Tips from the Trainer

Drinking Lean, Clean & Green

If your mug’s looking a little green today you’re probably familiar with green tea’s health benefits. But can you tell fact from fiction? Quiz yourself: answer the following statements about green tea.

1. Green tea has antioxidants and small amounts of caffeine, theobromine, and teophylline. T or F

2. The catechin polyphenols in green tea are compounds that may increase your metabolic rate. T or F

3. Green tea is a mild appetite suppressant and effective at lowering cholesterol. T or F

4. Green tea contains EGCG, which may be 100 times more potent an antioxidant than vitamin C. T or F

5. Green tea has been used as a remedy for stomach disorders, vomiting, diarrhea, and dental cavities. T or F

6. In a study, those who drank green tea at every meal experienced a 4 percent increase in energy expenditure over the course of 24 hours. T or F

7. Evidence suggests that the deterioration of joint cartilage can be slowed by green tea. T or F

Actually, all of the statements are true. So grab your coffee mug and fill it with some green!

Optimum Lifestyle, Spring 2004 issue