Why Runners and Athletes Should Drink Tea

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run lola run

When I talk about tea, you probably think about the desi milk-chai, with generous amount of milk and sugar. You don’t necessarily think about, say, runners and athletes. But that’s a misconception. You’ve definitely heard someone tell you that tea is good for you. But beyond that general statement, you perhaps don’t know that tea has number of performance enhancing benefits that make it especially ‘a must drink’ for all runners and athletes.

Science and real-time global case studies prove that drinking tea supports physical activity through its preventive functions. It aids in providing more energy for training, quicker recovery, and is an unmatched nutritional tool for better performance. Tea helps athletes with improved alertness, more strength and an extra surge of energy during long workouts. The very high dose of antioxidants help the body metabolise fats for fuel late in the workouts, for needed strength endurance.

A 2004 study found that tea improved endurance capacity. ”Tea markedly improved endurance capacity and stimulated lipid use.” And a 2006 study concluded that “the endurance-improving effects of tea were mediated, at least partly, by increased metabolic capacity and utilisation of fatty acid as a source of energy.” In simple language it basically means that tea was found to improve strength and endurance during aerobic activity, and that increased endurance was in part due to an increase in fat being burnt for energy.

Tea is fantastic and also a smarter choice than coffee, soda or energy drinks. It’s true that caffeine is a proven performance enhancer that increases endurance, improves alertness and makes running feel easier. Although tea provides only half as much caffeine as coffee or energy drinks, it makes you feel good at the right places without any side effects, such as acidity and bloating. The acid in coffee and energy drinks can be hard, leading to heartburn and upset stomach. So, if you look at it, tea is your all natural ‘power drink’ that offers a boost and can even make you healthier.

I believe tea is very personal. In my opinion, I would recommend that fitness enthusiasts should collect an assortment of teas – black, oolong, green, white and herbal blends, and see what they enjoy the most. Maybe it’s delicate green tea in the morning, oolong after a run, or a herbal blend without any caffeine to wind down after an evening run. And remember, quality counts in tea. So, make sure that you choose whole leaf, high quality, all natural, fresh and premium tea. For added flavour and health boost, try infusing your tea with fresh fruits, herbs and spices.

Get to know your tea, experiment and explore, develop your relationship and enjoy your fitness journey with tea. It is your all round performance drink. So, drink up and see how tea can step up your game!

Green Tea Blends – The Latest Fitness Power Drink

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Fitness Tea

Green tea has gained immense popularity because of it’s healthy properties in the recent years and is one of the most popular drinks of the new millennium. But sadly, just few of us actually drink it. So, I thought how about I reach out to my fitness driven readers and convince them about this green power drink aka ‘supersip’, that is taking the fitness industry by a storm.

There are many reasons why green tea has increasingly been given the green light and is the most recommended beverage by fitness and nutrition experts. Well, to start with, green tea provides you with a powerful boost of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and amino acids. It boosts metabolism, increases fat oxidation, endurance during exercises and improves overall health.

Brandon Carter, the best selling author and fitness expert refers to green tea as the ‘magic green drink’ and advices all his clients to drink it before and during their workouts. He also gives credit to green tea for that extra boost of energy and endurance, which contributes towards more efficient workouts. Keith Cormican, internationally recognized fitness and wellbeing expert says that gym recoveries can be improved by clearance of the by-products from training and green tea can really help with the process. He has been encouraging everyone to consider adding green tea as a weapon to their arsenal of fitness techniques and healthy living choices.

Research from Colorado State University found that tea’s main antioxidant, EGCG, can improve your VO2 max – a measure of how efficiently your body uses oxygen. EGCG is also known to stimulate brown fat, which is even extracted and used as a weight loss supplement.

Green tea is a great fitness supplement that is all-natural and will give you a great energy boost. And if you pick a good tea blend, you can avail some more healthy benefits from your power drink. Hence, if you don’t like lot of chemicals and junk in your body and are looking out for a great pre-workout supplement – it’s definitely green tea.

