and after half an hour tea is no longer worth drinking.

The combined use of tea and alcohol causes an intense formation of aldehydes that harm the kidneys.

Excessive consumption of the drink causes a state of intoxication, the head starts to hurt, nausea rolls,.

Extremely hot drink should not be consumed in large doses. Therefore, if you constantly consume excessively heated tea, burns of the internal organs inevitably occur. They are deformed, painfully shrink, cracks form on 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 the most valuable substances are destroyed. But harmful elements are significantly added, the same purines, for example.

The use of green tea

Tooth decay is the most common problem for many teenagers and adults. Green tea quickly and effectively destroys bacteria in the mouth that prevent it from forming.

Green tea reduces cholesterol in the body, makes blood vessels more elastic, normalizes lipid metabolism, accelerates fat metabolism and prevents the body from aging quickly.

Green tea is an excellent diaphoretic. And if you mix it with lemon, the effect will be even better. In addition, green tea removes toxins from the body.

Green tea infusion for atherosclerosis, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Take 3 grams of dry green tea and wash it with boiling water - this is necessary to reduce the caffeine content in it. Next, pour green tea with 100 ml of boiling water and leave for about 10 minutes. Take this tea in a glass at a time three times a day. But, given the fact that a person takes green tea, it is necessary to drink no more than 1.2 liters of liquid per day (this includes 3 glasses of tea itself).

Green tea infusion for dysentery. Take 25 grams of crushed raw materials of the plant and pour 500 ml of boiling water. Leave everything to brew for half an hour. Then put the composition on low heat for 1 hour. After that, you need to strain the finished infusion. We store such a drink only in the refrigerator. Take an infusion of 2 tablespoons 30 minutes before meals 4 times a day.

Tea for indigestion. Many people suffer from this disease. Green tea will help with it. This plant contains bactericidal substances that destroy pathogens in the intestines and stomach. To get rid of an upset stomach, it is enough to drink strong green tea for 2-3 days in the morning, at lunchtime and in the evening - and the ailment will pass.

Infusion for vitamin deficiency. We take 3 grams of crushed tea and pour 100 ml of boiling water, leave to brew for 10 minutes. After that, add 1 teaspoon of syrup to it. Every day after a meal, we take such an infusion of 100 ml three times, only in a warm form.

How to brew green tea?

In order for green tea to be useful and give the effect that is expected from it, it must be brewed correctly.

There are three things to take seriously:

The most important of them is the temperature of the water and its quality.

Portion of brewed tea.

duration of the welding process.

Optimal combinations of these three parameters will give an excellent drink. Let's dwell on this in more detail.

1. How to determine the optimal portion of tea? Here it is necessary to take into account the size of the tea leaves, as well as the density of the tea leaves that you want to get. On average, one teaspoon is taken, based on a full glass of water.

2. What is the duration of the brewing process? This parameter depends on the size of the tea leaves, as well as the desired tonic effect - intense or slightly slowed down. Please note that theine, which causes such a desired tonic effect, dissolves in the first minute of the brewing process. Then there is a preferential saturation of tea leaves with tannins. Only after them our body assimilates theine itself. Therefore, when you expect an intense charge of vivacity from the tea ceremony, tea leaves should not be kept in tea leaves for more than one - one and a half minutes. On the contrary, if you want a not too intense surge of strength, but a long one, hold the tea leaves a little longer than indicated in the instructions. But keep in mind that the tea will turn out slightly bitter in this case. By experimenting with this indicator, you will find options that are acceptable for each specific case.

3. What water should be used for brewing? As with most drinks, the best option- water from a spring source. Since not everyone lives near a spring, filtered water can be used. When there is not even one, then at least give the tap water time to stand a little. Purchased distilled water is not suitable for brewing. Also, do not boil water for tea again. In general, it is unacceptable for water to boil over, since it is by no means unacceptable to brew tea with fresh boiling water!

The temperature of the brewing water is recommended in the region of 80-90 °C. Without a thermometer at hand, determining the right temperature is quite simple. It is necessary to open the lid of the kettle and when the steam begins to rise, bring your hand to it. The steam must not burn the hand. This is the optimum temperature. Learn once and for all - boiling water destroys most of the beneficial substances in tea, making this drink useless!

4. What is the best container for brewing green tea? The best dishes it is the one that holds the heat for a long time. Clay or porcelain teapots work well. Japanese tea connoisseurs use a teapot made of enameled cast iron, while Arabs prefer silverware. Dishes should not have foreign odors. To do this, pre-rinsing the dishes with boiling water will help a lot. It is also necessary that the cold kettle does not collect the heat of the water into itself, which was intended for brewing.

When, after several brewing procedures, a yellowish coating appears on the inner surface of the kettle, do not rush to remove it. Such a film is a kind of protection against adverse external factors. Maybe this will alert guests who are not familiar with such subtleties of the tea ceremony, but I think you will find a way to explain the situation to them.

5. Direct brewing procedure. The kettle used for this purpose must first be heated over an open fire. Only then pour tea. The spoon must be dry and clean. The teapot is wrapped in a soft cloth. Gourmets of tea ceremonies use special beautiful things for this. The kettle is kept warm for a couple of minutes. Welding is poured into a third of the container hot water. Withstand another 2-3 minutes, after which the kettle is topped up to the eyeballs.

