Green Tea, My Love

In my free time (of which there is much less now that school's started up again), one of my favorite things to do is read copious volumes of natural health articles.  It's sort of funny--if you look at my bookshelf, my reading material includes everything from Les Miserables to Edgar Allan Poe stories, but then if you open my desk drawer, there's a whole pile of healthy healing articles (and, admittedly, a copy of Vogue).  I think I'm one of the few people I know who reads things like "Top 10 Foods to Fight Inflammation" for fun.
With all this in mind, I of course have done some research into the amazing health benefits of green tea.  It's something I try to consume daily, and it's capable of pretty much everything short of granting the power of flight.  

http://healingbaskets.com/image/cache/data/Tea/Blueberry-Green-500x500.jpg

Here are some of the BEST things green tea can do for you, adapted from Authority Nutrition:

 

• Green tea is full of wonderful polyphenols that act as antioxidants and help to get rid of free radicals, which contribute to aging and illness. It also has ECGC, which can help with cancer.
• Caffeine and l-theanine in green tea can help make you more alert, so your brain processes things at a higher level.  Plus, the caffeine in green tea doesn't raise your heart rate and make you jittery like the caffeine in coffee does. #winning
• Green tea makes you feel more energized and awake!  It's like a cure for Monday morning.
• The superstar antioxidants in green tea may help prevent cancer. 
• Catechins in green tea may lower your chances of developing Alzheimer's or other degenerative neurological diseases.
• Green tea makes your breath better!  Catechins can kill bacteria, such as that in your mouth.  This also means green tea fights infection.
• Green tea can help you handle blood sugar levels.
• Green tea=antioxidants=lowered LDL cholesterol=less chance of heart disease=YES!

So, basically, green tea is freaking awesome.  Look for brands of it that don't include added sugars or sweeteners, as those reduce its amazing benefits.  Happy tea time!

<3 Frances