Green tea has long been used in traditional Chinese and Indian natural medicine for aiding in digestion, strengthening heart health, and to heal wounds. However, it is fairly recent in the United States that the green tea detox has begun to gain popularity.
What is Green Tea
Green tea comes from the buds and leaves of the Camellia sinensis, which is a small tree or evergreen shrub. Common names for these plants include: tea plant, tea tree, and tea shrub. Originally from China and India, tea plants are now grown around the world however, the top country to produce and export green tea is still China.
Green tea differs from black tea not in the leaves as you might think, but instead in the way the leaves and buds are processed. Compared to black tea, green tea is more beneficial because it has higher levels of antioxidants due to the fact that the leaves in green tea are less processed.
How Does Green Tea Help Detox
The release of free radicals in your body is the chemical process called oxidation. This can result in illness and disease. Green tea leaves have an incredibly high antioxidant content. Its antioxidant properties help eliminate free radicals. This allows your detoxification system and other internal organs to stay healthy and functioning at an optimal level.
Additionally, with its small amounts of caffeine, green tea acts as a mild stimulant and aids in digestion. Finally, green tea assists detoxification by helping protect your liver from damage by increasing liver enzyme activity. This also stimulates the detox process.
How Much Green Tea to Detox
The great thing about a green tea detox is you don’t have to radically change your diet. Cut out the toxins you are wanting to detox and eat lite and lean meals. Begin by adding several cups of green tea to your daily routine. You will start to feel the benefits within just a few days. For best results, continue several cups of tea for a week or two. Exercising during these weeks will aid in your green tea detox benefits. Continuing to incorporate green tea into your regular diet will help keep your detox organs functioning optimally.
Green Tea Detox Tea Recipe
What you’ll need:
- Green Tea (loose or tea back)
- 4 cups water
- 4 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- ½ to 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp turmeric
- Cinnamon to personal taste
- Honey to sweeten optional
Directions:
- Use medium heat on the stove to combine ingredients 1-6 in a saucepan (or tea pot).
- Bring liquid to the beginning of boiling. Reduce heat before it comes to a rolling boil.
- Allow to steep at a simmer for 2 minutes for a tea bag and 4 minutes for loose leaves.
- Strain.
- Pour in a tea mug.
- Add ingredients 7 and 8 if desired.
- Enjoy!
Potential Green Tea Side Effects
One thing to consider with green tea is its caffeine content. Levels are low, 30 to 50mg in 8oz, which is about a quarter of the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee. However, if you are not usually a caffeine drinker, adding multiple cups of green tea could make you agitated, irritable, jittery, and increase your chances of starting a caffeine addiction. Additionally, if you drink other caffeinated beverages or take other stimulants you increase your chances of high blood pressure.
Due to its vitamin K content, green tea can act as a blood thinning agent. Those who take blood thinners or aspirin daily are recommended not to do the green tea detox. Always consult your primary care physician before starting any detox regiment.