Cups, preferably also made of clay or porcelain, intended for the tea ceremony, are rinsed with hot water before use. After all, hot tea poured into a cold cup cools quickly. The total duration of the brewing procedure is on average 3-4 minutes. The drink is poured into cups in small, equal volumes, so the same taste of tea is obtained for all guests.

6. Sometimes tea is prepared in the cup itself.(there are also such lovers) impose no more than one tsp. tea leaves. Such a drink is infused for about 2 minutes. The appearance of yellow-brownish foam on the surface of the kettle means the correct cooking mode. It is not required to remove the foam, it is simply stirred with a spoon in a cup. Also, do not forget to warm the cup itself, in which the tea is brewed.

7. How many tea leaves are allowed and with what to drink tea? It is generally accepted that sugar is the enemy of green tea. It is better to use honey for dessert, and in its absence - dried fruits. Secondary high-quality tea is brewed up to seven times. However, it is better not to do this more than twice. We take a tiny mini-teapot, brew it once, and then repeat it again. Secondary brewing time is increased. The initial brew has the most tart aroma. Next, the actual taste of tea begins to unfold.

Can you always drink green tea? Many people use this healing drink, thinking that it quenches thirst well. For example, in Central Asia they drink it hot when working in the field, but this is a big mistake. Tea leaf brew is a strong diuretic, and drinking it in the hot season, a person thereby dehydrates his body. In addition, excessive consumption of tea leaves can lead to a deterioration in the state of the nervous system.

caffeine in green tea

Small doses of caffeine with moderate consumption of tea leaves from green leaves tone up, help relieve fatigue, increase physical and mental activity of a person. However, for all beneficial effect This noble drink on the body should not be forgotten about its harm. It is because of caffeine that abuse is not recommended. green tea people suffering from cardiovascular diseases. This can lead to various complications.

This healing drink, mixed with milk, perfectly cleanses the kidneys, strengthens and tones the body. This “cocktail” is also very fond of Chinese centenarians. Milk neutralizes the effect of caffeine and other alkaloids, and therefore you can drink such a drink without fear for your health. Although this is a high-calorie product, the extra calories in it are compensated by calcium. An interesting study was conducted in which several women drank a glass of milk daily. Oddly enough, in the end, in addition to all the advantages of such a diet, in the form of strengthening nails, teeth and bones, weight loss was added to the subjects. According to the organizers of the experiment, this phenomenon is associated with calcium deficiency. Subsequently, scientists developed a special diet based on green tea with milk, and its effectiveness has already been proven. empirically. The cleansing processes in the body caused by drinking tea, in combination with a milk diet rich in trace elements, promotes weight loss without any harm associated with emaciation of the body.

What is the essence of such a diet? Two methods can be noted - soft and radical. When you're looking for a boost and don't have stomach issues, tough measures are taken. You should eat only a few fruits per day, giving up all other foods. We drink green tea with milk. Sugar, if the need for it is irresistible, change to a spoonful of honey. In addition to tea with the addition of milk, it is necessary to drink from one and a half liters of plain water. If this is all very difficult for you, then you are still indecisive in your desire to lose weight.

But let's say your goal is just to get rid of toxins. Then a fasting day is what you need. Such a measure, of course, is much softer - just one day can be tolerated. But you still have to forget about ordinary food on such a day in order to let tea complete its effect.

Consider the ways of drinking a miraculous drink. There are also only two of them, and here are some.

Method one: Gourmets assure that the highest efficiency of the tea-milk diet will be achieved if the tea leaves are prepared directly on milk. That is, water is not used at all. Dry tea is poured with heated milk. In this case, plain water is drunk only separately from the drink.

Method two: This option is considered easier, but not as useful. Boiling water and milk are mixed in equal parts by volume, and tea leaves are poured into such a mixture. Such tea is greener in color, but its taste is not so milky.

We also note that the use of green tea with milk is possible both hot and cold. It doesn't make it any less useful. Green tea is very popular among athletes. Relying on the miraculous properties of tea, it is necessary to use it not only after training, but also before it. The range of beneficial effects of tea is huge. Connoisseurs of bodybuilding, fitness and just people of an active lifestyle include it in their diet. But low blood pressure is a significant reason to refrain from green tea. After all, one of its most important functions is precisely the fight against hypertension.

The medical community has not yet made a definitive decision on whether green tea affects weight loss, although many people believe in the effectiveness of weight loss with this product. And this way of losing weight has recently become fashionable. It is believed that this infusion enhances metabolic processes in the body and accelerates the removal of fat, it is a powerful antioxidant and helps strengthen blood vessels, increasing their elasticity.

If you feel a little hungry, then instead of a snack, it is better to drink a cup of infusion from tea leaves without sugar. With its regular use, you can lose 2-3 kg, and in combination with a diet, stunning results are achieved. Let's remember the main tea gourmets - the Chinese and Japanese. Finding a fat man among them is very difficult. What is the ability of tea to get rid of excess weight? It turned out that among the useful qualities of green tea, it is precisely those that can cause weight loss that prevail. The drink perfectly cleanses the body, improves the functioning of the stomach and intestines, removing toxins, and increases metabolism. The positive effect of tea on accelerating the breakdown of fats has been proven. This drink allows you to forget about hunger.

