Green tea has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to treat many ailments, including headaches and depression. The Western World has only really discovered green tea in the last two decades.

Since the turn of this century, people have heard, seen and drank green teas and have come to know the health benefits of doing so.

SO IS GREEN TEA THE ELIXIR OF LIFE, OR IS IT JUST HYPE?

Many studies have shown some positive effects on our health from drinking green tea. Green tea contains Vitamin B, naturally occurring folic acid, manganese, potassium, magnesium, caffeine and other antioxidants, notably catechins, all valuable minerals.

It is believed that green tea does help with higher metabolism and thus enables our bodies to burn fat better. Moderate cups of green tea stops bad breath. Green tea contains properties that aid good health. It helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure thanks to its catechins. It is considered an elixir for wellness. But many of these studies were short term, and it is well agreed in the medical world that more long term studies are required for conclusive evidence of these benefits.

Like any valuable ingredient with health benefits, we should know when and how to use it to obtain optimal benefits. Evidence of how much green tea we would need to drink to see a positive effect on our health is little known; what are the long-term effects of drinking green tea on our overall health?

Drinking green tea is excellent, but making sure to have it in the right way and at the right time is essential to derive the benefits!!! Mere mindless gulping of green tea in the pursuit of fat burn may have adverse results.

SO HOW MUCH AND WHEN?

We have a few pointers that you can follow while consuming green tea:

1. Drink not more than 2–3 cups a day as excess tannins and flavonoids in green tea can affect the liver.
2. Take a break of 30–45 mins after a meal to have a cup. Immediate consumption after a meal doesn’t allow nutrients contained in that meal to be fully absorbed.
3. Avoid sipping green tea before sleeping as it lightens your sleep cycle.
4. Caffeine has a natural diuretic property that causes frequent urination. So ensure that you drink enough water to stay hydrated.
5. Do not kick start your day with a caffeine dose, as it can tamper your stomach balance. The tannins present in the tea increase stomach acids and make you nauseous. Instead, start with a glass of water, followed by a cup of tea.
6. Steep the tea leaves in hot or cold water; DO NOT boil the leaves. Burnt leaves make bitter tea, while under steeped tea lacks flavour and essence.
7. Let the boiling water rest for a few minutes. Then steep the tea leaves in it for about 1 to 5 minutes, depending on your taste.
8. Avoid store-bought tea bags as they mostly contain lower quality leaf dust.
9. Before a workout, you can have green tea but dilute the tea with additional water. It will help you stay better hydrated.
10. If you like to add honey or cinnamon to your tea, make sure the water temperature settles down slightly. You may end up destroying the nutrient value of honey or cinnamon if added to boiling water.
11. Many make the mistake of popping their medicines with green tea. This can be extremely risky as the chemical composition of drugs may mix with the chemical composition of green tea and lead to acidity.
12. For storing tea, especially in hot, humid places, choose tin or porcelain containers to maintain the nutrients.

For more such enjoyable reading on tea and its history and value, head to our blog, The TeaGRAM and find out the nuances of tea.

If you would like to try our green tea, pair them with mildly sweet food like cookies, pancakes etc. You might find our Rose Green Tea enjoyable — with a pleasing floral fragrance and mild vegetal aftertaste…oh, what a fragrant charm this tea is!!!

Enjoy your cuppa!