Ra 4 Food - Health and Nutritional Tips

“Better to be deprived of food for three days than green tea for one” (Quoted By An Ancient Chinese Proverb) There is no other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits as green tea. Green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years, with the Chinese using it to treat everything from headaches to depression.

The reason Green tea is so good for you lies in the fact it is rich in catching polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant. It inhibits the growth of cancer cells whilst also killing them off, without harming healthy tissue. It is also effective in lowering your cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots.

Research shows that drinking green tea also helps the pounds melt away, even while still eating junk food. It starts by revving up your metabolism. A study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that green tea extract resulted in a significant increase in energy expenditure (a metabolism ‘boost’). The research also concluded that that over a 24-hour period, green tea increases the metabolic rate by 4%. Green tea also inhibits fat absorption and helps glucose regulation; and can also act as al glucose regulator by helping to slow the rise in blood sugar after a meal.

Green Tea has also been proven to reduce appetite. Research undertaken by scientists at the University of Chicago found that green tea caused rats to lose up to 21 percent of their body fat. The rats were injected with a green tea extract and lost their appetites whilst also consuming up to 60 percent less food after seven days of daily injections. This may have something to do with the blood sugar regulating effects of green tea.

Not only does all the above prove that green tea has major health benefits, but it contains 0 calories. By replacing your usual morning coffee with green tea, you will not only be benefiting from fewer calories but will also get your caffeine fix.

So how much do you actually have to drink to get these amazing metabolism boosting effects? Researchers say between 3-5 cups a day. However this much can be a lot for some people, so you might also want to consider green tea extract, green tea pills or a green tea patch.