Love Green Tea? Learn More About Its Pros and Cons

Do you love it hot? You can have it! Do you like it cold? Say hello to matcha! It doesn't matter what form you want to have; green tea is definitely good for you. And when it comes to health benefits, green tea is never short of it. That is why it is not surprising if more people have grown fond of this drink. 

But what makes this drink special? Some people think it is too good to be true and doesn't have any cons to be concerned with. But apparently, it does and let this article discuss both its pros and cons fairly. Read through and learn more about your favorite green tea even deeper. 

Green Tea Best Benefits 

Green tea has grown its fans club, yet the big question remains: What can this popular drink do? Like in any other drinks, green tea has its pros and cons, and everyone who loves it must know about it. Let's start with the good ones.

Green Tea Is Loaded With Powerful Compounds 

By powerful, we mean suitable for body compounds such as the following: 

• Polyphenols -  a natural compound that can help reduce inflammation and helps to fight cancer.

• Catechins - a natural antioxidant that helps to prevent cell damage. EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate) is a form of catechins found in green tea. 

Fact: It is the EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate) that gives green tea its capability to treat various diseases and why it is tagged as the healthiest beverage because of its medicinal properties. 

Drinking Green Tea Can Improve Your Brain Function 

Did you know that caffeine is present in green tea? Don’t be surprised. Although there is caffeine in green tea, it only contains a small amount compared to a cup of coffee. Furthermore, when it is combined with an amino acid called L-theanine, these can create a synergy that can power up your brain and improve its primary function. 

Green Tea Contains a Lot of Antioxidants 

Antioxidants in green tea are the primary factor why a lot of people drink it. Its high content of polyphenol compounds helps to fight cancerous cells from growing and spreading in your body. 

Polyphenol is a flavonoid that combats free radicals in our bodies. Flavonoids are phytochemicals that are responsible for providing our body health benefits such as antioxidative and anti-carcinogenic functions. Because green tea contains a lot of antioxidants, it helps in reducing oxidative damage and stress, which is present in many chronic disease states and inflammatory conditions. 

Green Tea Can Aid in Improving Your Well-Being

People who consume green tea are less likely to develop an increase in their cholesterol level, thanks to its catechins.  It keeps their total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) the so-called "bad cholesterol" at a very low level. Also, drinking green tea daily can help improve bone density. Hence, it improves your bone strength. 

Green Tea Cons You Should Be Wary of 

As they say, too much is bad for anyone, and it goes the same when drinking green tea. However, in some instances, even drinking a cup of green tea is prohibited. Here are some adverse effects associated with green tea.

Increases Anxiety Level 

Due to its caffeine content, excessive drinking of green tea can lead to sleep disturbances and anxiety. You might also suffer from mild to extreme headaches overtime. Some even complain they suffer from unnecessary nervousness and irritability. 

Reduce Iron Absorption 

If you currently are suffering from iron deficiency, it’s better take precaution and avoid drinking green tea. Green tea contains tannins that hinders your body from absorbing iron from plant-based foods. If you are a vegan and love drinking tea, manage your drinking habits, and observe your food and green tea intake. 

Reactivates Acid Reflux 

Due to its caffeine content, excessive intake of green tea can also trigger pre-existing acid reflux and possibly cause heartburn. Since caffeine relaxes the sphincter that separates your esophagus from your stomach, it allows more acidic activities to flow straight through the esophagus. Even more, caffeine contributes to increasing total stomach acid production. Control your green tea intake if you have a previous acid reflux case for it not to reoccur. 

Kidney Stones and Liver Damage 

Due to the oxalic acid level in green tea, there are several cases that link excessive green tea intake with liver damage and kidney stones formation. However, it is essential to note that the possibility of contracting these is bound to two factors: the type of tea and the level of oxalate it contains. There is still no proof that green tea intakes increase your chance to form kidney stones and damage your liver.

Takeaway

Green tea is known to be the healthiest beverage of all time. It is never short of great health benefits that can aid your body to achieve its optimum potential. Furthermore, its capability to help your body fight against free radicals that cause different diseases. And it even prevents you from contracting ailments with its powerful compounds. 

Green tea is more than just a good drink that calms you. Although green tea is good for you, it’s always important to remember that everything good should come in moderation.