Tea is considered the most consumed beverage in the world after water. However 78% of the tea consumed worldwide is black and only about 20% is green. Green tea is considered one of the world’s healthiest drinks and contains one of the highest amounts of antioxidants of any tea. Some of the benefits associated with green tea are:

Lowers cholesterol

Helps in maintaining mental alertness

Drinking green tea is linked to a reduced risk of clogged arteries

Drinking green tea might help increase blood pressure in elderly people,who have low blood pressure after eating

Sipping tea helps you slow down and relax and has a calming effect. Here’s how to make your next cup:

1. Don’t add green tea to boiling water. It’s bad for catechins, the healthy chemicals, in the tea.

2. Add lemon. Vitamin C makes the catechins easier to absorb. Dairy, on the other hand, makes it harder to absorb them.

3. Nutrient levels in green tea can vary. Pricier teas are usually richer in nutritional value as opposed to canned green-tea drinks.

The benefits of green tea are tangible and impressive indeed. However, green tea has been associated with a few side effects too. Some of which are listed:

1. Green tea is high in caffeine. If consumed too much, it can affect the mental health as well and cause problems like anxiety, mood swings or insomnia.

2. Tannins present in green tea affect the blood’s ability to absorb essential nutrients especially iron and this can lead to anemia. It can also cause digestive problems.

3. Mothers to be and new mothers should avoid drinking green tea as the caffeine present in it can have detrimental effect on child’s growing brain.

4. Drinking green tea in excess causes flushing out of calcium in the urine, which can lead to osteoporosis.

5. Consult your doctor before switching over to green tea if you are on medication or any kind of hormone stimulant.