Calories in Green Tea

Green tea happens to be the least processed of the different tea forms, and is touted for its numerous health benefits. Since it has been minimally processed, its catechin polyphenol content is intact, which is what contributes to its highly nutritious property.

Green tea has 0 calories. Yes it's true! This tea adds no calories to your body. This means you can drink as much green tea as you want, without gaining any calories. However, if you add sweeteners to your tea, the calorie count will obviously start ticking. But, if you stick to zero calorie sweeteners, your cup of green tea will still correspond to zero calories.

What's even more amazing is that green tea consumption helps increase the metabolic rate of the body. Metabolic rate is the rate at which our body burns calories. Drinking 3 or 4 cups of green tea is seen to increase the metabolic rate by 4%, in over 24 hours. The catechin and polyphenols present act as metabolism boosters, thereby, increasing the amount of calories burnt by the body.

Consumption of green tea increases the body's metabolic rate, thereby, resulting in burning more calories than usual. Moreover, the catechins present in the tea prevent the movement of glucose into the fat cells. Thus, this tea acts as a glucose regulator and prevents sudden rise of blood sugar after a meal.

It also prevents fat storage. However, to observe any changes, you need to consume this tea for a prolonged period of time, and also need to support it with a healthy, well-balanced diet.

Regular consumption of this tea can to some extent slow down the onset of painful signs of aging like wrinkles, age spots, etc. An experiment conducted on mice, by researchers from Taiwan, US, and Japan, reveals that green tea has properties that can slow down the aging process.

The antioxidants present in green tea, especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) inhibits the growth of cancerous cells in the body. In fact, it also destroys cancerous cells without harming healthy tissues. Thus, regular consumption of this tea can reduce the risk of developing cancer.

Scores of people are struggling with various allergy issues like pollen allergy, dust allergy, nut allergy, etc. According to some Japanese researchers, green tea helps reduce the triggering of allergic responses in the body. They found that the antioxidants present in this tea type, act as a hindrance to the biochemical processes involved in triggering an allergic response.

To avail these benefits, you need to consume green tea on a regular basis. Having said this, it is important to remember that green tea is not some kind of magic potion, and maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle is paramount.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only and does not in any way attempt to replace the advice offered by an expert on the subject.