If you’ve ever worried about the amount of coffee you’re drinking, it’s likely you’ll have considered switching to green tea.

The herbal drink delivers a naturally-occurring shot of caffeine to help power you through the early waking hours, but in much smaller doses than the average Americano – helping to reduce the unpleasant jitteriness, anxiety and heart palpitations that regular high doses of coffee can cause.

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Is green tea safe?

But questions have been raised over the safety of green tea consumption after a US businessman claimed in 2018 that taking a regular supplement of concentrated green tea left him needing an urgent liver transplant. This wasn’t the first time that people have been worried about the adverse effects of the herbal drink. In 2015, a 16-year-old girl from the UK was hospitalised for severe liver damage after drinking three cups a day of a Chinese green tea she ordered online.

While it is worrying that too much green tea can stop the liver from doing its job correctly, many of these online products including like teas and powdered supplements are marketed for extreme weight loss, in which the green tea is highly concentrated. This is thought to be where many of the health risks come from.

Very high doses may be problematic for some, but experts generally believe green tea’s benefits far outweigh its risks. Plus, the average green tea bag comes in much lower doses than a green tea supplement, and is deemed safe to drink if you stick to one or two cups per day.

5 reasons to drink green tea

Here, we’ve rounded up just a few reasons why green tea is one of the hardest working health drinks going.

1. It’s good for your brain

According to a study from the University of Basel in Switzerland, green tea is a miracle in a mug when it comes to keeping a sharp mind – as it’s been found to improve communication between parts of our brain.

2. It’s thought to aid weight loss

Close Up Of Woman Wearing Underwear Drinking Green Tea

Research has shown that flavonoids in green tea can speed up the metabolism, allowing the body to process fat faster. As caffeine is a stimulant, it’s also an aid for fat burning, and has even been found to improve exercise performance in numerous studies.

3. It’s good for clear skin

One of the major reasons people drink green tea is because it contains a powerful anti-oxidant called EGCG which can slow the signs of ageing, prevent inflammation and fight DNA damage from UV rays.

4. It’s boosts your heart health

drinking tea, green tea

Evidence has found that flavan-3-ol and anthocyanidin, two types of antioxidants found in green tea, are beneficial for cardiovascular health, helping to prevent many of the risk factors for heart disease.

5. It can prevent costly trips to the dentist

According to one Japanese study, regular consumption of green tea may help promote healthy teeth and gums. Researchers found that the antioxidant catechin in tea can break down bacteria and viruses that can trigger throat infections, dental cavities and other dental issues.

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