Green Tea has been around for centuries, but lately its popularity in America has surged. Claims abound about the curative nature of green tea. There is research on the benefits and they might surprise you. The active compounds in tea are flavonoids, a plant based antioxidant group. It is believed that these flavonoids are responsible for the association between consuming green tea and a reduced risk for numerous cancers – including skin, lung, breast, colon, esophageal and bladder. (ref:Harvard)
Further research has revealed that regular consumption reduces the risk for heart disease, reduces oxidation of (LDL) bad cholesterol while increasing (HDL) good cholesterol, and reduces high blood pressure. (ref:Harvard)
The converse side is the caffeine. There are rumors floating around that green tea has more caffeine than coffee and most people need to watch their caffeine intake. Even a healthy person should not consume more than 400 mg of caffeine daily according to Mayo Clinic. (ref:Mayo) And one cup of coffee can contain up to 200 mg alone. Even decaf isn’t caffeine free, it can contain up to 95 mg of caffeine. Thankfully, this rumor that green tea has more caffeine just isn’t true. Again, according to Mayo Clinic, green tea can contain 25-45 mg of caffeine if it is fresh brewed. And fresh brewed is the suggested method as processing and storage can deteriorate the flavonoids and catechins that benefit the body.
So, the suggested serving is 1-5 cups of freshly brewed green, oolong, or black tea per day to help benefit your heart and increase antioxidant levels which boosts the immune system and may even reduce the risk of cancer.
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