Green tea is a famous beverage which we commonly associate with weight loss today. Yet, in its most natural form, the benefits of green tea leaves extract are enormous. For example, it is a great source of Vitamin C, is good for the skin and the joints, which we may or may not commonly know.
At MyFitFuel, we are committed to serve you with maximum information, to enhance your gym experience. Thus, it is natural for us to focus more on how green tea extracts benefits fit into our daily workout schedule and along with other nutritional supplements, you and I, normally consume.
What is Green Tea Extract?
Before we dwell on the topic of benefits of green tea extracts, let us first introduce you to the term-green tea itself.
Like any other tea, green tea too is an extract of the Camellia Sinensis plant family native to Asia. Many tea leaves we use today are extracted from this plant, but green tea by far is the most natural form or to say, the least processed form of the Cammelia as it is steamed and pan-fried fried first and then the tea leaves are dried. Other teas like black tea are fermented.
Benefits of Green Tea Extracts
Like we said before, the green tea extract benefits are much more than what we might be really aware of. Let us discuss it now.
1) Improves energy and builds immunity
Green Tea extracts aid the production of HGH (human growth hormone). As a gym enthusiast, you are likely to be familiar with this term, however, associating it with doing steroids. Well, this is not true at all. On the contrary, human growth hormone is naturally generated in the pituitary gland and is a natural testosterone booster.
Testosterone is a steroid hormone which is produced in the testes but, it is not limited to only the reproductive health of men. It plays an important role in protein synthesis inside the body as well. Even though exercise improves the testosterone level, heavy workout reduces it and since [it] is important for your muscles, you need to maintain it at the right level.
The right testosterone level in the body helps build stronger immunity and induce regular sleep; improves high bone density and energy levels, and it is a great source of building muscle mass.
Good to know: Since we have now touched upon testosterone levels, during bodybuilding, I need to mention how you need to source it through supplements like MFF BCAA 5000 which helps in maintaining testosterone levels and of course, building muscles. Leucine increases insulin which suppresses cortisol (stress hormone).
Before I explain you any further, it is important to understand the basics of green tea leaf extract health benefits in brief.
How does it work?
The green tea leaf is one of the important parts of the beverage as fresh leaves are first steamed at high temperature and then, dried, as mentioned earlier. It retains one of its natural molecules called polyphenols, a natural micronutrient with high antioxidant activity. Green tea has 2-4 per cent of caffeine content value.
Green tea extracts are naturally rich in anti-oxidants, polyphenols, more specifically the catechins (a molecule of polyphenols found in the tea).
Coming back to the benefits, here is the point 2.
2) Anti-oxidant Powerhouse
Green tea catechins help maintains good immunity and a cardio health profile. The mega benefit of consuming catechins through green tea extracts is accelerating the body fat loss.
The mega benefit of consuming catechins through green tea extracts is accelerating the body fat loss. Green tea catechins are also said to raise the adrenaline in the body improving endurance during heavy workouts.
Polyphenols also help in producing Glutathione, a naturally occurring antioxidant in our body, which is found in every cell and tissue of the body. Thus, polyphenols in green tea extracts, help in cell regeneration, preserving the muscle cells and tissues and preventing our body from muscle breakdown, aiding faster muscle recovery as a result.
Good to know: Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant which cannot be naturally produced by your body and it is only through whey supplements like MFF Whey Protein 100 that your body can be fed with fresh glutathione. Whey contains natural protein cysteine which is converted in the powerhouse glutathione through internal body chemical reactions.
3) Effective Stimulant for Energy and Reducing Stress
Green tea extract benefits also include feed of an amino acid L- theanine to your body. It is an amino acid existing in abundance in tea leaves. The benefits of L-theanine include the release of immense energy and endurance; improve mental focus and alertness and greater weight loss.
Technically speaking, L-theanine stimulates the level of dopamine and serotonin and helps in balancing norepinephrine (stress chemical) levels.
Good to know: Often a comparison is drawn between L-theanine and other amino acids like L-glutamine. But, it is a must remember that L-theanine is your trusted source for improved cognition whereas L-glutamine an important dietary supplement for the muscles and immune system.
4) Benefits for Weight Loss
Green tea extract benefits for weight loss are proven. It is a good cutting supplement as it improves your metabolic rate and improves fat oxidization, stimulating your body to shed fat as it a thermogenics booster (metabolic boosting properties).
The best thing is you can have it as many times in a day to get the maximum benefit of green tea extracts.
Good to know: While stronger thermogenics supplement may make you feel sick, green tea extract benefits you with the measured dose of thermogenics, improving your fat burning capacity.
5) Low Caffeine Content
Green tea extracts benefit your health by serving you with low caffeine content. The green tea extracts give us the advantage of regulating our caffeine content and making our body more caffeine tolerant.
Why we need caffeine, the strong stimulant is a given; it increases our mental focus, reduced body fatigue and build the stamina, thus benefiting our overall workout effort. The bitter tea of green tea extracts helps us achieve it and another advantage is a mild increase in urine passing to keep our systems clean.
Good to know: Whey protein powder manufactures use caffeine as a stimulant to improve your workout performance. Most of the whey supplements feed you with around 200-300 milligrammes in a single serve.
6) Vitamin Rich Diet
Heavy workouts can sometimes take a toll on your health and by choosing to consume green tea extracts, you can benefit from a multivitamin diet naturally.
Green tea extracts contain Vitamin C and Vitamin B2 to help you maintain healthy skin. You also benefit with a dose of folic acid (Vitamin B9) from green tea extracts. Folic acid improves the supply of amino acids for protein synthesis which helps you gain muscles quickly.
Good to know: Like I said, folic acid is a trusted source of protein production in the body. Vegetarians have a choice to continue relying on leafy vegetables, grains and fruits and non-vegetarians can source it from meat as well. There are clean folic acid supplements available in the market to help you bulk up.
7) Advantage include Minerals
Green tea extracts are a rich source of minerals such as Potassium, to improve the glycogen storage level and stimulate high intensity workouts; Calcium and Phosphorus to benefit your exercise metabolism since it releases ATP; Manganese, for energy generation and improved protein synthesis; Zinc, which you lose excessively during heavy workouts and copper, for an adrenaline boost up.
Good to know: Athletes, in general, need a high dose of nutrients and should ideally be supplementing their mineral requirement regularly. But, buying mineral supplements can be expensive and green tea extract mineral benefits exactly fit your requirement for something more affordable and packed with natural sources.
Conclusion
Health benefits of green tea extract include making it staple for two prime reasons, a) it is very affordable and b) It suppresses your appetite.
Taking about the green tea extract benefits vs. the side effects, I believe that its benefits outweigh its drawbacks like caffeine content, which can induce a feeling of heart discomfort or indigestion.
Also, according to your taste preference, you can brew it or have green tea capsules. The nutritional value of both is equivalent giving you the same benefit of antioxidants of green tea extract in liquid form or capsule.
