You may have come across articles citing the health benefits of green tea, or fat-loss plans which include green tea in their supplement list. It is an ancient herbal remedy that has been found to be an effective and beneficial compound for your health. The components of green tea that are responsible for these health benefits are polyphenols, which are plant chemicals commonly known as catechins. There are four main catechins in green tea with epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) being the most concentrated.
As green tea is one of Kris Gethin’s favored supplements, we’ll examine all the proposed benefits provided from regular consumption, either via supplementation or the beverage itself.
A longer, healthier life is what keeps us active and eating nutritiously, but what if adding a simple drink can help improve these odds? The basic benefits of green tea claim to improve your health and reduce your risk of many diseases. When paired together, these two claims would indicate a longer life expectancy.
Before you start brewing a pot of tea, what does the research say? A longitudinal study investigated the effects of daily green tea consumption over an 11-year period in more than 40,000 people. The researchers found significant decreases in overall mortality rates (12% less for males and 23% for females); heart disease-related deaths (22% in men and 31% in females); and stroke-related deaths (35% in men and 42% in females) among those who consumed the herbal supplement. A similar study conducted among an elderly population found that those who consumed green tea daily over a six-year period lived longer than their non-green tea consuming counterparts.
Green tea has been an element in fat burning plans for many years, quickly rising in popularity as TV personalities like Dr. Oz touted its benefits. In fact, green tea is a key ingredient in the Kaged Muscle fat burning supplement, Clean Burn, and plays a role in Kris Gethin's drastic physique transformations.
Plenty of research supports the use of green tea for weight loss, working via numerous mechanisms to help you lean out. This include:
In one study, over 200 men and women were monitored across 10 weeks. Several aspects of body composition such as total weight, body fat, abdominal (stomach) fat, and waist circumference were measured. The group who consumed a green tea supplement displayed significant decreases in all areas in comparison to the placebo group who did not consume the supplement. It’s important to note the decrease in waist circumference and abdominal fat. Fat in this region is the most dangerous to your health as it’s linked to many chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, some forms of cancer, and can lead to premature death.
Two key benefits of green tea are its ability to reduce heart disease and diabetes - two of the biggest killers in society. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 17.3 million deaths per year. Diabetes diagnoses have been rising exponentially and claims the life of approximately 2 million deaths per year – directly and indirectly.
Green tea is extremely powerful at reducing the key indicators that increase your risk of a heart attack or developing type 2 diabetes. These indicators include:
Based on these benefits, it comes as no surprise that researchers have seen close to a 50% reduction in heart disease and diabetes risk from daily green tea consumption.
Green tea can help protect your brain from the effects of aging, including cell death and reduced oxygen and nutrient delivery. These two factors have been directly linked to reduced brain function or serious diseases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.
Like caffeine, green tea has some short-term immediate effects on brain function, including increased energy and memory. While the caffeine content in green tea may partially explain this, it also contains another key ingredient known as L-theanine. This is an amino acid-based substance that is becoming a popular stand-alone supplement for energy and focus. It has also been found to reduce stress and possibly boost the strength of the brain.
For cancer, green tea's high antioxidant content can help reduce free radical build up and cell death, key components in cancer development. Several studies have researched different forms of cancer including prostate, colorectal, and breast cancer, showing drastic reductions from around 20 – 50% of overall cancer risk and development.
You can obtain your daily dose of green tea via the actual drink or supplementation. For most people, supplementation is the go-to choice, being cheaper and more convenient. However, if you enjoy drinking green tea, this is an excellent way to meet your daily needs. Of course, you can alternate and use supplements as a backup if you do not consume enough green tea in fluid form on any particular day.
For fluids, you will need to drink around 3 – 5 cups of strong green tea per day to get the required dose, and therefore all the benefits named above. Make note that the polyphenol concentration is highest in hot brewed tea, and less in instant and iced teas. Drinking this quantity of tea per day may be challenging for some people, which is why supplementation could be an easier option.
For supplementation, you must find one with a high EGCG content, which the key bioactive compound. Try to find a green tea supplement with at least 40% EGCG content, such as Kaged Muscle's Clean Burn. This product will provide you with 333 milligrams of green tea, with 50% EGCG. Take this supplement as recommended on the bottle. You can learn more about CLEAN BURN here.
The recent media buzz around beetroot being used to enhance nitric oxide is sending many athletes and bodybuilders to health food stores in search of products that contain beetroot. Before you race off to buy a pre-workout product with beetroot to increase your pumps, let’s discuss the facts.
