What is the most consumed drink in the world after water? It’s not the coffee, but the tea (carbonated soft drinks and coffee follow in third place). It is not surprising, since tea is also one of the oldest known drinks.
Tea as a beverage originated in China approximately 5,000 years ago. Legend attributes its discovery to Emperor Shen Nong in 2737 BC, but the leaves of the tea plant were surely consumed. Camellia sinensissince long before.
Since then, tea spread progressively throughout Asia and, later, during the 17th century, it reached Europe and other regions of the world through trade, becoming a cultural and ritual element that has evolved into varieties and forms of tea. preparation. This includes green tea, a form of tea that from time to time becomes fashionable on social networks under the attribution of supposed almost miraculous properties. The last: consider it a “natural Ozempic”.
Under this idea, different strategies are proposed that involve drinking a lot of tea. One of these ‘miracle’ remedies is the so-called “green tea diet”, which consists of drinking three cups of this drink a day for a week, while following a very strict diet of lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, which does not exceed 1,500 kcal.
For Dr. José Ángel Rufián-Henares, professor in the Department of Nutrition and Bromatology at the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Granada, “it is a totally unbalanced and very low-calorie diet. “You don’t lose weight by consuming green tea, but because you don’t eat enough.”
Rufián-Henares is the author along with other researchers from the University of Granada of several studies about the health benefits of green tea and white tea. These benefits are due, according to scientists, to the presence of antioxidants and their influence on the intestinal microbiota.
[La denominada ‘dieta del té verde’] It is a totally unbalanced and very low-calorie diet. You don’t lose weight by consuming green tea, but because you don’t eat enough
José Ángel Rufián-Henares
— Professor of the Department of Nutrition and Bromatology of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the UGR
The difference between green tea and black tea
The main difference between green tea and black tea is in the oxidation process of the leaves. In green tea, the leaves undergo heat treatment, such as steaming or roasting, right after harvesting, which prevents oxidation and preserves their color and antioxidant compounds, such as catechins. On the other hand, black tea is made by allowing the leaves to oxidize completely, which gives them a dark color, a more intense flavor and increases the presence of theaflavins and thearubigins, compounds that are also antioxidants, but which provide benefits other than antioxidants. of green tea.
This is where the health benefits of tea lie, and specifically green tea, which contains a type of polyphenols called catechins. The catechins are antioxidants which help prevent cellular damage and provide many other health benefits.
The best-known and most abundant catechin in green tea is epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which different studies have linked to improvements in symptoms and markers of diseases, including anticancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The effects they multiply in the case of matchasince this drink is made with whole crushed leaves, instead of infused, so the content of these beneficial compounds is even higher.
Beneficial effects of green tea
This anti-inflammatory effect manifests itself in different ways. On the one hand, it is neuroprotective, it can benefit cognition, mood and brain functionpossibly due to the interaction of two compounds: caffeine on the one hand and L-theanine, which modulates the stimulating effect of caffeine. In a recent study, the consumption of green tea has also been associated with a less cognitive impairment in older people.
Green tea in turn has a positive effect on metabolism and fat oxidation, but there is fine print. A extensive review of studies found that, in fact, drinking green tea in combination with exercise can have positive metabolic effects, such as greater energy consumption at rest, greater use of fat as fuel and, if combined with strength exercises, reduction of triglycerides and cholesterol control in overweight people.
Moderate daily consumption is correlated with a decrease in the prevalence of different pathologies, especially those directly related to inflammation and others such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases or cancer. But it is not a treatment in and of itself.
Dr. José Ángel Rufián-Henares
Does this mean that by drinking green tea we will have the body of an athlete? It seems that it only happens if, in addition to tea, we eat and train like an athlete. Green tea alone appears to have a very small effect about fat loss.
Tea also has other positive effects on the functioning of the body, especially on the regulation of blood sugar, but a review of studies found that these effects are only measured in the medium term, not in the long term.
“It is true that moderate consumption of green (and white) tea on a daily basis is correlated with a decrease in the prevalence of different pathologies, especially those directly related to inflammation and others such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases or cancer,” confirms Rufián-Henares. “But green tea is not in itself a treatment for these pathologies nor does it counteract the harmful effects of an unbalanced diet or lack of physical activity,” he clarifies.
The benefits of green tea also have a lot to do with its influence on the intestinal microbiota. In a animal study It was found that supplementation with green tea extract for seven days was sufficient to alter the intestinal and skin microbiota, with protective effects against ultraviolet radiation. “It is likely that the intestinal microbiota acts as an intermediary, at least, for some of the health benefits of green tea,” clarifies Rufián-Henares.
“Green tea can influence the intestinal microbiota by stimulating the growth of specific species or preventing the development of harmful species,” says Rufián-Henares. For example, green tea has been shown to be able to correct the alteration of the microbiota that appears in diseases such as obesity or cancer. The compounds in tea also reduce the inflammatory compounds produced by intestinal bacteria in these ailments.
According to the findings of Rufián-Henares’ team, green tea is also being used as a functional food, adding its extracts to white chocolate, to increase the antioxidant content, or in yogurt and cookies. As an additive to meat products, tea extracts can prevent the development of undesirable microorganisms and oxidation. However, we must not forget that, no matter how much it benefits us, tea cannot compensate for an unhealthy life.
*Darío Pescador is editor and director of the Quo magazine and author of the book your best self Posted by Oberon.
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