As a health-conscious vegan, I am constantly looking for ways to improve my diet. However, I have not always given much thought to what I drink. Since most of our bodies are made up of water, it makes sense that the fluids we drink (or in some cases, choose not to drink) will have an impact on our general state of health.
Personally, I am not good at coping without caffeine. My drink of choice is generally coffee, but as a somewhat anxious person, prone to overinflated worries and worst-case scenarios, I decided that perhaps taking a break from my morning coffee fix might not be the worst thing in the world. I fancied a change and wanted to try something different. So, I set myself the target of drinking green tea instead of coffee for a week, and discovered five things that I would like to share with any vegans who are thinking about introducing green tea into their diet.
Five Things I Learned About Green Tea
1. Green tea gives a health boost and strengthens immunity – What is amazing about green tea is that it contains powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants counteract the formation of free radicals in the body, potentially protecting us from serious diseases, such as cancer. They can also help control body weight and maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
2. Green tea tastes great – After I had poured boiling water into my first cup of green tea and the strong aroma hit my nostrils, taste became a real concern. But after the first few sips, it began to taste surprisingly good. Green tea has a healing, cleansing taste that is very enjoyable. It cleared my mind, making me feel more alert, and I was ready to face the day ahead.
3. Green tea makes you feel calm – Green tea does contain some caffeine, so I still found that my brain was given a boost. However, unlike coffee, the caffeine in green tea affected me in a much calmer, more controlled way. Coffee can sometimes set my heart pounding, but this did not happen after drinking green tea. I found that instead of the kick-start coffee delivered, green tea gave a gentle nudge to help me through the day.
4. Green tea has many different uses – There is more to green tea than simply a drink. Placing green teabags on sensitive skin can help ease the pain of sunburn, reducing puffiness and swelling. There are many different ways that the skin can benefit from green tea as well due to its ability to rejuvenate damaged skin cells. It is possible to make your own skincare products using green tea.
5. There are many varieties of green tea –There are many different kinds of green tea to choose from. If you investigate the green tea available in your local health food store, you will find organic and fair trade varieties. There are also green teas that are blended with aloe vera, jasmine or lemon. It is a good idea to experiment with different kinds of green tea to see which one suits your taste and budget.
So, with all that in mind, I have decided to continue drinking green tea. If you have ever wondered about the many benefits of drinking green tea, then why not go ahead and try it? Not only will it improve your health today, but it may also protect you from illness in the future.
Main Image courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons / Michael Yan
Second Image courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons / Jason Fasi