- DRAGON BLADE
I heard of the premier
of his movie this weekend in Nigeria. Jackie salutes Nigerians in Pidgin
English and Yoruba via Twitter.
- JEFFEREY RETURNS TO PROJECT FAME
2014 Winner of Project Fame Jeffery will return to the platform
that brought him fame September 4th 2015. Aside from
performing, he is to officially launch his EP entitled ‘busted’ taken from his
first single ‘bursting my brain’. The EP consists of six tracks
- IN THE NEWS
- After marking his 10 years on stage, comedian Seyi law reveals that poverty prevented him from being a medical doctor.
- Mrs. Kedike (Chidinma) is to release a new single this weekend entitled ‘lorry’. The video will also be released at the same time.
- Fast rising Artist Joe’l says 2face is his idol but insists he’s not his clone neither does he works hard to sound like him thou they may have a resemblance in appearance.
- MUSIC VIDEOS TO WATCH
OMG by Psquare
Faroro by J.martins ft Psquare
Lorry by Chidinma
- IN THE OTHER NEWS
10
Proven Benefits of Green Tea (No. 3 is Very Impressive)
Green
tea is the healthiest beverage on the planet.
It
is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that have powerful effects on the
body.
This
includes improved brain function, fat loss, a lower risk of cancer and many
other incredible benefits.
Here are 10 health benefits of green tea that have been confirmed in human research studies.
Here are 10 health benefits of green tea that have been confirmed in human research studies.
1.
Green Tea Contains Various Bioactive Compounds That Can Improve Health
Green
tea is more than just green liquid.
Many
of the bioactive compounds in the tea leaves do make it into the final drink,
which contains large amounts of important nutrients.
It
is loaded with polyphenols like flavonoids and
catechins, which function as powerful antioxidants.
These
substances can reduce the formation of free radicals in the body, protecting
cells and molecules from damage. These free radicals are known to play a role
in aging and all sorts of diseases.
One
of the more powerful compounds in green tea is the antioxidant Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), which
has been studied to treat various diseases and may be one of the main reasons
green tea has such powerful medicinal properties.
Green
tea also has small amounts of minerals that are important for health.
Try
to choose a higher quality brand of green tea, because some of the lower
quality brands can contain excessive levels of fluoride.
That
being said, even if you choose a lower quality brand, the benefits still far
outweigh any risk.
Bottom
Line: Green tea is loaded with bioactive compounds that can
have various beneficial effects on health.
2.
Compounds in Green Tea Can Improve Brain Function and Make You Smarter
Green
tea does more than just keep you awake, it can also make you smarter.
The
key active ingredient is caffeine, which is a known stimulant.
It
doesn’t contain as much as coffee, but enough to produce a response
without causing the “jittery” effects associated with too much caffeine.
What caffeine does in the brain is to block an inhibitory
neurotransmitter called Adenosine. This way, it actually increases the firing
of neurons and the concentration of neurotransmitters like dopamine and
norepinephrine.
Caffeine has been intensively studied before and consistently
leads to improvements in various aspects of brain function, including improved
mood, vigilance, reaction time and memory.
However…
green tea contains more than just caffeine. It
also has the amino acid L-theanine, which is able to cross the blood-brain
barrier.
L-theanine increases
the activity of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, which has anti-anxiety
effects. It also increases dopamine and the production of alpha waves in the
brain.
Studies
show that caffeine and L-theanine can have synergistic effects. The combination of the two is particularly
potent at improving brain function (10).
Because
of the L-theanine and the smaller dose of caffeine, green tea can give you a
much milder and different kind of “buzz” than coffee.
Many
people report having more stable energy and being much more productive when
they drink green tea, compared to coffee.
Bottom
Line: Green tea contains less caffeine than coffee, but
enough to produce an effect. It also contains the amino acid L-theanine, which
can work synergistically with caffeine to improve brain function.
3.
Green Tea Increases Fat Burning and Improves Physical Performance
If
you look at the ingredients list for any fat burning supplement, chances are
that green tea will be on there.
This is because green tea has been shown to increase fat
burning and boost the metabolic rate, in human controlled trials.
In
one study in 10 healthy men, green tea increased energy expenditure by 4%.
Another
study showed that fat oxidation was increased
by 17%, indicating that green tea may selectively increase the burning of
fat.
However,
I’d like to point out that some studies on green tea don’t show any increase in
metabolism, so the effects may depend on the individual.
Caffeine itself has also been shown to improve physical
performance by mobilizing fatty acids from the fat tissues and making them
available for use as energy.
In two separate review studies, caffeine has been shown to
increase physical performance by 11-12%, on average.
Bottom
Line: Green tea has been shown to boost the metabolic rate
and increase fat burning in the short term, although not all studies agree.
4.
Antioxidants in Green Tea May Lower Your Risk of Various Types of Cancer
Cancer
is caused by uncontrolled growth of cells. It is one of the world’s leading
causes of death.
It
is well known that oxidative damage contributes to the development of cancer
and that antioxidants can have a protective effect.
