Green Tea – Is it good for you?

There are so many teas in the market now, black, oolong, green, tea infusions. Are they actually good for you or are they ruining your body in the long run?

Green tea has been implemented in Asian cultures for over 4000 years, dating back to it’s discovery in China, making it the oldest tea known to mankind. It was first brewed back in 2737 BC with the reign of Emporor Shennong, so, it’s been around for quite a while.

How does green tea benefit our bodies? Well many studies have shown that green tea has been used to help treat cancers, although, conclusively, it hasn’t been formalised as a true fact. In saying that, people who drink green tea have noticed improvements to their overall health and have stated that since drinking green tea, they have felt healthier.

Green tea lowers glucose levels in the blood, so it helps those who are suffering, or are at risk of diabetes, helps prevent cardiovascular disease and lowers blood cholesterol levels in the body. However, since green tea contains caffeine, it is recommended that five servings per day is enough to keep your body healthy. I generally go for two servings at max. Reason being, is that caffeine has an effect on your heart rate, and is dehydrating (cue yellow pee). Rule of thumb, for every cup of green tea you consume, add an extra two cups of water to your 8 cups of water per day to stay hydrated.

How does green tea benefit the skin? Green tea is full of anti-oxidants, preventing free radicals. If you read my post about coffee, which I will link here, anti-oxidants prevent fine lines and wrinkles, so over time, you’ll age less and keep up that youthful appearance.

Green tea is also used in many skin care products to help with acne troubles, brightening and helps prevent excess sun damage to the skin.

How to use green tea on your face?

1) As a scrub

Use dried tea leaves, or even better, snip off the tea bag and use the tea leaves as a natural exfoliant to buff away dead skin cells and clear pores from sebum buildup, dirt and makeup

2) As a mask

Mix green tea, lemon juice and honey together in a bowl and apply to the face for a moisturizing mask to treat acne

Mix together green tea and other ingredients to cater to other skin problems. My favourite is green tea and tomato for a brightening mask.

3) As a face wash

After cleansing, use green tea to wash away the soap to give your skin a vital boost in brightening, and, again, help in clearing away the stubborn pimples. Even better, mix green tea with your daily face cleanser to reap the same benefits. I use matcha green tea for this process, which is green tea powder; easily dissolvable in your cleanser and in water.

4) As a face steam

A lot of skin experts swear by face steaming to open up pores ready for cleansing to remove the gunk in your skin. Pour hot tepid water in a bowl of green tea and hover your face above the steam to kill off bacteria, brighten your skin and prepare your face for a thorough cleansing.

5) As a toner

Mix green tea with rosewater, lemon juice or whatever you like to tighten your skin and restrict the pores. It’s better to use it at a cooler temperature for the tightening effect to work better on your face.

6) As a face mist

Simply add cool green tea to a diffusing spray bottle and gently spritz your face for an anti-bacterial throughout the day face hydration mist for brighter skin. Pat dry after spritzing to allow the tea so absorb into your skin.

Next time you make yourself a cup of green tea, think about how it can help your skin and body.

love anthony ♡