If you aren't already a fan of green tea, you will become one by the end of this article. Green tea has been consumed as a beverage and used as medicine for thousands of years. We discuss the many health benefits of consuming green tea, research findings and its benefits sports and fitness enthusiasts.
Green Tea
There are basically three varieties of tea: black, green and oolong. All of them are made from the 'Camellia Sinensis' leaves. The difference between them is how the leaves are processed.
For black tea (the tea that we use for making milk tea at home), the leaves are completely fermented and for oolong leaves are partially fermented. Whereas for green tea, the leaves are not fermented and go through minimal oxidation during processing. The process preserves most of its antioxidants, polyphenols and other useful nutritional substances. Green tea has the most antioxidants compared to other teas.
Green Tea comprises of:-
- Proteins and Enzymes
- Amino Acids
- Carbohydrates
- Methylxanthines
- Fiber
- Polyphenols like Catechins
Health Benefits of Green Tea
Aids in Fat Loss
According to a research conducted by 'Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences,' green tea leads to a decrease in body fat percentage. This is because green tea contains Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) linked to an increase in the function of 'catecholamines,' which increases fat loss. Green tea also boosts the metabolic rate of the body, which induces fat loss. Higher the metabolic rate, the higher the number of calories your body will burn to function, which will ultimately result in fat loss.
Boosts Athletic Performance
Green tea contains caffeine in a moderate amount, which won't leave you all jittery like other caffeine drinks and is beneficial in boosting your overall athletic performance. It shows caffeine to improve an athlete's endurance and helps them train for a longer time by delaying fatigue. Green tea also increases blood flow, which results in improved oxygenation that leads to better physical performance.
Improves Digestion
For an athlete or a bodybuilder, digestion is an essential thing as it directly affects their performance. An athlete with poor digestion cannot perform well due to poor body absorption. Green tea aids in speeding up digestion, reducing internal gas, and a variety of other digestive issues. Green tea is effective by providing essential vitamins B, C, and E to the body. In addition, green tea's antioxidant properties improve the efficiency of cells involved in digestion.
Helps in Recovery
Green tea is considered to be an excellent recovery drink after a heavy workout or physical activity. The high amounts of antioxidants present in green tea reduces damage to cells due to intense training. For example, one study suggested that the "post-exercise measurements of glutathione, the protein that protects from free radical (oxidative) damage, were 37% more with a diet rich in green tea."
Enhances Reaction time
Reaction time and alertness are critical in sports. Green tea has a combination of caffeine and unique phytonutrients, which are responsible for providing mental stimulation. Green tea acts as a stimulant in alerting the body without overstimulating to the point of anxiety. Green tea has low amounts of caffeine, combined with high antioxidant and phytonutrient, reduces fatigue, increases adrenaline, and triggers fat metabolism.
Improves Focus and Energy
Green tea contains both L-Theanine and Caffeine. Both these ingredients are stimulants, and their combination can have a significant impact on bodybuilders and athletes. Caffeine will give you a boost in everyday tasks as well as workouts. However, the L-Theanine, which also keeps you awake, provides a calming effect. As a result, you get energy from the caffeine while remaining calm and concentrated.
The Bottom Line
When it comes down to it, green tea won't work unless you incorporate it into your diet in a proactive way. It could be an excellent addition for a bodybuilder, but it will only serve to support your goals. It becomes challenging to drink 5-6 cups of green tea in a day to suffice your daily intake. Therefore, supplementing it is the alternative. You're going to get all the benefits of green tea if you are using supplements to it into your diet every day. This has been proven to provide some good benefits for those on a weight cut and can even work well as a form of pre-workout. Epicvita’s Multivitamin range and Fat Burner all have the goodness of Natural Green Tea extract in them.
References
Hadi, A., Pourmasoumi, M., Kafeshani, M., Karimian, J., Maracy, M. R., and Entezari, M. H. (2016). The Effect of Green Tea and Sour Tea (Hibiscus sabdariffaL.) Supplementation on Oxidative Stress and Muscle Damage in Athletes. Journal of Dietary Supplements, 14(3), 346–357. https://doi.org/10.1080/19390211.2016.1237400
Wolfram, S., Wang, Y., and Thielecke, F. (2006). Anti-obesity effects of green tea: From bedside to bench. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, 50(2), 176–187. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.200500102
Machado, L. S., da Silva, W., Souza, M. A., and Carpes, F. P. (2018). Green Tea Extract Preserves Neuromuscular Activation and Muscle Damage Markers in Athletes Under Cumulative Fatigue. Frontiers in Physiology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.01137
