A type of tea that does not undergo oxidation (hence its green color and natural smell), green tea is one of the healthiest and popular choices among all tea types which include white, oolong, and black tea. The grassy taste and natural leafy smell of green tea provide its consumers with a natural essence that cannot be found anywhere else.
With its benefits ranging from weight loss to promoting oral health, the demand for green tea has skyrocketed in the past few years, making it one of the most distributed food products across several parts of the world.
Best Time to Drink Green Tea
People often wonder, when is the best time to drink green tea or when to drink green tea for weight loss? The consumption of green tea, especially when someone has included it in their diet for good, must be regulated as per the person’s day-to-day activities.
The most important factors, which play an important role in building your green tea consumption time-table, are your sleep-cycle, exercise routine, and also work-hours. If you have managed to list out the hours of your daily routine, then you must follow the following steps in order to consume green tea in a more regulated and efficient manner.
1. A Flavorful Morning Cup
It is advised to have a cup of green tea every morning before you go to work, as the caffeine content present in green tea can kickstart your day with the required energy. The caffeine makes you more alert and productive, thus it would help with an early morning jump-start we are all often looking for.
2. Before Exercise
The advised time-span between your cup of green tea and your exercise routine must be more than 30 minutes. However, it shouldn’t be more than an hour, as green tea increases our body’s metabolism and caffeine aids in exercising for a longer duration. But if the time-span between drinking and working-out exceeds one hour, then you may not benefit from the positive effects of drinking green tea.
3. Before Sleep
The advised time-span between drinking your cup of tea and your goodnight’s sleep must be more than two hours. For this, you must plan on drinking your tea way before your bedtime, as the caffeine content in green tea may hinder your sleep. This might cause your sleep-cycle to deviate, which might result in irregular sleeping habits.
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There are different varieties of green tea available in the market.
Worst Time to Drink Green Tea
You already know when is the best time to drink green tea, but read on to find out when you should not have green tea.
1. On An Empty Stomach In Morning
You must not drink green tea right in the morning which means it should not be the first thing you consume after you wake up as that may affect your liver due to the presence of high content of catechins in green tea.
2. Along With Meals
You must not drink green tea along with your meals. Drinking green tea along with meals may hinder the absorption rate of beneficial nutrients.
3. Before Going To Bed
Never drink green tea right before going to bed as the presence of caffeine in green tea might disturb your sleep.
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Check out these important tips to lose weight with green tea.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few interesting questions about green tea.
1. Can I add sugar in green tea?
While green tea should be consumed as it is, you can add sweetness to it. Instead of adding sugar to it, you must add honey or stevia to it, as they are said to be a healthier substitute for refined sugar.
2. Does green tea really help in weight loss?
Green tea is believed to increase metabolism, which further helps in losing weight. It has compounds that help in reducing belly fat. However, this does not mean the green tea alone can help in weight loss. You must also include physical exercises and eat a balanced diet to ensure a healthy weight loss.
3. Can I drink green tea on an empty stomach?
Green tea consists of catechins that can cause adverse effects on your liver if consumed on an empty stomach. It is best to have green tea after having your meals.
Final Words
The average no. of cups for the consumption of green tea must not exceed 2-3 cups. So if you are going to include green tea in your diet, you must first understand that it would only benefit if you drink it responsibly.