Start drinking REAL green tea. And drink a lot of it! The goal should be to drink at least 3 or 4 cups a day.
The health benefits associated with drinking antioxidant-rich green tea have been touted for centuries. A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrated that tea is a healthier choice than almost any beverage, including pure water, because tea not only rehydrates as well as water but also provides a rich supply of polyphenols (antioxidants) that prevent disease and slow aging on many levels. Green tea is also a super anti-inflammatory.
What is more, a Japanese study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that drinking green tea lowers risk of death due to all causes, including cardiovascular disease.
Green tea can even improve your appearance! In a 2011 study published in the Journal of Nutrition, green tea was show to boost skin elasticity and hydration and help protect against ultraviolet light–induced skin damage. If you start drinking real green tea regularly you will absolutely see an improvement in your overall skin quality.
People in China, India, Japan, and Thailand have consumed green tea and used it for medicinal purposes for centuries. Most of the research showing the health benefits of green tea is based on the amount of green tea typically consumed in Asian countries—about 3 cups per day.
Green tea is rich in catechins, a special type of antioxidant that really should be ranked right up there along with the other well-known antioxidants like vitamins E and C. Catechins are potent free-radical scavengers, anti-agers, and health promoters. Not only does green tea wash toxins out of the system through its liquid content but the catechins in green tea are known to improve liver function and augment weight loss by increasing the metabolism of fats by the liver (a thermogenic effect), inhibiting lipase (a fat absorption enzyme) in the digestive tract, and provide a feeling of satiety and fullness. Researchers have also found the catechins in green tea help reduce body fat, lower systolic blood pressure, and decrease LDL cholesterol, all of which in turn contribute to a decrease in cardiovascular disease risk.
But please don’t rush right out to your nearest supermarket or Wal-Mart and start stocking up on Lipton Green Tea. Not all green tea is created equal when it comes to health benefits or taste. In fact, so many of the standard green tea sold in the United States is loaded with pesticides, artificial flavorings and chemicals. For the most part, the green tea most people drink in the United States is not at all the same as the green tea they are drinking over in Japan.
Here are our favorite brands for REAL green tea:
- Costco’s Kirkland Signature Green Tea: We particularly like this one for taste and price. Costco’s Kirkland tea is made from sencha green tea from Japan. In keeping with the Japanese tradition, the tea is gently steamed, rolled, and then dried. The minimal processing stops the oxidation and preserves the freshness, aroma, and color of the tea leaf.
- Enzo is a high-quality, certified organic brand of green tea that is highly known for it’s purity, and rich flavor. This brand is all about their matcha, and like mentioned above, it is super high in vitamins and antioxidants. The great thing about this brand? They offer 100% refunds if you don’t love everything about their teas. We love making matcha latte’s with plant-based milk + honey!
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P.S. Did You Know You Can Boost the Benefits of Green Tea with a Squirt of Lemon?
It is worth noting that by adding just a little squirt of vitamin C–rich freshly squeezed lemon juice you can significantly boost the amount of catechins your body absorbs, thus boosting the health, antioxidant, and detoxifying benefits of green tea.
Kendal Knetemannsays
I use green tea as my base for my smoothies in the morning. It rocks!!
Katiesays
Hi Ivy,
I have really loved the Challenge so far – thanks so much for putting it together! I love your workouts on Youtube and must have found you at the perfect time because I’m also loving the ayahuasca articles.
Since starting the challenge a month ago I’ve been traveling full-time, so it’s been tricky making all the changes, but I’m looking forward to being back home in early December and then incorporating all of the changes in earnest. I definitely notice feeling much better when I’m eating along Clean Cuisine guidelines. Once I’m no longer living out of a suitcase, I’ll also be buying your book!
I have a quick question about the green tea — do you ever reuse tea bags, or do you brew each of the 3-4 cups with a fresh tea bag? I assume the best benefits come from fresh tea bags every cup, but just wanted to check.
Thank you so much!
