Green tea is not so green afterall since the amount of green tea consumed in a typical cup or even 3–4 cups is insufficient to provide any significant health benefits.
A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2013 aimed to investigate the effects of green tea consumption on cardiovascular and metabolic parameters in healthy individuals. The study included 33 healthy adults who consumed either green tea or a placebo beverage for four weeks. The green tea was prepared using tea bags that contained 1.5 grams of green tea extract per bag, and participants consumed three cups per day, resulting in a total of 4.5 grams of green tea extract per day.
The results of the study showed that there were no significant differences in blood pressure, lipid levels, or glucose levels between the green tea and placebo groups. The authors concluded that the amount of green tea consumed in this study was not sufficient to elicit any significant health benefits.
Another study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2012 investigated the effects of green tea consumption on breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women. The study included 1,075 postmenopausal women who consumed either green tea or a placebo beverage for one year. The green tea was prepared using tea bags that contained 500 milligrams of green tea extract per bag, and participants consumed three cups per day, resulting in a total of 1.5 grams of green tea extract per day.
The results of the study showed no significant difference in breast cancer incidence between the green tea and placebo groups. However, there was a small reduction in mammographic density (a marker of breast cancer risk) in the green tea group compared to the placebo group.
Overall, these studies suggest that the health benefits of green tea may be negligible when consumed in typical amounts, such as in a single cup of tea.
However, it is worth noting that the studies used standardized doses of green tea extract rather than brewed tea, which may contain varying amounts of active compounds depending on the brewing method and tea quality. Additionally, it is possible that long-term consumption of green tea may have cumulative health benefits that were not captured in these short-term studies.
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