Date of the last update: 03.04.2025
Green tea is a beverage that not only pleases the palate with its delicate taste, but is also a rich source of health benefits. This ancient tea, which originated in China, is gaining popularity around the world, attracting attention for its numerous health-promoting properties.
Table of contents:
- What does drinking green tea help with?
- How to properly brew green tea?
- Green tea and depression
- Green tea and Alzheimer’s disease
- Summary
You can read this article in 4 minutes.
What does drinking green tea help with?
Support for the Cardiovascular System: Regular consumption of green tea is associated with heart benefits. The active ingredients help to lower bad cholesterol (LDL), regulate blood pressure and improve the overall elasticity of blood vessels.
Facilitating the weight loss process
Among the health benefits of green tea are its assistance in the weight loss process. The catechins it contains have the effect of speeding up the metabolism, which can promote fat burning.
Improving brain function
The constituents of green tea, especially caffeine and the amino acid l-theanine, may improve brain function. Caffeine has a stimulating effect, improving concentration, while l-theanine has a calming effect, resulting in an increased ability to focus.
Rich in antioxidants
Green tea is a true source of antioxidants, including polyphenols and catechins. These substances help fight free radicals in the body, counteracting cellular ageing and supporting overall health.
Combating inflammation
Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, green tea can help reduce inflammation in the body. Regular consumption may have the effect of reducing the risk of chronic diseases associated with inflammatory processes.
Support for the immune system
Green tea can support the immune system due to the presence of catechins, which exhibit antibacterial and antiviral effects. Consumption of this tea may increase the body’s resistance to infection.
Anti-cancer
Studies indicate that regular consumption of green tea may have a protective effect against certain types of cancer. The antioxidant substances in tea may help prevent cell mutations.
Antiviral effects
Green tea also exhibits antiviral activities, which may be important for health in the context of various viral infections.
How to properly brew green tea?
Brewing green tea is an art that requires precision and attention. Here are brief instructions on how to brew green tea correctly:
- Choose high quality tea – start with good raw material. Choose fresh, high-quality green tea to enjoy the full flavour and health benefits.
- Determine the amount of tea – usually, one teaspoon of tea is enough for one cup. However, the amount may depend on your personal taste preferences.
- Prepare the water – use fresh, cold water, preferably spring water. Heat the water to a temperature of about 80-85 degrees Celsius. Avoid boiling the water to avoid burning the delicate tea leaves.
- Heat the vessel – If you are using a kettle or teapot, pour hot water over the tea vessel before brewing. Pour out the water after a while.
- Add the tea – Place an appropriate amount of tea in the brewing vessel. Pour the heated water over it.
- Determine the brewing time – steeping green tea should take between 1 and 3 minutes, depending on the type of tea. Longer steeping can make the tea bitter.
- Drain the tea – after the appropriate time, drain the tea to stop the steeping process. Do not leave the tea leaves in the water to avoid excessive bitterness extraction.
- Tailor the flavour – experiment with the steeping time and amount of tea to adjust the taste to your liking. Some green teas can be brewed several times.
- Optional additions – you can add lemon, honey or mint to give your tea extra flavour. However, this depends on personal taste.
- Enjoy your tea – Now that you have brewed your green tea correctly, savour its taste and health benefits.
Remember that green tea has many varieties, so experiment to find your favourite flavour.
Green tea and depression
Research suggests that green tea may have some impact on mental health, including depression and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Early studies related to depression suggest that components in green tea, such as the amino acid L-theanine, may improve mood and reduce depressive symptoms. In addition, the caffeine in green tea may have a stimulating effect on the nervous system, which may have benefits in the context of depression.
Green tea and Alzheimer’s disease
When it comes to Alzheimer’s disease, green tea may prove helpful thanks to its antioxidant properties. Compounds such as catechins are powerful antioxidants that help protect brain cells from oxidative damage, which may be linked to brain ageing and the development of Alzheimer’s disease. However, further research is needed to further understand the mechanisms of this effect.
Summary
Green tea is not only a tasty drink, but also a treasure trove of vitamins and antioxidants, supporting health on many levels. Its benefits include support for the cardiovascular system, aiding weight loss, improving brain function, its wealth of antioxidants and its ability to fight inflammation. Drinking green tea can also benefit the immune system, with studies even suggesting potential anti-cancer and anti-viral effects. It is also important to brew tea correctly to get the full flavour and health benefits. Importantly, green tea has shown some positive links to improving mood and reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, although this requires further research. Hence, incorporating green tea into the diet on a regular basis can provide both taste and health benefits.