So, is it as simple as brewing some tea bags to reap the above mentioned benefits? NOT REALLY. To get maximum health benefits, it’s most important to drink the right kind of tea. I would suggest a whole leaf, all-natural, high quality fresh tea. It’s also very crucial to choose a higher quality brand of green tea, because the lower quality tea can contain excessive levels of fluoride, which leads to many health problems.

Green tea is your all-natural miracle drink. Just pop some green tea/green tea blend and ice in your shaker bottle and drink it before, during and after your workout or have it hot – whichever way you prefer. Whether you drink it as a pre-workout or post-workout drink or simply as an energy drink substitute during your workouts, the pros have declared green tea as significant news for anyone who is fitness driven.

You’ve nothing to lose and yet everything to gain by making this powerful herb a part of your daily routine!

10 Reasons Why Green Tea Is Good For You

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hulk drinking tea

Love for tea shares ten reasons why green tea is good for your mind, body and soul. Put your kettle on as the facts are in and tea is officially awesome for your health.

1. Your brain –  A cup of green tea doesn’t just make you more productive in office, with improved accuracy and attention but it also prevents the progression of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease as we age.

2. Your bones – Regular tea drinkers have higher bone mineral density and strength than non-tea drinkers. The benefit is attributed to phytochemicals in tea, such as flavonoids, that protect against bone loss.

3. Your heart – Green tea contains tannins that are known to lower cholesterol naturally. Evidence based research concludes that people who drink 3-5 cups of green tea regularly have lower risk of heart diseases.

4. Your immune system – Tea contains catechins and flavanoids (antioxidants) & Vitamin H (also called biotin), that prevent cellular damage and assist in healthy and strong immune system.

5. Your fitness – Green tea works as a brilliant pre and post workout drink.  A cup of green tea boosts your energy and enhances your performance by improving endurance and alertness.

6. Your dental health – Green tea kills bacteria which improves dental health and lowers your risk of infection.

7. Your skin – Green tea helps to keep your skin healthy. EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate), the main polyphenol in green tea, has anticancer properties that may prevent the development of skin tumours.

8. Your hair – The anti-inflammatory properties of green tea boosts hair growth. It inhibits the growth of DHT (Dihydrotestosterone), which hinders hair growth and causes hair fall.

9. Your mental health – Green tea is like yoga in a cup, it can calm your nerves while boosting your mood. Theanine present in green tea works as an excellent anti-depressant and helps in relieving stress and anxiety.

10. Your body – Regular consumption of green tea lowers risk of type-2 diabetes, various kinds of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, resulting in a healthy body – helping you live longer.

Now, before you load up on this elixir of life make sure that you drink the right tea. It’s very important to know that all the benefits that you read about green tea are based on research on fresh, high quality loose leaf tea and not flavoured tea/tea bags. So, be smart and drink right.

Top 10 Evidence Based Health Benefits Of Green TEA

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green tea
Green tea contains various bioactive compounds that can improve health.
green tea
Compounds in green tea can improve brain function and make you smarter.
green tea
Green tea increases fat burning and improves physical performance.
green tea
Antioxidants in green tea may lower your risk of various types of cancer.
green tea
Green tea may protect your brain in old age.
green tea
Green tea can kill bacteria, which improves dental health and lowers risk of infection.
green tea
Green tea lowers your risk of type II diabetes.
green tea
Green tea may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
green tea
Green tea can help you lose weight and lower risk of becoming obese.
green tea
Green tea can help you live longer.

There is not just one but many reasons why Green tea is taking over the world and is believed to be the healthiest beverage on the planet. It is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that have powerful effects on the body, such as improved brain function, a lower risk of cancer and many other incredible benefits. Here are top 10 evidence based health benefits of green tea that have been confirmed in human research studies. Hope it inspires you to a grab a cuppa right away. 

Why TEA Is The New Coffee

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TEA is always a good idea.

TEA is always a good idea.

