Don’t let contaminants cancel out your green tea benefits

When I was sick as a child, my mom would come marching into my room with a warm cup of tea. I don’t remember what kind it was, but I sure didn’t like the taste.

She said it would help me get better quickly. Because I didn’t like it, she wouldn’t leave my room until I’d finished the last drop.

Mom had the best of intentions, but as soon as I was out of the house, I avoided tea. That is, until I discovered green tea.

It’s sweet without adding sugar, and the aroma reminds me of fresh-cut grass. Best of all, it’s nothing like the sick-bed tea of my youth.

I’m glad I’ve developed a taste for it, for the health benefits of green tea are broad and well-researched.

But if you want to reap these benefits, you can just drink any green tea concoction.

The many benefits of green tea

While tea is generally a healthy beverage — including white, black and oolong — green tea stands out as a widely studied drink for supporting health, particularly as we age.

Numerous studies have linked drinking green tea to reduced risks for:

• Cardiovascular disease (read about its impact on blood pressure)
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Muscle loss in older adults
• Several forms of cancer

Green tea is also brain-protective and possesses anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.

Why is green tea so supportive of our health?

It’s all in the polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants, especially a subset of them called catechins. All tea derived from the Camellia sinensis plant contains catechins.

However, green tea and white tea have the highest concentrations based on how they are prepared. But green tea is still highest in a special catechin: epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).

But for all these health-promoting compounds in green tea, there’s good reason to use caution when drinking modern tea products…

Undoing the long-term benefits of green tea

A comprehensive review of the benefits of tea, particularly green tea, was published by members of the Tea Research Institute at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. They confirmed many of the benefits I’ve shared in the sections above.

However, their review also highlighted concerns about certain modern tea products.

The traditional way to enjoy and reap the benefits of green tea is to steep the tea leaves (or tea bags) in hot water. Today, it’s very popular to find mass-produced products made from green tea, such as bottled or bubble teas.

The problem? These often contain added sugar, artificial sweeteners and preservatives that, they say, may weaken or offset tea’s natural benefits.

They also shared concerns about heavy metals, microplastics and pesticide residues. For the occasional tea drinker, these contaminants don’t pose much of a risk. But for regular tea drinkers who may consume large amounts over long periods, it could spell trouble.

Other dangers are associated with excessive green tea consumption. Members of the Tea Research Institute also shared that excessive tea consumption can interfere with the absorption of ironand calcium.

As with anything, moderation is key. For most people, one to four cups of green tea per day is considered safe.

How to brew a perfect cup of green tea

Green tea comes in several varieties. For example, Matcha tends to have a more grassy aroma and flavor, while Genmaicha is more nutty because it contains toasted rice.

Also, using loose-leaf tea will give you a richer flavor, while tea bags can be bitter.

There are two schools of thought about brewing green tea…

To produce a more enjoyable cup of tea, never use boiling water. This goes against what most of us do — we snatch the kettle off the stove when it whistles and start pouring. But with green tea, boiling water makes a bitter brew.

Here’s a link to a short video showing exactly how to brew a perfect pot or cup of green tea: How to brew a perfect pot of green tea.

However, if your aim is health benefits over taste, for the highest concentration of EGCG, pour boiling water over a green tea bag and steep for 10 minutes.

Also, avoid adding milk, as it’s been shown to significantly reduce tea’s antioxidant capacity.

Sources:

Beneficial health effects and possible health concerns of tea consumption: a review — Beverage Plant Research

Tea can improve your health and longevity, but how you drink it matters — Science Daily