Green Tea is a very popular hot beverage, and enjoys a great repute for being one of the best teas for weight loss and detox. It is delicious and available in a variety of flavors and exotic concoction to keep things interesting and tending to every individual palate. It’s impossible not to stumble upon green tea during grocery shopping, and can even be found online. Green tea obsession has taken over to a point that you can now find green tea flavored ice creams and chewing gums as well! 

Green tea makes for a refreshing cup of tea and is great for your health for a number of reasons. In fact, the green tea leaves are so potent that they were used for their healing and medicinal value in traditional Chinese culture. Soon enough, its use was expanded and is now a well-loved beverage all around the world. In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about Green tea, and how it helps with weight loss and effective detoxification in the body. 

History and Production of Green Tea 

As we already mentioned above, green tea was initially used in ancient Chinese cultures, where it was used to heal the sick and fight a number of infections. It was also used to promote a healthy and well balanced life style. The production of green tea involves the harvest of tea leaves from the Camellia sinensis tea plant. In its purest and organic form, the tea has natural plant based herbs that hold a great nutritional value. The plant based minerals and vitamins, as well as a number of active compounds can’t be produced naturally by the body. These compounds are very well received by the body and help in recovery as well as maintenance of good health. 

Camellia sinensis tea leaves are also used for the production of other teas, such as white tea, black tea, puerh tea and oolong. But they are present in most abundance and highest concentration in green tea. Besides this, there are other herbs, spices and even herbs and flowers that can be used in combination to impart various exotic flavors to the tea. They also come with their own share of impressive health benefits. 

Another flavor of green tea that’s trending these days is Match green tea. It can be found in powder form and as tea bags as well. Matcha imparts a deliciously rich and smooth flavor to the beverage, and it has a very distinct taste and color as well. Regardless of the herbs and flavors used for green tea, the basic characteristic health benefits stay the same. The color can range from a light greenish hue to pale yellow. The color usually depends on how strong the brew is. You can leave the tea bag in hot water and sip on it as the taste and aroma intensifies, or take it out after a minute or two for a light and refreshing cup of evening tea. 

The production of the green tea leaves involve the harvest of the entire plant, and not just the roots, flowers or stems. This helps add a distinct earthy flavor to the tea. It also makes the concoction loaded with minerals, vitamins and antioxidants that are loved by the human body!

Enjoy the great taste and aroma of green tea at any time of the day. There is no limit to how much you can drink, but make sure you are eating well and are well hydrated. The tea leaves have a stronger and richer flavor as compared to tea bags that have a lighter flavor with mild taste and color. 

Green Tea and Detoxification 

Green tea plays an important role in bringing about essential detoxification of the body. There is no elaborate mechanism or complex process behind it. Green tea leaves simply enhance and boost the function of the body’s natural detox organs in a number of ways. The plant based compounds, including polyphenols, catechins, a load of essential vitamins and minerals, and other antioxidants all work together to help achieve this detoxification. 

The body’s detox organs include lungs, liver, kidneys, blood and lymphatic system. In the current time and age, it’s very easy to overwhelm your body with excessive toxins and chemicals. This is because highly processed food is easily available at very affordable rates in the market. These food items are loaded with excess amount of sodium, artificial chemicals to enhance flavoring and color, and toxins that are not identified by the body as nutrition. These toxins and chemical compounds are then stored in the body in the form of stubborn fat. These fats are very harmful and cause damage to the organs, and retard the normal processes of the body such as healthy digestion and effective detoxification. Green tea helps minimize this effect by giving these organs a much needed boost to perform their function well.

The active compounds in green tea leaves stimulate the natural functions of the liver. It brings about the breakdown of fat, and also enhances the production of bile by the liver. This can prevent liver damage such as cirrhosis or fatty liver condition due to overwhelming amount of toxins and pressure. It also helps the function of kidneys by having a diuretic effect on the body. This diuresis is essential for flushing out salt water retention, and a number of toxins and chemicals along with it as well. This reduces the water weight too, giving the abdomen a desirable flatness. It reduces bloating and painful distention of the stomach, and prevents excessive flatulence and heartburn. 

In this way, green tea greatly helps in the detoxification process in the body, ultimately leading to weight loss. It also has a mild effect on prevention of cancerous cells in the body. One thing to note here is that green tea can’t help in any way to cure an already present illness, but can promote a healthy lifestyle to prevent dangerous health conditions. 

Other Benefits of Green Tea 

Besides detoxification, you can enjoy a number of other great benefits of making green tea regular part of your routine. 

One of the leading reasons for the popularity of green tea is its weight loss effect on the body. It is a desirable quality, and comes easy with regular use of the tea! The pure and organic form of green tea can help with weight loss significantly. This is due to its effect in the boost of the body’s natural metabolic rate. When the body’s metabolism is high, it stays more active and the organs perform their function well. It also causes an excessive consumption of stored fat, and mobilizes it for metabolism and elimination from the body along with toxins and waste. It also promotes lipogenesis in the liver, preventing the fat from food from getting stored in the body. 

Detoxification also plays an important role in aiding with effective and permanent weight loss. It’s important to keep your expectations in check, as fat loss is not a quick process. The initial weight loss is purely due to the loss of water weight by flushing out water retention in the body. This is very easy to put back on too. The real goal should always be fat loss as it is permanent and the healthiest way to lose weight. Fat loss is a slow process and requires dedication and patience. This can only be achieved by improving your lifestyle along with regular use of green tea. Clean eating and exercising is an important part of weight loss and healthy routine. Green tea helps you in many ways to achieve this. 