Green
tea is an excellent source of powerful
antioxidants, so it makes perfect sense that it could reduce your risk of
cancer, which it appears to do:
- Breast
cancer: A meta-analysis of observational studies found
that whomen who drank the most green tea had a 22% lower risk of
developing breast cancer, the most common cancer in women.
- Prostate cancer: One
study found that men drinking green tea had a 48% lower risk of developing
prostate cancer, which is the most common cancer in men.
- Colorectal cancer: A
study of Chinese women found that green tea drinkers had a 57% lower risk
of colorectal cancer.
Multiple other observational studies show that green tea
drinkers are significantly less likely to get various types of cancer.
It is important to keep in mind that it may be a bad
idea to put milk in your
tea, because it can reduce the antioxidant value.
Bottom
Line: Green tea has powerful antioxidants that may protect
against cancer. Multiple studies show that green tea drinkers have a lower risk
of various types of cancer.
5.
Green Tea May Protect Your Brain in Old Age, Lowering Your Risk of Alzheimer’s
and Parkinson’s
Not
only can green tea improve brain function in the short term, it may also
protect your brain in old age.
Alzheimer’s
disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease in humans and a leading
cause of dementia.
Parkinson’s
disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and involves the
death of dopamine producing neurons in the brain.
Multiple studies show that the catechin compounds in green
tea can have various protective effects on neurons in test tubes and animal
models, potentally lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Bottom
Line: The bioactive compounds in green tea can have various
protective effects on neurons and may reduce the risk of both Alzheimer’s and
Parkinson’s, the two most common neurodegenerative disorders.
6.
Green Tea Can Kill Bacteria, Which Improves Dental Health and Lowers Your Risk
of Infection
The catechins in green tea have other
biological effects as well.
Some studies show that they can kill bacteria and inhibit
viruses like the influenza virus, potentially lowering your risk of infections.
Streptococcus mutans is the primary harmful bacteria in the mouth. It causes
plaque formation and is a leading contributor to cavities and tooth decay.
Studies show that the catechins in green tea can inhibit the
growth of streptococcus mutans. Green tea consumption is associated with
improved dental health and a lower risk of caries.
Another awesome benefit of green tea…
multiple studies show that it can reduce bad breath.
Bottom
Line: The catechins in green tea may inhibit the growth of
bacteria and some viruses. This can lower the risk of infections and lead to
improvements in dental health, a lower risk of caries and reduced bad breath.
7.
Green Tea May Lower Your Risk of Type II Diabetes
Type
II diabetes is a disease that has reached
epidemic proportions in the past few decades and now afflicts about 300 million
people worldwide.
This
disease involves having elevated blood sugar levels in the context of insulin
resistance or an inability to produce insulin.
Studies
show that green tea can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar
levels.
One
study in Japanese individuals found that those who drank the most green tea had
a 42% lower risk of developing type II
diabetes.
According
to a review of 7 studies with a total of 286,701 individuals, green tea
drinkers had an 18% lower risk of becoming diabetic.
Bottom
Line: Some controlled trials show that green tea can cause
mild reductions in blood sugar levels. It may also lower the risk of developing
type II diabetes in the long term.
8.
Green Tea May Reduce Your Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular
diseases, including heart disease and stroke, are the biggest causes of death
in the world.
Studies
show that green tea can improve some of the main risk
factors for these diseases.
This
includes total cholesterol, LDL
cholesterol and triglycerides.
Green tea also dramatically increases the antioxidant
capability of the blood, which protects the LDL cholesterol particles from
oxidation, which is one part of the pathway towards heart disease.
Given the beneficial effects on risk factors, it is not
surprising to see that green tea drinkers have up to a 31% lower risk of
cardiovascular disease (52, 53, 54).
Bottom
Line: Green tea has been shown to lower total and LDL
cholesterol, as well as protect the LDL particles from oxidation. Observational
studies show that green tea drinkers have a lower risk of cardiovascular
disease.
9.
Green Tea Can Help You Lose Weight and Lower Your Risk of Becoming Obese
Given
that green tea can boost the metabolic rate in the short term, it makes sense
that it could help you lose weight.
Several studies show that green tea leads to decreases in
body fat, especially in the abdominal area.
One of these studies was a randomized controlled trial in 240
men and women that went on for 12 weeks. In this study, the green tea group had
significant decreases in body fat percentage, body weight, waist circumference
and abdominal fat (58).
However, some studies don’t show a statistically significant
increases in weight loss with green tea, so this needs to be taken with a grain
of salt
Bottom
Line: Some studies show that green tea leads to increased
weight loss. It is particularly effective at reducing the dangerous abdominal
fat.
10.
Green Tea May Decrease Your Risk of Dying and Help You Live Longer
Of
course, we all have to die eventually. That is inevitable.
However,
given that green tea drinkers are at a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and
cancer, it makes sense that it could help you live longer.
In
a study of 40,530 Japanese adults, those who drank the most green tea (5 or
more cups per day) were significantly less likely to die during an 11 year
period
- Death of all causes: 23%
lower in women, 12% lower in men.
- Death from heart disease: 31%
lower in women, 22% lower in men.
- Death from stroke: 42%
lower in women, 35% lower in men.
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