Have you thought of adding green tea to your diet – especially for fitness? Green tea can be a great addition to your diet’s arsenal – it’s a great supplement to add for both its health benefits, as well as the impact it can have helping to supercharge your workouts!
What does green tea contain?
Green tea contains a variety of different compounds that can have a positive impact on your overall health. Here’s a rundown of what green tea contains:
- Tannins: A group of simple and complex phenol, polyphenol, and flavonoid compounds that act as astringents, shrinking tissues and contracting structural proteins in the skin and mucosa, and can aid in digestion.
- Catechins: Catechins are a category of polyphenols such as epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG makes up about 10-50 percent of the total catechin content, and appears to be the most powerful of the catechins—with antioxidant activity about 25-100 times more potent than vitamins C and E. These catechins provide antioxidants that are greater than what you get from broccoli, carrots, spinach, or strawberries – about 10-40mb of polyphernols. And, it’s good to have a powerful antioxidant coursing through your system after a heavy workout to curb free-radical damage.
- Flavonoids: Flavonoids are the colored chemicals that make up plant pigments found in most fresh fruits and vegetables, and may aid in protecting against infection. Deficiency can result in a tendency to bruise easily – and can help boost your immune system.
- Theanine: Theanine is an amino acid that produces tranquilizing effects in the brain, and is a unique amino acid found in sencha leaves. It leaves you with a peaceful feeling without compromising motivation and mental activity – perfect for your post-workout drink!
How does green tea help my workouts?
Research suggests that supplementing with green tea can raise your resting metabolic rate by 3 percent. In order to get this benefit, you must have about about 3 glasses a day. What this means for your workouts is – it not only helps you keep burning fat during the day when you’re not workout out, it also can help you workout harder, without the jittery effects that other caffeine drinks may cause. The green tea is great because it does have some caffeine and the theanine really relaxes you mentally but lets you perform physically.
Green tea not only helps you get motivated for your workouts, as well as give you a bit of energy during your workout, it also helps with recovery, your immune system, and your post workout mood – all while also helping you burn fat – it’s the perfect workout drink!