1. Half an hour before a meal, just drink some tea (however, we note that drinking green tea before a meal is bad for the stomach. If you decide to drink it before a meal, then only 15 minutes before a meal). This is a great way to lose weight. For a single dose, a teaspoon is brewed into 300 g of water, infused for about two minutes and drunk without sugar. Such a technique will somewhat reduce the feeling of hunger, but at the same time it will speed up the processes responsible for the digestion of food, fat burning. It can be recommended to add plants to regular tea, which also contribute to weight loss. Among them, for example, hibiscus, distinguished by its mild laxative and diuretic effects. Hawthorn fruits are also suitable, absorbing fats, lowering cholesterol. Another addition is finely ground cinnamon. With it, tea acquires an exquisite, pleasant taste, and metabolism will increase by an order of magnitude. Finally, even a brutal appetite suppresses a spoonful of flax seed, eaten with a cup of green tea.

2. Add green tea to your dinner table. There is one recipe that will probably seem original and even somewhat strange to you. Try grinding tea into a fine powder with a coffee grinder. Eat a spoonful of this powder during any of your meals. You can drink it with water. You can not even eat the powder in pure form, and, say, sprinkle them with cold snacks, for example, salads, cereals, Olivier. You should not only add it to various soups or cocktails containing a lot of liquid. In such dishes, the powder will simply dissolve and its effect will be significantly lower or simply weakened. This recipe has come down to us from China. And in this country people know how to keep a figure.

3. If you are already on a diet, then tea is excellent to improve the effect. In general, the best nutritionists recommend drinking green tea as often as possible when losing weight. Eating fruit and vegetable dishes helps to quickly get rid of excess weight. At the same time, reduce the amount of sweets and flour products in your diet. Replace fried meat with fats with boiled. Try to reduce the amount of salt and especially sugar in your food. But all kinds of cereals - buckwheat, rice should be welcome on your table. Of course, also in reasonable quantities. And remember, drink green tea regularly, as there are no restrictions on its intake when losing weight. Now let's talk about the most successful combinations of dietary rations and green tea.

How does green tea affect weight loss? The acceleration of metabolic processes is not the only factor influencing weight loss in the arsenal of tea. There are several other useful functions in this direction, we list them:

mild diuretic properties, contributing, respectively, to the removal of excess fluid. Although among all the products that are usually used in conjunction with green tea, milk does not appear in any way, in order to lose weight, this ceremonial can be bypassed. By adding a little skimmed milk to tea, you can dramatically increase the diuretic effect, more fluid will be excreted. And this tool is a good prevention of swelling of the legs and feet.

polyphenols, contained in excess in tea, enhance the body's heat exchange through the efficient processing of deposited fats. Drinking several cups of tea a day, according to scientists, can increase the amount of fat burned by almost one and a half times.

A decrease in blood sugar also favors weight loss, because it helps not to feel hungry ahead of time. Drink just a cup of tea before meals, and lunch will seem much more satisfying to you, which means you can eat less. Those such a hearty meal, as usual, is also an ally in the fight against excess weight.

The question may arise, how long should green tea be a mandatory component of the diet? Literally two weeks will be enough for this, the result of the tea diet will be the body's habit of healthy eating, a moderate diet. You will get a double benefit - first there will be getting rid of excess fluid, and only then the fat will be utilized. By accustoming the body to a healthy diet, you can sometimes indulge yourself with completely non-diet products, without fear that this will lead to extra pounds weight.

Green tea extract

Such an extract is made from the green, non-fermented leaves of the plant. It is used in the cosmetic and food industries. In cosmetology, masks, creams, shampoos and much more are produced on its basis. Such a widespread use of this product is due to the fact that preparations from tea leaves have a beneficial effect on preserving the youthfulness of the skin and its beauty. In the cosmetology field, the extract is used as a preservative, antioxidant, stabilizer. natural dyes and as a deodorant.

Green tea extract nourishes and moisturizes the skin, improves and strengthens its very structure. It also prevents skin aging, enhancing its protective functions, and at the cellular level it has a general positive effect. In the food industry, green tea extract is used as a natural antioxidant to prevent the oxidation of oils and fats. It is a stabilizer for a number of unstable and rapidly oxidizing compounds.

Contraindications to the use of green tea

While green tea has many health benefits, it should not be consumed in excess. It is generally contraindicated for people with hypotension, since green tea reduces blood pressure. Ulcers are also better off not using green tea preparations.

If you have drunk alcohol, then forget about green tea! If alcohol and green tea are consumed at the same time, then aldehydes are formed, and this will have an extremely negative effect on the kidneys. It is undesirable to use preparations from green tea and on an empty stomach.

Education: A diploma in the specialty "Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the University named after N. I. Pirogov (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Moscow University of Peoples' Friendship (2008).

Green tea is recognized as the first of 10 foods that promote health and longevity. Minimal processing of this type of tea preserves most of the vitamins, minerals and other bioactive substances that affect all organs and systems of the human body.

