Green tea, especially if it comes from Japan, is rich in antioxidants, vitamins, in particular vitamin C, group B, E and K, and minerals, such as fluorine, potassium and magnesium. The antioxidants neutralize the free radicals that cause the aging process of cells and the minerals are important for the care of the teeth, to prevent the formation of dental caries and for bone mineralization in menopause. A lot of studies confirm that green tea is able to control the level of sugar in blood and the body weight. Green tea is also a diuretic, useful in case of water retention and diseases of the urinary tract, like cystitis. To get the most benefit from green tea it is better to infuse green tea leaves at a temperature not higher than 70°C, 60°C if green tea is of high quality, for 6-7 minutes but also until 10. Green tea can also be applied on the skin, especially if the skin is irritated or there are sunburns. In this case you can prepare a very strong green tea by infusing the leaves for 10-20 minutes and apply it on the skin. You can apply this strong tea also on the whole face, in the morning and evening, before the daily cream to have an anti aging and firming effect.
A consideration has to be done: all green teas, except Bancha and Kukicha, have caffeine so avoid drinking it in the evening. For the same reason the daily quantity is until 4-5 cups of green tea. Avoid drinking green tea if you are taking anticoagulants.
