Green Tea for Health and Weight Loss!

Green tea is not only delicious, but it has been toted for centuries as having miraculous health benefits. One added bonus to drinking green tea regularly is that numerous studies have shown that it can actually help your body burn fat more effectively, and in turn help you to lose weight. Here are some components of green tea that can help you shed those unwanted pounds. 

Why Drinking Green Tea Supports Health and Weight Loss

• It contains a small amount of caffeine. 
  Green tea contains about 24-40 mg of caffeine (in comparison, a cup of coffee contains about 100-200 mg). That caffeine acts as a mild stimulant that has been shown to not only boost exercise performance, but also aid in burning fat.

• It's super stocked with antioxidants.
  Catechins are a strong group of antioxidants that are very high in green tea. The big daddy is EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate), which boosts metabolism. This wonderful little catechin also supports the production of norepinephrine, a hormone that is used by the nervous system to signal the breakdown of fat cells. Now that's a one-two punch!

These are just a couple of the key components that make green tea a great addition to any weight loss plan. On top of that, there are plenty of other ways that drinking green tea can contribute to overall health such as:

• Decreased risk of cancer and heart disease.
  The high concentration of EGCG helps to fight against free radicals that damage the DNA in your cells, which has been linked to cancer and other diseases.

• Reduced stress.
  Not just from drinking a comfortingly warm beverage, but also causing reduced oxidative stress on the brain (to prevent neurological disorders down the road).

• Youthful glow.
  Visible aging from skin cell damage can be prevented by applying sunscreen, but drinking green tea may actually help protect DNA from harmful UV radiation from the inside out.

• Better bone density.
  Polyphenols from green tea showed higher rates of bone mineral density and strength after four months of exposure in rats (in a Texas Tech University study). Keep those bones nice and strong!

• Detoxify your body.
  Green tea is rich in chlorophyll, which is that wonderful detoxifying factor in all leafy greens.

• Increase focus and concentration.
  L-Theanine is an amino acid contained in green tea that has a relaxing effect on the body, without drowsiness. This means heightened focus, with less stress at the same time.

You probably don't need any more reasons than that to start drinking more green tea every day. However, we have one final tip: make your daily cup a little more delicious by adding the fresh squeezed taste of True Lemon. Green tea will brighten up your taste buds, and your day!

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[Credit: Gunnars, Kris BSc. How Green Tea Can Help You Lose Weight Naturally. Authority Nutrition.]
[Credit: Web MD. Could Tea Help You Lose Weight?]