Caffeine is a chemical that acts as a mental stimulant and is found in many popular beverages like coffee, tea, cola etc. It is mostly consumed for mental alertness, and just like anything else, it is advised in moderation.
While there are many health benefits to caffeine, like lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases, improved memory, boosted metabolism etc., there are also downsides to caffeine consumption as well, especially in excess, like heartburn and anxiety. Additionally, getting addicted to strong caffeine can have a range of withdrawal symptoms.
Despite these drawbacks, there are many who will not hesitate to quaff a cup of Joe to get their systems running. But what if there was a better, healthier way to get yourself the caffeine you need? Well, we have just that: Green tea.
‘Caffeine’ is a common ingredient in both beverages, however the amount of caffeine they contain and how they interact with the body differ vastly. A cup of coffee contains anywhere between 100-150 mg of caffeine, while a cup of green tea has only 26-28 mg of caffeine.
All coffee drinkers will know of the adrenaline rush that comes with a cup of coffee, and they also know of the caffeine crash that comes afterwards. While coming down from the caffeine-high, the crash can make you feel jittery and anxious. But with Green tea, one doesn’t experience this jittery feeling and a sudden crash. The caffeine high in green tea is milder, with no sudden crashes. This is because, in addition to caffeine, green tea contains an important amino-acid called L-Theanine.
L-Theanine increases the activity of certain neurotransmitters in our brains, which helps in keeping calm and reduces anxiety. It also increases the production of dopamine in the brain, which is the hormone responsible for us feeling happy. A combination of caffeine and L-Theanine in green tea helps in improving the brain’s overall functioning, much like coffee, but without its obvious drawbacks.
So, if you have a cup of green tea, you’ll be just as awake, have more stable energy and feel more productive. It is, in essence, all the benefits of coffee, with none of the drawbacks. Green tea is thus the perfect drink for you to feel energized all day without the notorious caffeine crashes of coffee, and is overall the much healthier alternative.
To get started on your journey to having the best of both worlds, check out some amazing green tea blends here.