Firstly, the green tea leaves promote the feeling of satiety by enhancing the release of satiety producing hormones. It also suppresses the production of hormones that make you feel hungry. In this way you feel full for longer hours. You can avoid mindless eating and craving for unhealthy snacks throughout the day. You will also make better food choices, and ultimately get used to clean eating. 

Another way in which green tea promotes weight loss is by keeping you active. It has a significant effect on the metabolism. Most forms of green tea have caffeine in them. Caffeine alerts the brain and keep you alert throughout the day. You can be more productive and creative at work, and have energy to adjust some exercises or other physical activities in your routine. This achieves both clean eating and staying active part of the healthy lifestyle. 

If you are following a green tea cleanse with specific instructions, make sure to maintain a strict regime. Don’t overuse green tea in your routine more than the recommend amount of cups and quantity of the tea. Three cups per day are ideal to achieve weight loss and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Drinking more than this amount won’t accelerate weight loss process, but start causing health issues like diarrhea and dehydration. 

As discussed above, green tea has some amount of caffeine in its ingredients. According to most researches, as little as 300mg of caffeine in your daily cup of tea or coffee is sufficient for alertness. Along with caffeine, the all-natural and extremely potent plant based herbs also enhance brain activity and cause it to stay more active and productive throughout the day. It fills you up with energy to perform your daily tasks well, while also being attentive towards your family at the end of the day. According to some studies, regular consumption of green tea may also play a preventive role against many neurologically degenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. It also boosts memory and keep you energized and attentive. 

It’s important to know that green tea can’t help with already existing neurological conditions. It is also not scientifically proven to have definite preventive effects. Most of these claims are due to the fact that it’s best for the health to have more natural and plant based, earthy herbs included in your diet. 

Green tea is great for your heart! Give your system a well needed boost of morning and evening green tea cleanse. It is refreshing and will make you feel light and active. The herbs and active compounds in green tea leaves are loaded with antioxidants. These antioxidants are excellent for cardiovascular health. They help the heart muscles get stronger. Antioxidants get rid of harmful free radicals in the body. They also promote a healthy and steady blood circulation, and prevent sluggish blood flow due to clots and fat deposits in the arteries. By preventing these clots and fat deposits, green tea prevents high cholesterol and blockage to the blood flow to the heart. If this process goes unchecked in the body, it can deprive the heart from receiving a healthy amount of oxygen, leading to cardiac arrest or heart failure. 

The polyphenols found in green tea regulate a steady and normal blood pressure, preventing hypertension. It also regulates the sugar levels in the blood so that the insulin doesn’t spike following a heavy meal. The LDL cholesterol is kept in check and prevents excessive cholesterol. All of these processes work together to promote a strong and healthy heart health for years to come. 

A number of health issues can originate due to poor gut health. A healthy and regular digestion can keep you alert and active all day. Sluggish digestion can occur due to poor food choices, and by regular consumption of processed food and junk. Making green tea a regular part of your routine can help you keep a well-balanced and healthy digestion. It not only regulates bowel movements, but also promote absorption of beneficial nutrients, while eliminating toxins and metabolic waste from the system. 

By drinking green tea, you can also get rid of that painfully distended stomach following a large meal, or high sodium food items. It reduces bloating by flushing out water retention in the abdomen. This also prevents heartburn, constipation and excessive gas. 

The diuretic effect is also good for overall digestion, as it is a quick way to flush out toxins. But when it comes to these health benefits, it’s important to practice moderation. Excessive use of green tea can cause diarrhea. The frequent urination because of diuretic effect can cause dehydration in the body. The loss of electrolytes will make you feel weak and dizzy. So make sure that you are properly hydrated and eating well along with enjoying delicious cups of green tea. In this way you can enjoy all the great benefits of the tea leaves without suffering from any health problems. 

Types of Green Tea 

Due to its popularity, green tea is available in the market and online in many forms. Here are some of the most commonly available forms of green tea. 

Teabags are very easy to brew. They also have a wide number of flavors, as many other ingredients can be added with the green tea leaves. You will find many earthy flavors, and fruity as well as refreshing mint or delicious matcha. They impart a light and mild to moderate flavor and color to the brew. All you need to do is keep the teabag in boiling hot water for 5 minutes or less, and your delicious cup of green tea is ready! 

After tea bags, it’s the second most common form of green tea available in the market. The reason why people opt for loose tea leaves, is the fact that it is more potent and have intense flavors and color. It is usually available in a select few earthy flavors, but have a lot of delicious taste to offer. They can be brewed by boiling a selective amount of green tea leaves with water. 1 to 2 teaspoons of the brew is recommended, depending on how strong and flavorful you want your tea to be. For tea leaves, you will need a strainer to pour the tea in the cup, and throw away the tea leaves. 

Don’t have time to wait for your brew? Get a pack of instant green tea powder and mix it in hot water. You will get all the flavors and most of the benefits of green tea just within a minute. Instant green tea is commonly available with matcha, but can also be found with different varieties of herbal blends. 

Liquid concertation can be available as capsules/ampules or vials. These concentrated liquid forms are extracted from tea leaves and have the same delicious flavors. They can be used to make hot cups of green tea, or iced tea. You can also use them to make ice creams and other treats! The imagination can really run wild with this one. It is very quick and easy to make and saves a lot of time. You might miss on the delicious earthy flavors, but the health benefits and standard taste of green tea is still the same with liquid concentrations of the product.