The ability of tea to strengthen the immune system, relieve spasms of cerebral vessels, activate the heart, improve sleep, strengthen the nervous system, relieve depression, increase sexual energy and fight excess weight has been scientifically proven. The mechanisms of the anti-cancer and anti-radiation effects of tea still remain unexplored, but the benefits of tea in these cases are undeniable. The tea may help prevent cancer by purifying the blood and boosting the immune system. The anti-radiation effect of green tea is eloquently evidenced by the fact that the inhabitants of Hiroshima, who regularly drink several cups of green tea a day, not only survived after the explosion, but also improved their condition. Japanese green tea has the ability to absorb and remove strontium-90 from the body, even if it has managed to be deposited in bone tissue. By the way, modern man, surrounded by radiation from a computer, TV and other devices and inhaling the city air, it is simply necessary to regularly consume green tea, which has such valuable properties.

In addition to normalizing the functioning of the body, green tea is also a powerful spiritual stimulant. That is why green tea and oolong are used in Chinese and Japanese tea ceremonies. During the ceremony, tea promotes maximum focus and openness to new ideas. It is not uncommon for an understanding of a problem and a completely non-standard solution to it to come over a cup of tea. High-quality tea is a mild psychostimulant that regulates mental processes without causing harm to the body. With regular consumption of green tea, vision is sharpened and the susceptibility of the nervous system increases, the reaction rate increases, the thinking process accelerates, the ability to concentrate for a long time increases and creative activity is stimulated.

Tea makes us resilient to stress and improves mood in depression. All this can also be explained by the purification of blood from toxins, but it is much more pleasant to realize that together with tea we are pouring a mysterious, magical essence into ourselves. Tea connoisseurs note that conversations over tea differ from everyday conversations and reveal the interlocutor with better side. However, only fresh and properly prepared tea has such wonderful properties.

Despite the fact that tea packages indicate a shelf life of one to three years, three-year-old tea is much inferior in taste and useful properties to fresh tea. When buying tea, you should make it a rule to look at the date of production. The information on the packaging will help to avoid another trouble - flavorings. The very fact that “nature identical flavors” had to be added to green tea makes one wonder about its quality (or age). Even if the tea contains additives such as jasmine, hibiscus, chrysanthemum, pieces of fruit, lemon peel and other beautiful things, it is better to check the information on the package. Perhaps these additives only cover the use of flavorings.

It should not be assumed that green tea is a new and unusual product for Russia. Green tea was popular in Russia long before Europe knew about it. Only in the 19th century, following the English fashion, Russians massively switched to black tea. The love for black tea and the established traditions of its preparation “in Russian” often make it difficult to realize the fact that black tea is made from the same tea leaves as green tea, but undergoes additional processing, which makes it less useful.

The most common mistake when brewing green tea is using the “traditional Russian method”, in which the tea leaves are prepared in advance in a large teapot, infused for a long time, diluted with boiling water to taste and flavored with sugar. It is difficult to spoil the taste of black tea with improper preparation, so this economical method seems to many to be the only correct one. Green tea is softer and richer. He requires special attention. It is not surprising that green tea has so few admirers in Russia - it is quite difficult to enjoy the bitter yellow liquid with a pungent odor ... In addition, with this method of brewing, tea loses all useful properties and even acquires harmful ones. It is completely pointless to force yourself to drink improperly prepared tea in order to get rid of excess weight.

To enjoy green tea, you need soft water without foreign odors. In no case should water be brought to a boil, even when brewing black tea. Green tea is much thinner than black tea hot water destroy its taste, aroma and beneficial properties. 80-85C is the ideal water temperature for green teas. It is best to infuse tea in a small clay teapot. It is difficult to make recommendations about the number of tea leaves and the time of infusion, because it depends on the type of tea and the time of harvest, the softness of the water and personal preference. To begin with, you can brew one teaspoon of tea per 100 ml of water, if the taste is not bright enough, next time increase the dose.

The taste properties of each tea are determined empirically. It takes a lot of experience and special knowledge to properly prepare an unfamiliar tea the first time. The only thing to remember when preparing green tea is that its infusion time should not exceed 10 seconds. (Of course, you can follow the directions on the package and steep for 3-4 minutes, but who likes the result?) Many green teas become bitter even when steeped for 3-4 seconds. Dilution of tea with water negates its beneficial properties. Adding sugar equates tea to compote, which is not bad in itself, but makes no sense, especially if the tea is expensive. High-quality teas can withstand up to 15 repeated brewings. That is why the teapot should be small.

With all its advantages, tea also has contraindications: excessive sensitivity to caffeine and addiction to caffeine. Sensitivity to caffeine can be individual, which is very rare, and situational: with exacerbation of stomach ulcers, hypertension, kidney disease, glaucoma, psychasthenia, and any illness accompanied by high fever. If you have a cold, you should drink weak green tea. Large amounts of green tea are not recommended for pregnant and lactating women, but a few cups of high-quality tea a day will do the trick. Young children are very sensitive to tea. Until the age of 10-12, children should not get carried away with strong tea, but a weak infusion of green tea will provide the children's body with vitamins and other useful substances.

Green tea is an ambiguous drink. It is made from tea tree leaves that have not been fermented. Known rich chemical composition green tea. What a person eats and drinks affects his health. Drinks that are sold in stores contain chemicals that are not very good for the body.

What a drink for a long time there is no doubt - it's green tea. However, it is worth knowing all its features, because green tea can bring benefits and harm to health to the same extent.

Compound

Due to the fact that the processing of fresh products mainly consists in 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 the concentration of useful substances becomes many times greater.

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 macronutrients.

