For centuries the Chinese and Japanese cultures have been drinking green tea to realize the positive health benefits of it in their diet. The popularity of this drink has spread west, making it now the second-most popular drink worldwide.
Green tea is different from other teas because it is not fermented or dried out, thus keeping in the powerful antioxidants lost in the fermenting process.
Registered Dietician and ADA Spokesperson, Cynthia Sass says, "Antioxidants are like little bodyguards inside your body that protect your cells from disease."
There's a lot of buzz about green tea because more studies are showing the health benefits of drinking green tea. Some benefits include improving your immune system, guarding against flu virus, lowering cholesterol, helping prevent cavities and tooth decay, slowing the aging process, reducing risk of cancer, aiding in weight-loss by burning calories, reducing high blood pressure, preventing arthritis, reducing risk of heart disease, and reducing risk of stroke.
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Go green with tea
More studies show green tea could help protect from Alzheimer's disease, cancer and lower cholesterol.
 
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The latest research also finds an ingredient in green tea that fights cancer may also help protect the brain from Alzheimer's disease. Some of the research has been done in humans, while other studies are only at the animal stage, but it seems clear green tea is a healthy choice.
Sass warns though that green tea is part of a healthy lifestyle and does not equal a healthy lifestyle.
"You can't eat poorly, not get exercise, and think it's going to help you prevent all these diseases. But it really could be a powerful thing we can do to add to all the other things that we know about disease prevention," she said.
Not all green tea products are created equal. Beyond tea, there are many products that are adding green tea such as green tea ice cream or green tea gum. How do you know what's good for you? Sass said you need to read the label carefully. Powered green tea leaves or brewed green tea are best. She said green tea flavorings or extracts do not offer the same benefits of brewed green tea.
Also, many green tea products are sweetened to make it taste better. Sass said these drinks have as many calories as soda, and you need to realize that when you drink them. She said your best bet is to brew green tea at home, and if you want to sweeten it put a little, put juice in it or honey. When brewing green tea, it is important to make sure the teabag steep for five full minutes. Sass said you may want to time yourself because five minutes is longer than you think, and that's the only way to guarantee you are getting the most antioxidants from your green tea.
