Green tea is a favourite drink among health lovers for its myriad health benefits. An anti-bacterial tea, it is rich in anti-oxidants, minerals and vitamins, and it has innumerable health benefits including helping in weight loss, improving body’s metabolism, promoting oral health, exhibiting anti-aging properties and helping reduce the risk of heart diseases and cancer. Though green tea is a health beverage, one should consume it in moderation. Read on to know when is the best time to drink green tea and how much should be consumed in a day
Not as your early morning tea:
Most people think that consuming Green tea on an empty stomach is the best way to gain the benefits of this drink. But the answer turns out to be just the opposite! In fact, green tea as your morning cuppa may have adverse affects on your liver. Also, the caffeine in it may lead to dehydration and stimulate the release of gastric acid which can cause stomach upset or even ulcer.
As your in-between-meals tea
To avail the full anti-oxidant powers of green tea, it must be consumed in between meals. This means, you should consume it at least 2 hours before and 2 hours after your meal. Consuming green tea with your meal will minimize the nutrient intake and inhibit the absorption of iron and minerals from food. While drinking green tea in between your meals will ensure that the catechins (anti-oxidants) does not react with the caseins present in animal protein or milk. Drinking green tea along with your meal will also inhibit the digestion of calcium.
Three to five cups aday and not more:
By now you know that drinking green tea regularly will be beneficial for your health in a number of ways. In fact, studies have found that green tea drinkers are healthier than those who do not drink it at all. But unless you have it in moderation, green tea could have some serious side effects on your body including anemia. Three to five cups of green tea a day are recommended.
Not before going to bed:
You must not consume green tea before going to bed because it contains caffeine and is diuretic. Though green tea contains relatively less caffeine as compared to other teas, it may affect your sleep adversly. Besides, green tea is diuretic, so consuming it before going to bed will make you run to washroom during the night. Consume your last cup of green tea at least 1-2 hours before going to bed. This will help you burn fat even as you are asleep. You can opt for infusions like Camomile as your bed-time drinkas it promotes sleep.
Pair green tea with exercise:
Green tea helps boost the body’s metabolism and helps inhibits the absorption of fat. If you wanna shed those extra pounds, consuming green tea alone will not help. Pairing Green tea with exercise will give you better results.
(The writer is founder and director GAIA. Views expressed are personal)