Happy Monday folks! My Monday posts are focused on lifestyle inspiration, so we can all start a new week with fresh thoughts and motivation!
Today, I decided to talk about the wonder that is Green tea, outlining its benefits and best practices for consumption so you can get the most out of your daily cup!
Green tea has so many health benefits, that it is a top priority for anyone wanting to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Thankfully, it is also conveniently available and easy to include in your diet, so you should have no trouble making it a part of your daily routine.
Top benefits of Green tea:
- It boosts metabolism and aids your weight loss efforts (just drinking green tea won’t cut it, but drinking green tea when eating right and working out can do wonders for your body!).
- Antioxidants in Green tea help prevent hair fall, and help maintain beautiful, glowing skin.
- It aids maintaining a healthy heart, controls high blood pressure, and also helps prevent cancer!
- It prevents tooth decay, cures bad breath and helps maintain overall dental hygiene.
- It boosts immunity and prolongs your life; it has also been known to reduce stress.
Best times for consumption:
- You can start your day with Green tea, include it as a snack between meals, and also consume it post your workout for maximum benefits! Some people might face an upset stomach, or acidity issues when they first starting having Green tea. I recommend starting slow, and if you face these issues, minimize your daily intake to 1-2 cups a day. I like having water before and after consuming my cup of Green tea, as I feel it drastically cuts down on the acidity.
- Don’t take any medications with your cup of Green tea. In case you are on certain antibiotics or take daily supplements, check with your doctor on possible interference of the same with Green tea.
How to brew the perfect cup:
- Green tea is best had by itself, don’t add milk, sugar or any other ingredients when brewing your daily cup. Some people do add lemon and/or honey, but I recommend adding nothing except water to get maximum benefits from it.
- Remember to ensure the water is just short of boiling and steep your tea for anywhere between 1-3 minutes depending on how strong you like it. Make sure you strain/remove the tea leaves or tea bag once you are done steeping. Over steeping can lead to a bitter, harsh taste, making it difficult for consumption. A well brewed tea will have a clear and light green color so if it is anything darker, you know you went a bit too far with that tea bag!
How many cups/day is enough?
- Drink anything between 2-5 cups while staying under the upper limits of recommended caffeine intake. Excessive caffeine intake can lead to side effects such as acidity, toxicity or insomnia, so make sure you are well within the recommended limit and not overdoing it. 2-3 cups a day is pretty beneficial, and under no circumstances should you be going beyond 5 a day! The idea is to have a cup everyday, rather than focussing on increasing the number of cups you are drinking in a day. Also, if you have any medical conditions or are pregnant, check with your doctor on the prescribed safe limits for your daily Green tea intake.
I hope the short summary above answers some of the most frequently asked questions about Green tea. I consume anything between 2-4 cups everyday, and can tell you from experience that a daily habit definitely works wonders for overall health! How many cups of Green tea do you drink everyday? Do share via comments below!
(Reading List: Wikihow, The Kitchn, Livestrong, Popsugar, Health Beckon, Lifehack)
(Image Credits: Image 1, Image 2, Cover)
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