People have been raving about the health benefits of green tea for years but recently there has been mega research which backs some of these claims. I didn’t used to be a big green tea fan but with all the options these days such as green tea with blueberry or pomegranate, I’m now making it my beverage of choice. Green tea does contain a good amount of caffeine so it makes a great coffee substitute. If you are sensitive to caffeine or need to reduce your intake, switch to decaf green tea. While the jury is still out on exactly how much tea to consume each day, most of the research states about one to two 8 oz cups of green tea per day. Drinking green tea is found to be more effective than taking a supplement. Here are some reasons why you should incorporate green tea into your diet:

1. Green tea intake lowers LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). The NIH recently published a controlled study that found green tea is indeed effective at lowering cholesterol.
2. Loaded with antioxidants, called catechins, green tea has potential to fight cancer and heart disease. A particular catechin in green tea inhibits cancer growth and kills cells that are growing inappropriately.
3. Green tea and its extract have been shown to fight obesity. In a Dutch study, participants who drank caffeinated green tea lost more weight but even those who typically drank the decaf variety saw a decrease in their waistlines and body weight.
4. Studies have suggested that green tea is helpful for diabetes, stress, dental cavities, protection against UV radiation and viral infection.