Tea composition:

1. Vitamins - for example, vitamin P, which contributes to the health and elasticity of blood vessels and supports the cardiovascular system as a whole; vitamin C, which is more in green tea 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; fluorine, which strengthens the gums and teeth; potassium is a friend of the heart muscle; copper, promoting 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, contributes to weight loss.
3. Caffeine - well, everyone knows caffeine, its invigorating and tonic properties are familiar to coffee lovers, but with green tea, everything is not so simple. The fact is that it contains “another caffeine” - theine, the effect of which is much softer, and at the same time longer. In addition, it is excreted from the body completely, without causing side effects. When I, an experienced coffee addict, suddenly began to jump pressure, my doctor recommended replacing morning coffee with green tea, and the positive experience inspired me so much that I completely switched to it. Surprisingly, the pressure returned to normal.
4. Antioxidants - 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 beneficial for diabetics.

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

Harm of green tea

The composition of green tea includes 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 the infusion of tea leaves is not recommended for people with increased excitability and insomnia.

Remember that the recommended temperature of the brewing water is around 80-90 degrees. Without a thermometer at hand, determining the right temperature is quite simple. It is necessary to open the lid of the kettle and when the steam begins to rise, bring your hand to it. The steam must not burn the hand. This is the optimum temperature. 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 such situations:

1. During pregnancy. It interferes with the natural breakdown of folic acid, which is so vital to the developing brain of an unborn baby. All this is due to the content in it of a large dose of a chemical drug with the unpronounceable name "gallatepigallocatechin". Again, we mention caffeine, which is contraindicated for pregnant women. Whether black tea prevents the breakdown of folic acid has not been proven for certain, but it does contain caffeine. Just a few cups of any tea per day can cause the birth of a child with low weight, stimulate premature labor with possible fetal death.
2. With an unstable nervous system and with diseases of the cardiovascular tract. Of course, theine is bad for them. But tea is rich not only in theine, it contains substances that actively influence these systems, which causes its harmful effects, for example, due to theobromine.
3. With a stomach ulcer. Rather, tea is contraindicated than really harmful. Strong tea, and green tea in particular, increases the acidity of gastric juice, and this, in turn, interferes with the natural process of wound healing. As a result, the patient's condition may worsen significantly.
4. At a temperature. Tea contains theophylline, which can raise a person's temperature. Therefore, a patient with a temperature, drinking green tea, will worsen his condition even more.
5. With an unhealthy liver. This is where green tea comes into play. Some of the compounds found in tea are extremely taxing on the liver, especially if the drink is drunk in large quantities. But in black tea, these compounds are very few.
6. For the skeleton and bones. The analyzes put by scientists on animals showed unexpected results. It turns out that tea has a negative effect on the skeleton and, in particular, on the density of bone tissue. In fairness, we note that such studies have not been done on humans.
7. Washing out beneficial trace elements. 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? You can’t answer for sure, but it’s hardly worth rinsing your teeth with tea when brushing.
9. Urea formation. Any tea is rich in purines, which in the process of assimilation synthesize urea. It is known to be poisonous, and is removed from the body with difficulty. Its salts synthesize crystals that develop gout. In addition, green tea disrupts the condition of people suffering from arthritis and rheumatism.

What is harmful green tea bags:

1. The composition of the vast majority of brands of packaged teas includes the so-called tea debris (damaged leaves, petioles, sticks), which is rejected in the production of high-quality loose leaf teas. The taste and benefits of such tea dust are minimal.
2. Many brands of tea in 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 for the production of tea bags. The composition of the paper in which tea is packaged includes thermoplastic fiber (for shaping). This substance, in contact with hot water, releases various harmful substances.

Extremely hot drink should not be consumed in large doses. Therefore, if you constantly consume excessively heated tea, burns of the internal organs inevitably occur. They are deformed, painfully shrink, cracks form on 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, Central Asian peoples use this "health cocktail" daily: chilled in the heat, hot - in the cold season. Look at Japanese women - their wonderful skin, youthfulness and harmony have long served as a model for all women.

Of course, a seafood-rich diet 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 that in vain movie stars and glamorous divas in their expensive spas have long ago made it a fashion to indulge in a cup of green tea, which is excellent for cleansing and rejuvenating the body?

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

1. Decreased growth of cancerous tumors. The ability to stop and delay the growth of various types of 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 the effects of increased radiation.
3. Prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system up to 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. Fight against diseases of the oral cavity, eliminate periodontal disease and bad breath, prevent tooth decay.
6. Normalization and maintenance of healthy intestinal microflora.
7. Removal from the body of toxins, salts, including compounds of radioactive metals.
8. Maintaining vigor and daily activity, combating reduced vitality, drowsiness, headache.
9. Improvement of brain (mental) activity, reactions.
10. Removal of anxiety, depression, stress, normalization of sleep (with proper use).
11. Reducing the harmful effects of tobacco on the body.
12. Fight against urolithiasis and cholelithiasis. Restoration of water balance in the body.
13. Slowing down the aging process, increasing the overall tone of the body.
14. Improving the work of the endocrine, cardiovascular, immune and digestive systems.
15. Maintaining visual acuity, good skin and hair condition.

How to prepare green tea

There are many recipes for making this drink, but first of all, you need to understand what kind of effect you want to achieve by using it. If it's a matter of taste preferences, then you can brew it almost anywhere - someone likes the combination of tea with milk or lemon, someone chooses flavored or mixed varieties, some add a drop of honey or sugar to their taste.