Katie
Ivy Larsonsays
Hi Katie, Oh gosh, after going through what I experienced with the Ayahuasca I am sure there are no coincidences. If you are considering giving it a try I would definitely look into some of the articles and YouTube videos by Amber Lyon (she is a former CNN reporter and 3-time Emmy award winner and she does an incredible job reporting on the spiritual and medical benefits of Ayahuasca). She also has a great website: Reset.Me
I’m so glad to know you like the Challenge too! But yes, I know it can be tricky when traveling =( I probably need to do an article on how to make it more doable on the road…
As for the green tea, I don’t like to reuse the bags only because I think they lose potency. It’s not that it will harm you to reuse them or anything like that, you just won’t get the full benefit.
Please keep me posted on how you do with the Challenge! And if you decide to explore Ayahuasca further I would love to know…
Wishing you all the very best! xoxo
Katiesays
Thanks so much for your feedback on the green tea and ayahuasca resources!
I am back in the States full-time, got my hands on the Clean Cuisine book, and just got the Costco brand green tea today. I also restarted using spirulina with your spirulina-lemon shot yesterday. I’m very excited to have the space and time for implementing Clean Cuisine full force.
One change I’ve been having difficulty with is flour cravings. I keep great quality dark chocolate on hand and have been upping my fruit intake, so it’s not as though I’m completely cutting out sugar. And I have Ezekiel bread on hand. But even with those foods, I’m still craving the sugar-white flour combination (ex. cookies). I’ve read in your articles that white flour has the same (maybe more?) blood sugar effect as table sugar, so I know it’s something to eliminate. Any thoughts you have would be much appreciated and I’ll be sure to keep you updated on progress and results!
Thanks again, Ivy!
Katie
Ivy Larsonsays
Hi Katie! Oh I am so happy to know the info is helping you. And I am thrilled you are doing the CC program =) And yes, please be sure to keep me posted on how things go. As for the sugar/ white flour cravings, I know all about those. In fact, I wrote an article about the #1 thing that helped me curb cravings (adding more fruit!) in the link below:
https://cleancuisine.com/how-to-stop-sugar-cravings/
In addition to adding fruit, I would be sure to also add plenty of vegetables—the phytonutrients in both fruits and veggies are VERY helpful in curbing cravings. The more well-nourished your body becomes, the fewer food cravings you will have. Not sure if you also happened to see the article I wrote yesterday on Spirulina? Adding 1 tablespoon of that a day could also be very helpful. Here’s the link in case you missed it: https://cleancuisine.com/benefits-of-spirulina/
Pattysays
Hi Ivy,
Do I need to brew the tea to get the benefits? I sink a green tea bag in room temperature water and then add ginger and lemon. It is so much faster then brewing it and then cooling it off.
Thanks in advance!
Patty
Ivy Larsonsays
Hi Patty, that’s a great question! The method your describing will definitely give you some benefits but I do think brewing will give you significantly more. If you don’t want to drink it hot I would recommend making it in bigger batches—you could try heating 1/2 cup water and then putting three tea bags in and let them brew for about 3 minutes. You can then add 2 1/2 cups cold water (and some ice too!) and you’ll have 3 servings of iced green tea that will keep for up to a week in the fridge. Hope this helps?
Pattysays
Yes, thank you!
Inessays
From the moment i drank my first cup i felt the difference. I really enjoy the taste with agabe. I bought the Costco brand.
Ivy Larsonsays
Thanks so much for commenting Ines–and so glad you feel the difference too =)
nicolesays
I would like to receive all the health benefits of green tea but am very sensitive to caffeine.
If I drink decaf green tea will I still be able to gain the health benefits or is it lost in the decaffeinating process? Any recommendations of decaf green tea brands or teas you have found to purchase?
Ivy Larsonsays
Hi Nicole! This is such a great question! Here is a link with info I think will help answer your question: http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/decafgreen.htm
Pamsays
Ivy, are you at all concerned about drinking Japanese Green tea following the Fukashima disaster? I try to avoid products grown/produced in Japan.