I tend to be a fairly easy-going and laid back guy. It comes with the SoCal territory. There are times, however, when I find myself growing stressed and irritable. I know that my caffeine intake isn’t helping, and I need to make an adjustment. I’m not quite willing to give up caffeine entirely, but there is an easier step. When these times hit, I start dreaming of an old friend from years past, green tea.
If you’re a regular reader, you know that black coffee, ground at home from organic beans, is my darling. I’m quite protective of her. I’m well aware of her numerous nutritional pluses, and I’m loyal to a fault. Despite green tea’s many attractive virtues, I have room for but one main caffeine source in my life. It doesn’t really matter if everyone tells me that I could do better. Case in point (particularly for a blue-eyed man constantly out in the Malibu sun), from the University of Maryland Medical Center:
The main polyphenol in green tea is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Scientific studies suggest that EGCG and green tea polyphenols have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties that may help prevent the development and growth of skin tumors.
I should be downing the stuff, but coffee owns my heart. Still…it doesn’t hurt to look, right? Continued from UM:
Clinical studies suggest that green tea extract may boost metabolism and help burn fat. One study found that the combination of green tea and caffeine improved weight loss and maintenance in people who were overweight and moderately obese. Some researchers think that substances in green tea known as catechins are responsible for the herb’s fat-burning effect.
Who doesn’t like a good fat burning effect? Some folks open their wallets and down all sorts of pills for the same effect. Let’s get one thing straight though. I’m not thinking of cheating. I just think it’s healthy (see what I did there?) to see what’s out there. I’m only human. From Harvard Health Publications:
Benefits for regular consumers of green and black teas include a reduced risk for heart disease. The antioxidants in green, black, and oolong teas can help block the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol, increase HDL (good) cholesterol and improve artery function. A Chinese study published recently in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed a 46%-65% reduction in hypertension risk in regular consumers of oolong or green tea, compared to non-consumers of tea.
So here’s the plan. Every morning, I drink about 2 cups of ultra strong (and unfairly aromatic) joe. Each cup of coffee has 95- 200 mg of caffeine, while a cup of green tea contains 24-45 mg. If I drop to 1.5 cups of black gold and add a cup of green tea in the afternoon, I’ll still be cutting my caffeine intake. I’ll be taking an action step that I know has worked in years past to reduce irritability. Even better, I’ll be benefiting from adding an exceptionally nutritious beverage to my repertoire.
Coffee will just have to share me. She shoulda put a ring on it.
Michael D says
Mr Kapler,
I am a just turned 40 yr old who enjoyed watching you play ball. I am a Tiger fan and was sad to see you move on but happy for your fortune in Boston. Now i am a avid 5Hour energy user. One a day for sure and on a rare game day i may take a second. Its my main source of caffiene. Would the green tea be a suitable substitute for me?
Thanks
Mike D in the D!
Brittany Drury (@honeybunn310) says
Oh lawwwwrdy Lawwwrd. Those puns, tho! #Agreed
Brittany Drury (@honeybunn310) says
Oh Lawwwrdy, Lawwwrd! Those puns, tho! #Agreed
Michelle Williams says
Tea in general is one of my favorite things in the world! I drink coffee too, I worked my way through college working at a coffee shop and am a bit of a snob. When 445am hits during the work week, the last thing I’m gonna do is whip out my french press. I don’t leave enough time for that and getting to work. Tea is much easier for me in the morning. I’ve already put my loose leaves into a diffuser and I drag it to work with me, voila, delicous tea first thing in the morning. (My weekends are coffee on my outdoor patio, reading a news paper.)
A couple things to keep in mind about tea (green or otherwise) not only should you buy organic, but whole leaf as well.
whole leaf tea: made up of whole unbroken leaves (high quality)
tea bags: Teabags are usually made from the opposite – low tea grades, such as dust and fannings. (the small broken bits)
When you buy tea bags vs whole leaf you aren’t getting the full benefit from the tea because a lot of the essential oils and nutrients have evaporated away. On top of it the tea doesn’t taste as flavorful as it could (like drip coffee and the naturals oils from the beans). There are some whole leaf tea bags out there too, you just have to look for them.
Also, something people don’t think about, tea has a shelf life, about 6 months, depending on the tea and how it’s stored.
Anywho, hopefully you wanted to know a little more : )
Jeremy says
I thankfully never became a coffee drinker, how much green tea would you recommend having on a daily basis with no coffee in the picture?
P.S. I just learned about your site thanks to the article Yahoo is currently promoting. I’m in pretty decent shape, but there’s plenty of room for improvement and I’m always interested in suggestions, but it’s hard to tell who to trust. Both the Yahoo interview and the little I’ve read here strike me as genuine and down to earth, which will keep me coming back regularly. Here’s hoping you can help me find a good, healthy plan I can maintain with a very modest income.
Tank you for this.
slappythefishman says
A suggestion for letting go of coffee for green tea…There are a couple of Japanese companies that make a green tea with toasted brown rice and Matcha…same level of caffeine as green tea but with more of a bite…recommended the same thing to a couple of friends and they said it helped…wasn’t a replacement but was better
BTW…awesome site
Mike says
Iced green tea I can drink. Hot tea tastes really vile to me. Hot coffee is my favorite – black, dark roast, strong. Iced coffee – can’t do it – as bad tasting as hot tea. Not logical but there you go.
Paulyballgame says
I used to drink 10 Diet Cokes/day. Switched over to water and green tea and continued my same workout & diet. Lost 22lbs in 4 months. Big believer in green tea.
jennsternn says
LOL Coffee wants to share you- she’s not the jealous type. drink tea. 🙂
Jill D. says
I can’t give up my two hot coffees in the morning, but I’ve replaced my two iced in the afternoon with iced green tea. I make the tea in the AM with whole leaves in a diffuser, then refrigerate. I love Jasmine Green tea. I find the green tea gives me enough zip to get through the afternoon , without giving me so much that it interferes with my sleep.
jenn says
I love the idea of making iced green tea!!! 🙂
Peter says
What are your thoughts on Sweet N Low in tea and coffee. I have a hard time getting either past my taste buds without but then it feels like I defeating the purpose.
Randy says
Kap-
Do you use any type of sweetener with your green tea? I use local honey, but just wondering about your choice (if any). Thanks-Randy