Lately, news reports extolling the benefits of tea, particularly green tea, have coffee lovers wondering whether they should switch teams. But is tea better? If you normally drink coffee loaded with cream and sugar or a 500-calorie mocha every morning, then swapping out for calorie-free green tea will certainly contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

Tea is good for health as it has high antioxidants (Flavonoids and Catechins) that fight free radicals. Our body creates free radicals as a bi-product of living. These free radicals attempt to oxidize lipids, contributing to old age diseases. Providing a healthy boost to the cardiovascular system and fighting cancer cells, tea is an ideal complement to today’s wellness movement.

People around the world are gravitating more towards a healthier lifestyle, which has resulted in the emergence of whole range of types of tea – including green tea, white tea and herbal tea. While tea is widely available at coffee shops and grocery stores, specialized tea parlors are sprouting globally, and Starbucks, the one company that revolutionized the way we drink coffee is now experimenting with tea and contributing to the global tea movement.

In India, green tea consumption is rising at a rate of more than 10 percent annually. The urban, educated and health conscious consumers are experimenting and switching to green tea. So, when the world is joining the tea revolution, are you a part of it?

Green TEA – History & Nutrition

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Did you know Green Tea originated in China and has been used as a medicine for more than 5000 years? Packed with numerous health benefits, green tea has paved it’s way in our daily lives, by being more than just a beverage. Watch this brilliant video explaining the history and wonders of green tea!

A Brewtiful Cup Of Herbal Tea

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saucer-cup-mint-tea-drink-lemonThe benefits of wonder teas, as I call the herbal teas, are known to have far-reaching healing powers. The benefits of herbal teas are wide ranging and all natural, helping with everything, from lowering cholesterol, insomnia, irregular blood sugar, acid reflux to stomach cramps, depression and calming a troubled mind. Drinking herbal tea can also be a good source of vitamins and minerals.

Now, after some motivation from the health benefits packed herbal tea, how do you chose your herbal tea? When picking your tea it’s very important to look for a well sourced product made from high quality ingredients. It’s essential to steer clear of products that add artificial essential oils and flavors. Go for organic lose tea, skip the flavored bags and never be afraid to try something new!

Have You Tried These Tea Yet?

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“There’s no such thing as too much rooibos..”

Chrysanthemum tea is one of China’s most popular herbal teas. It’s loaded with minerals, is highly potent and a natural coolant. Besides it’s various healing benefits for cold and headaches, it helps to cure acne and skin problems because of it’s high B carotene levels.

Chamomile tea is a gentle calming and sedative tea, which has muscle-relaxing properties and can be helpful for destressing and fighting insomnia. It’s also great for skin and hair.

Rooibos tea, a power packed, South African herbal tea, is one of my favorite. It can strongly be recommended for people suffering from irritability, headaches, disturbed sleeping patterns, mild depression or hypertension, as it contains no caffeine and has a soothing effect on the central nervous system. Ongoing research and case studies confirm there seems to be no end to it’s benefits.

Medicine In A Cup

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“A cup of tea would restore my normality”- Douglas Adams

We know that green tea is good for us—it helps reduce inflammation, is a potent antioxidant, and may help with weight loss and general feel-goodness. But did you know that black tea (the Chinese variety, not the English), Oolong, and a marvelous tea called Pu’er are also potent medicines? Oolong is a type of tea that has been dried in the sun and then oxidized (or fermented). Benefits include: weight loss, aging prevention, lower blood pressure, prevention of tooth decay (antibacterial), stress relief, and liver detox (which, in turn, helps treat skin problems such as acne and eczema), and lower blood sugar levels. In traditional Chinese herbalism, pu-erh tea is considered to open the meridians, ‘warm the middle burner’ (the spleen and stomach) and be beneficial to ‘blood cleansing’ and digestion. For these reasons, it is often consumed after heavy meals or drunk as a hangover cure / preventative.

Some people find that drinking good quality pu-erh tea can induce a state known as ‘tea drunkenness.’ Another tea to watch out for is Ti Kuan Yin, which is one of China’s most beloved oolongs and is extremely time consuming to produce. The cup of tea has notes of toasted walnut and tender collard greens, an intriguing lingering floral aroma, lightly orchid. It’s a complete meditative cup.