• use ceramic, porcelain or glassware for brewing;
• brew tea with not too hot water - 60-80 degrees will be enough (tea will be brewed even in absolutely cold water). In order to determine whether the water has reached the desired temperature, you need to listen - bubbles in boiling water should make noise like wind in a pine forest;
• during brewing, you should not put 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, pour hot water over it. You can brew tea with milk, or make tea in the usual way, and add milk to taste. Such a drink will help satisfy hunger and normalize blood pressure.

Green tea raises or lowers 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.”

An increase in blood pressure up to 140/90 mm Hg. not always associated with an increase in vascular tone. High values ​​can be observed with their normal and even reduced tone due to an increase in cardiac output due to various reasons. 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. Caffeine, which is part of 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 the tone, as a result of which the indicators quickly return to normal. Studies have found that a 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, pressure indicators are normalized, and the risk of stroke is reduced.
• Other studies, with varying degrees of certainty, confirm the benefits of green tea to reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol, strengthen and increase the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels due to the high content of tannins in it. The best effect is achieved when using high-quality varieties made from the top young leaves.
• Green tea varieties are useful for their diuretic effect and therefore can be used in the treatment of cardiovascular or kidney diseases, reducing swelling. The results obtained allow us to recommend that everyone who is healthy drink a green drink to reduce the risk of arterial hypertension, as well as in the initial stage of this disease. Many patients report normalization or a noticeable decrease in performance, improvement. But it is not necessary to talk about the complete cure of the disease in this way.

More years of research is required to draw a more definitive conclusion about the blood pressure lowering benefits of green tea when consumed regularly.

Green tea with milk

Perhaps the healthiest drink for tooth enamel is green tea with milk, tea bags or brewed from the leaves. Due to the high content of calcium (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 green tea in bags with milk is useful for 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 with milk in any form for people suffering from heartburn, gastritis, and high acidity are obvious. 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 drink green tea?

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

Tea is drunk freshly brewed. Within an hour, the concentration of vitamins in it is significantly reduced. Do not heat tea, because harmful compounds are formed in it. High-quality varieties are brewed 2-3 times, while the time for infusion increases by 20 seconds each time.

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

Green tea has replaced black tea and coffee. Without additives in the form of herbs and dried fruits, this tea is not as fragrant as its counterparts, but it has more beneficial properties. How to extract benefits from green tea and minimize harm? We would like to answer this question in this article.

The properties of green tea have been used for hundreds of years, but only in recent decades, the effectiveness of green tea for various diseases has been scientifically proven. It is important to use not only high-grade tea, but also to store and brew it properly.

In the right way, tea should be brewed in a special dish ...

What is green tea?

Green tea is the result of processing tea leaves with steam at a temperature of 170-180 degrees, then fermentation is possible for no longer than 2 days, which is completed forcibly by heating. When dry, the color of green tea varies from light green to dark green. The tea itself turns out to be light yellow, orange or greenish in color with a herbal note and a slightly tart taste. If the tea has a bitter taste, then it is of poor quality, over-aged or improperly brewed.

It is safer to use loose leaf tea of ​​the highest quality. This is because green tea bags are a waste product of the tea business, essentially tea dust. Even if packaged green tea is properly brewed in boiling water, it will not bring tangible health benefits.

In Asian countries, "brick" green tea is preferred, made from old leaves, branches and cut parts. "Bricks" contain at least 75% green leaves, thanks to which such tea stands out for its tart taste and can be stored for a long time.

The composition and beneficial properties of green tea

Green tea contains:

• vitamin K;
• minerals (fluorine, copper, iodine, manganese, chromium, zinc and selenium);
• natural antioxidants (polyphenols);
• caffeine;
• tannin (vitamin B1);
• riboflavin (vitamin B2);
• nicotinic acid (vitamin PP).

Vitamin C boosts immunity, helps fight viruses and avoid illness. Tannin has a beneficial effect on the digestive process, supports the stable functioning of the nervous system and has an antimicrobial effect. Vitamin B2 affects the elasticity of the skin, and B15 helps to penetrate into the body beneficial substances. Vitamin PP has an anti-allergic effect. But vitamin P is especially distinguished, which affects the strengthening of blood vessels.

Iodine affects the functioning of the endocrine system, and fluorine will help to effectively fight caries in combination with other methods of treatment. Vitamin K affects blood clotting by promoting the formation of prothrombin in the blood. Natural antioxidants in green tea effectively remove radicals from the body, which is used in various diets and diseases. This is where green tea can be helpful. How to brew it correctly and for what diseases it benefits is discussed later in this article.

Benefits of green tea

Green tea can be used for prevention various problems and diseases. Green tea benefits:

• vision;
• cardiovascular system;
• vessels of the brain;
• hypotension, regulating blood pressure;
• pregnant women with toxicosis, during lactation;
• metabolic processes in the body, cleansing it of toxins;
• digestive system;
• nervous system;
• the immune system;
• teeth, whitening them;
• diuretic system;
• with diabetes;
• with excess weight;
• alcoholics, reducing the effect of a hangover - although these representatives of the animal world can only benefit from getting rid of a bad habit;
• mammary and prostate gland (anti-cancer properties);
• the body, uplifting and relieving stress.

