The Great Benefits of Tea

Written and Media by Momoka Murata.


Tea illustration
Illustration by Momoka Murata.

Are you a tea drinker? According to Huffington Post, the U.S. ranks highest in coffee consumption; however, tea consumption is in fourth place. A friend informed me that less men drink tea compared to women because of a gender stereotype in the United States. If you are rejecting tea because of that image, or simply drinking coffee instead, you are missing out on some great benefits! The nutrition contained in tea is medically proven to be valuable. Here are a few of those benefits:

  • Weight Loss

Catechin mildly absorbs fat when ingested with meals. According to  research from a Japanese tea company, a person who was slightly overweight began to lose weight after about 12 weeks of drinking green tea beverages containing about 200 mg catechin with their breakfast and dinner. This study compared to a case where a person ingested a catechin free beverage, indicates that a weight difference of about 1 kg was observed between each subject. In addition, it became clear that not only weight, but also abdominal fat was reduced.

  • Mouth Health

    Rabbit teeth illust
    Illustration by Momoka Murata.

Tea also maintains mouth health. Catechin prevents halitosis with the effect of deodorizing action. Tea also contains Fluorine, which also helps in preventing Caries. It is common in some areas for people to gargle with green tea.

  • Preventing the Flu

    Dog flu illust
    Illustration by Momoka Murata.

     

     

Another reason people gargle green tea is because of a nutrient called Saponin. A component that is included in whole tea and foams as seen with Matcha (bitter green tea). It is about 0.1% in tea leaves and a bitterness to it. Saponin is confirmed to have antibacterial and antiviral qualities. This means that it could potentially prevent the flu.

 

  • Recovery from Fatigue

    Bear relaxing illust
    Illustration by Momoka Murata.

The concentration of caffeine in green tea is about 0.01 – 0.02%. If you drink a cup you will get 15 – 30 mg of caffeine. This amount of caffeine should exhibit considerably strong effects, but in reality, it will stay with a gentle excitement. This is because theanine has caffeine excitement inhibiting action and changes dramatic action to moderate action.

According to an experiment by a tea company, the measurement of human brain waves when drinking theanine revealed alpha waves (brain waves that appear more frequently in relaxed state rise).

In addition to the benefits listed, tea can also prevent cancer, arteriosclerosis, suppress blood pressure, increase blood glucose, and much more.

Green tea picture
Green Tea Photo by http://toyokeizai.net.

Green tea is recommended over English tea because English tea has less catechins. The tea leaves are oxidized and fermented, but since green tea does not have such an oxidative fermentation process, catechin remains in the tea leaves as it is. However, general kinds of tea contain caffeine and caffeine resistance depends on the person.  It should be noted that tea is not a supplement or type of medicine.

You can drink a suitable amount every day have a healthier life!

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