Myths

• Green tea will help me with weight loss
•  Green tea has caffeine and so should be avoided especially before bedtime especially
• Green tea dehydrates the body

Facts

• Not really… Green tea WILL increase lipolysis (fat breakdown) and boost metabolic rate but only if coupled with exercise of an intense level and a healthy, wholesome diet.
• Depending on who you ask, a cup of tea could have as little as 25 milligrams per cup or as much as 90 (of course no one ever specifies the size of the cup). Though here it is worthy to note that Green tea has less than a third of the caffeine content of coffee.  Also, Green tea, unlike coffe has L-theanine that creates the exact opposite effect of caffeine. It has a relaxing effect on the mind and body and can fight anxiety and stress. It can also promote better sleep and improve your mood. A far better alternative than a tub of ice-cream or a candy bar for sure!
• On the contrary, consuming 3-5 cups a day will restore fluid balance in your body.

Pros

• Green tea packs quite a nutritious punch. It is a rich source vitamins and minerals and of anti-oxidants, which are instrumental in neutralizing free radicals which otherwise cause cell damage. Free radicals arise from daily metabolism and from toxic habits like smoking, stress, excess alcohol, environmental pollution and even poor diet. A cup of Green tea with a meal is an easy way of consuming anti-oxidants at almost no calorie gain. Amazingly, one can consume many more antioxidants from a simple cup of tea than from a serving of fruits or vegetables.
• Research from animal and human studies found that Green tea consumption aids in reducing the risk of many health problems like Hypertension, Coronary Heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity and cancers like skin, breast, lung, colon, esophageal, pancreas, kidney and bladder. 

Cons

• Pregnant women should avoid drinking Green tea for its caffeine content.
• Copious quantities of Green tea have adverse consequences and disrupts bodily functions. The same caffeine and polyphenols, which in small quantities promote fat burning and elevated metabolism cause tremors and indigestion in excess.
• Excess caffeine through excess consumption can lead to increased pulse, high blood pressure, greater irritability and sleeping problems.
• Excess Catechins in Green tea promote a buildup of enzymes that in turn can result in the growth of cancerous cells. 

My Take

It’s befittingly apt that I am nestling a freshly brewed cuppa of this ‘stuff’ in one hand as I type with the other J “They” refer to it as the “elixir of life”. Really?

If Green Tea is indeed the magical potion that it’s purported to be, I reckon the human race has consumed enough of it to be Super-beings.

Green Tea is touted to be the au naturel way to ridding your body of the blubber it’s gained. But this is far from accurate. Green Tea contains Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that inhibit the accumulation of body fat by suppressing lipogenesis (fat building). Catechins, another ingredient of Green tea is known to interfere with intestinal absorption of lipids (fats) and is therefore lipid lowering in nature. Further, the caffeine in Green Tea promotes thermogenesis (heat production) in the body, which enhances energy expenditure and fat oxidation. BUT …

A cup or even a few cups of Green tea alone is not sufficient at all to show significant improvements in one’s body weight. This has been proven through several randomized controlled trial studies. A 1999 study conducted Dr. Dulloo at the University of Geneva found that green tea boosted energy expenditure by 4%. It translates into that if one burns 2,000 calorie a day, Green tea would be responsible to about 80 of those calories. The same energy provided by a small banana! So if you expect green tea to work its magic, you would be disappointed.

But don’t disregard it completely! The pros of incorporating Green tea into a lifestyle which has a healthy, wholesome diet and plenty of moderate-intense level exercise are many. So my advice – when you get home this evening, put the kettle to boil, pull out your favorite mug and brew yourself a cuppa Green tea. Let the air fill with the pleasant aroma of the steeping tea and allow your senses to awaken and laze as you watch that pale golden hued liquid. Sense the stillness as you unwind because really, nothing comes close to this feeling J