In general, it should be noted that among the varieties of tea, green is second only to its beneficial properties, which retains more healing substances in the composition due to minimal processing and fermentation.

For effective effects of green tea on the body, it should be consumed regularly, an average of 2 cups per day. But no more than 4 glasses of green tea per day. Pregnant women should alternate the use of green tea with other healthy drinks - compote, fruit drinks.

In order not to destroy the beneficial properties of green tea, it is important to know how to brew it correctly. To do this, it is necessary to monitor the quality of all components involved in the brewing process:

1. Water - filtered or drinking non-carbonated, brought to a boil of 100 degrees. But it is better to brew green with slightly cooled boiling water - 80-85 degrees.
2. Kettle for brewing - ceramic (porcelain) dishes with thick walls are used, which keep the desired temperature longer. It must be with a lid on top and on the spout. Before use, it is poured with boiling water inside and out to warm up, and only then green tea is put.
3. Tea leaves are of high quality, reliable supplier and in the right storage conditions. Transfer to the teapot only with a dry and clean spoon. Before brewing, rinse the leaves with boiling water in a teapot, and only then pour boiling water over them.
4. Brewing time - depends on the variety of green tea leaves. Large-leaf tea takes longer to brew than small-leaf tea. The average brewing time is 10-15 minutes if you plan to drink tea for a large number of people and dilute the tea in glasses. If it is brewed only for a family or a couple, then it is infused for no more than 5 minutes, and it is not diluted in glasses.
5. Proportions - 1 teaspoon of green tea leaves per 1 cup, about 200 ml in volume. When drinking tea for a large number of people, 1 more spoon is added on top of the norm.
6. Additional components - lemon, sugar, milk. Especially popular is the addition of milk to green tea during pregnancy and lactation, such tea regulates the pressure of a pregnant woman, cleanses her body and supplies some of the necessary nutrients. The warm liquid itself stimulates milk production, and the combination of milk with tea provides an increase in lactation.

Harm of green tea

Green tea may not be beneficial, but harmful in cases of violation of the storage rules or the brewing method. Therefore, when buying, pay attention to the leaves, they should be of a light shade. If they are broken, with a nondescript and dull color, this indicates a long shelf life. This tea should not be used.

When brewing, the main mistake can be the ingress of unboiled water into the tea tincture. This will spoil the tea and may cause stomach problems. You can not drink strong brewed tea on an empty stomach, during the period of exacerbation of diseases, tone and the threat of miscarriage. The limits on the time of brewing tea should be observed, too strong tea can cause insomnia or nervous tension.

Do not take medicines with green tea, as it does not contribute to their absorption. Do not use stale tea leaves or leftover tea from yesterday morning. You should follow the rules for storing it - in a wooden box or in a glass jar with a tightly closed lid. This is what green tea can be, the benefits and harms of which are discussed in this article.

Still, you should not abuse the beneficial properties of green tea, drink it a few hours before meals, and not on an empty stomach in the morning. Regular consumption of properly brewed green tea, both men and women, will benefit. It is strongly recommended that you do not overdo it and limit yourself to 1 cup of green tea per day during pregnancy or serious chronic diseases.

Green tea undergoes minimal processing compared to black tea, and therefore retains its qualities and trace elements in its original form. Unlike black tea, the effect of this drink is softer, and in some cases radically different from other types of tea.

So, there are not only tannins here that save the body during poisoning, but also vitamin C (it is ten times more here than in black), so green tea is indispensable for colds as a hot drink. Green tea, like the rest, is able to quickly bind toxins and remove them from the body - that is why it is so important to drink green tea in case of poisoning and alcohol hangover.

Depending on the strength and time of brewing, the properties of green tea can change: weak freshly brewed tea lowers blood pressure, while strong and daily aging can increase it. Vitamin P - a flavonoid - makes the walls of blood vessels more elastic, which allows capillaries to perform their functions better, this is very important for older people who are cold. Vascular tone is a good prevention of strokes.

The diuretic effect of the drink is known, so it can be used to prevent edema, avoiding pills. However, if there are doctors' warnings about gastritis or ulcers, you should drink extremely weak tea, as it increases acidity.

The properties of green tea are indispensable for cosmetology - this is the treatment of inflammation, and skin rejuvenation, and the prevention of rashes and pigmentation. It is no coincidence that it is included in many masks, creams and spa treatments. And the zinc contained in it is good for nails and hair.

The antioxidant properties of green tea are the strongest among analogues. So, one cup contains more antioxidants than 10 glasses of apple juice. And this is the prevention of aging and cancer.
It is better to buy good green tea in specialized stores, since the mass market usually sells low-grade ground tea or dust in bags. It is also worth following the rules for brewing this unique drink - the water temperature should not be higher than 85-90 degrees.

Green tea lowers blood pressure

Green tea not only lowers blood pressure, it normalizes it due to a mixed effect on the body. It is known that the drink has a beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels, improving their permeability and normalizing the tone.

The blood is more likely to cope with its tasks, there are no stagnation. Green tea breaks down fat cells, promotes the resorption of cholesterol plaques, it also improves the patency of blood vessels.

Green tea lowers blood pressure due to its diuretic effect, which can be increased by adding low-fat milk. This reduces the load on the cardiovascular system. Also, green tea helps the liver, leveling the effects of toxins, alcohol and tobacco, which also unloads the body. Regular consumption of green tea can lower blood pressure by 5-10%.

