11 Proven Benefits and Side Effects of Green Tea.

Why Green Tea?
Green tea has been used as a medicine for thousands of years, originating in China but widely used throughout Asia this beverage has a multitude of uses from lowering blood pressure to preventing cancer. The reason that green tea has more health benefits attached to it than black tea is (apparently) due to the processing. Black tea is processed in a way that allows for fermentation whereas green tea’s processing avoids the fermentation process. As a result, green tea retains maximum amount of antioxidants and poly-phenols the substances that give green tea its many benefits.
This blog has been taken on the reserches from Life Hack WebMD. Here’s a list of some of its amazing benefits that you may not have been aware of. Some of these benefits are still being debated, so please do your own research if you want to use green tea for medicinal purposes.

Benefits

1. Weight Loss.
Green tea increases the metabolism. The poly-phenol found in green tea works to intensify levels of fat oxidation and the rate at which your body turns food into calories.

2. Diabetes.
Green tea apparently helps regulate glucose levels slowing the rise of blood sugar after eating. This can prevent high insulin spikes and resulting fat storage. If you are a low sugar patient then you should try cranberry juice as with almost same benefits.

3. Heart Disease.
Scientists think, green tea works on the lining of blood vessels, helping keep them stay relaxed and better able to withstand changes in blood pressure. It may also protect against the formation of clots, which are the primary cause of heart attacks.

4. Esophageal Cancer.
It can reduce the risk of esophageal cancer, but it is also widely thought to kill cancer cells in general without damaging the healthy tissue around them.

5. Cholesterol.
Green tea reduces bad cholesterol in the blood and improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol.

6. Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
It is said to delay the deterioration caused by Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Studies carried out on mice showed that green tea protected brain cells from dying and restored damaged brain cells.

7. Tooth Decay.
Studies suggests that the chemical antioxidant “catechin” in tea can destroy bacteria and viruses that cause throat infections, dental caries and other dental conditions.

8. Blood Pressure.
Regular consumption of green tea is thought to reduce the risk of high blood pressure. If you are a low blood pressure patient then you should try cranberry juice.

9. Depression.
Theanine is an amino acid naturally found in tea leaves. It is this substance that is thought to provide a relaxing and tranquilizing effect and be a great benefit to tea drinkers.

10. Anti-viral and Anti-bacterial.
Tea catechins are strong antibacterial and antiviral agents which make them effective for treating everything from influenza to cancer. In some studies green tea has been shown to inhibit the spread of many diseases.

11. Skincare.
Green tea can apparently also help with wrinkles and the signs of aging, This is because of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Both animal and human studies have demonstrated that green tea applied topically can reduce sun damage.

How Much?
These are some of the many benefits but the reality is one cup of tea a day will not give you all the abundant gains. The jury is out on how many cups are necessary; some say as little as two cups a day while others five cups — and more still say you can drink up to ten cups a day. If you are thinking of going down this route, you may want to consider taking a green tea supplement instead (it would keep you out of the bathroom).
Another thing to point out is that there is caffeine in green tea — so if you are sensitive to caffeine then one cup should be your limit. Green tea also contains tannins (which can decrease the absorption of iron and folic acid), so if you are pregnant or trying to conceive then green tea may not be ideal for you. You can try mixing green tea with other healthy ingredients such as ginger.

Side Effects

Green tea is LIKELY SAFE for most adults when consumed in moderate amounts. Green tea extract is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth or applied to the skin for a short time. In some people, green tea can cause stomach upset and constipation. Green tea extracts have been reported to cause liver problems in rare cases. Drinking too much green tea — more than five cups per day, for example — is POSSIBLY UNSAFE. It can cause side effects because of the caffeine. These side effects can range from mild to serious and include headache, nervousness, sleep problems, vomiting, diarrhea, irritability, irregular heartbeat, tremor, heartburn, dizziness, ringing in the ears, convulsions, and confusion. Green tea seems to reduce the absorption of iron from food. Drinking very high doses of green tea is LIKELY UNSAFE and can actually be fatal. The fatal dose of caffeine in green tea is estimated to be 10-14 grams (150-200 mg per kilogram). Serious toxicity can occur at lower doses. Caffeine is POSSIBLY SAFE in children in amounts commonly found in foods. Green tea interacts with many medications, as explained below.

Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, green tea in small amounts – about 2 cups per day – is POSSIBLY SAFE. This amount of green tea provides about 200 mg of caffeine. However, drinking more than 2 cups of green tea per day is POSSIBLY UNSAFE. Consuming more than 2 cups of green tea daily has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage and other negative effects. Also, caffeine passes into breast milk and can affect a nursing infant. Don’t drink an excessive amount of green tea if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

1. “Tired blood” (anemia):
Drinking green tea may make anemia worse.

2. Anxiety disorders:
The caffeine in green tea might make anxiety worse.

3. Bleeding disorders:
Caffeine in green tea might increase the risk of bleeding. Don’t drink green tea if you have a bleeding disorder.

4. Heart conditions:
Caffeine in green tea might cause irregular heartbeat.

5. Diabetes:
Caffeine in green tea might affect blood sugar control. If you drink green tea and have diabetes, monitor your blood sugar carefully.

6. Diarrhea:
Green tea contains caffeine. The caffeine in green tea, especially when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea.

7. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS):
Green tea contains caffeine. The caffeine in green tea, especially when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea and might worsen symptoms of IBS.

8. Glaucoma:
Drinking green tea increases pressure inside the eye. The increase occurs within 30 minutes and lasts for at least 90 minutes.

9. High blood pressure:
The caffeine in green tea might increase blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. However, this does not seem to occur in people who regularly drink green tea or other products that contain caffeine.

10. Liver disease: Green tea extract supplements have been linked to several cases of liver damage. Green tea extracts might make liver disease worse.

11. Weak bones (osteoporosis):
Drinking green tea can increase the amount of calcium that is flushed out in the urine. Caffeine should be limited to less than 300 mg per day (approximately 2-3 cups of green tea). It is possible to make up for some calcium loss caused by caffeine by taking calcium supplements.