It is very important, when using green tea to lower pressure, not to neglect medicines if needed. In this case, it is worth remembering that you cannot drink them with tea.

Green tea also contains caffeine, which increases blood pressure in coffee because it affects the cardiovascular system. Tea caffeine acts on the nervous system, so there is no increase in pressure, only an increase in eye pressure is possible - here you should be careful if there are unfavorable diagnoses.

At the same time, green tea retains its beneficial properties when hot, freshly brewed, then its properties change and are lost, so it is worth starting the tea ceremony again every time.

The exact opposite of green tea - hibiscus, or hibiscus - when hot, this drink increases pressure, and when cold, it lowers.

Benefits of green tea

Green tea is truly a magical drink. And it is surprising that in our country it was opened quite recently, although the traditions of tea drinking are quite rich. The benefits of green tea are so undeniable that even lovers of black tea admit it, sometimes choosing it only for the sake of tradition and taste.

1. Green tea is known as a source of antioxidants that slow down aging. The drink helps with headaches due to the high content of caffeine, tones the nervous system, protecting the cardiovascular system.
2. In cosmetology, green tea is part of many masks and creams, and green tea cubes are advised to wipe the face in home procedures. The benefits of green tea for skin and beauty are undeniable when consumed hot. Acting on blood vessels, green tea enhances heat exchange, expands pores and removes excess moisture. Due to this, the skin is renewed and as if washed from the inside.
3. Green tea has more tannins - and its benefits in case of poisoning are undeniable, while glutamic acid helps to recover from stress. The body owes the prevention of pressure surges to another property of green tea - a diuretic. The benefits of green tea in removing excess fluid from the body have long been proven, as well as the vasodilating property. But this tea is also useful for people with reduced pressure- the vessels will come into tone and will quickly adapt to pressure drops and weather.
4. Thanks to green tea, the blood changes significantly - the number of red blood cells increases, and hence the possibility of oxygen transfer. This also allows you to quickly break down fatty deposits in the vessels. Therefore, for the prevention of atherosclerosis, green tea is good for older people to drink. However, the breakdown of fat is ubiquitous, so green tea is often included in diets. It is also able to lower sugar, and therefore reduce appetite.

By the way, this is the only tea that behaves very cunningly in relation to the brewing time: brewing up to 2 minutes invigorates, up to 5 minutes - soothes, and after that it will give a pleasant taste and aroma rather than somehow affect the mood.

Harm of green tea

As in the case of black tea, the harm of green tea is exaggerated and is possible only if the drink is abused.

You should not consume more than one and a half liters of green tea per day, which is comparable to six good cups. Therefore, lovers are advised to drink tea from small service cups not as an addition to the meal, but as a separate ceremony. Also, green tea can dull the taste of food. And drinking tea immediately after a meal can slow down digestion. It is ideal to drink it 20-30 minutes after eating and without a bite.


Green tea reduces blood pressure and sugar, so it is recommended to drink it before meals - so you will eat less. However, with a large amount of strong tea you drink, you can feel dizzy - then you should eat something sweet.

The stronger the tea, the less it should be drunk, a weakly brewed drink will not bring harm. Despite the fact that tea allows you to fight swelling and removes excess fluid, when consumed with alcohol, the opposite effect is possible. There is no need to talk about the dangers of green tea here - an illiterate combination of drinks is to blame. But green tea will help get rid of a hangover like nothing else.

You should not drink green tea in a very hot form, it irritates the mucous membranes, and also on an empty stomach, as it increases acidity.

It is also difficult to talk about the dangers of green tea when customers inadvertently choose low grades or cheap brands - in this case it is better to talk about the lack of benefits.

Also, green tea is known as a tonic drink, so drinking it at night is not recommended, it can lead to insomnia.

As you can see, the harm of green tea is exaggerated, we can only talk about non-compliance with the rules of tea drinking.

Green tea and weight loss

The use of this drink for weight loss is very popular today, and there are objective reasons for this. If instead of other drinks (besides water) you drink high-quality green tea while maintaining the same diet, this will lead to a loss of up to 5 kilograms per month.

How does green tea for weight loss work? First of all, green tea, especially when seasoned with milk, is an excellent diuretic. Already in the first week, all excess fluid will go away and swelling will disappear. At the same time, drinking green tea for weight loss should be like regular tea - no more than 4-6 cups per day. At the same time, it should always be freshly brewed and of good quality.


If you notice, then after a cup of tea you sweat. This indicates an acceleration of heat transfer, which further accelerates the metabolism, and hence the breakdown of fat. Also, drinking green tea increases the number of red blood cells in the blood, which helps to saturate the blood with oxygen. It also speeds up the breakdown of fat. And the diuretic effect does not leave your enemy a chance.

Green tea reduces sugar and dulls the taste of food - you will eat noticeably less, which in itself will favorably affect the figure.

For unloading day when using green tea for weight loss, you can prepare 1.5 liters of milk and 3 teaspoons of green tea. Pour tea into milk heated to 85 degrees and drink throughout the day. In the morning you will see minus 2 kilograms on the scales.

An additional bonus of using green tea for weight loss will be skin improvement, normalization of blood pressure and overall tone. This is achieved due to the already described properties of green tea, the content of antioxidants and theine in it.