There’s a lot you can do to increase your lifespan: staying hydrated, getting quality sleep, and eating healthy are just a few options. But if you’d like to further boost your longevity, consider adding green tea to your routine. The earthy drink is dietitian-approved as the best tea for longevity, according to Nisha Melvani, MS, RD. Curious to learn more? Find out how green tea can extend your lifespan, along with tips for consuming more of the drink.
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Nisha Melvani, MS, RD, registered dietitian, founder of Cooking for Peanuts, and author of Cooking for Longevity: A Registered Dietitian’s Guide to Boosting Healthspan
3 Reasons Why Green Tea Increases Longevity
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It Reduces Oxidative Stress
If green tea had a claim to fame, it would be its ability to fight oxidative stress. Need a refresher? Oxidative stress is caused by an accumulation of free radicals, or unstable molecules that damage healthy cells. This can be triggered by many factors, including poor sleep, alcohol consumption, physiological stress, and environmental pollution. Antioxidants are beneficial compounds that neutralize free radicals, making them harmless while protecting your cells.
Green tea is packed with antioxidants. It’s particularly high in epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a type of antioxidant known as a polyphenol. “Green tea’s antioxidants, especially EGCG, support longevity by reducing oxidative stress [and] enhancing the body’s natural defenses,” Melvani says.
It also protects your cells’ mitochondria, which are responsible for producing energy that your cells need to function. But that’s not all: Green tea antioxidants also “lower inflammation, reduce DNA damage, and support cellular repair, all of which help slow aging and protect against chronic diseases,” Melvani explains. Together, these effects can preserve cellular health and reduce systemic inflammation, potentially contributing to a longer and healthier life, Melvani notes.
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It Slows Down Cellular Aging
As green tea antioxidants pump the brakes on oxidative stress and inflammation, they also benefit the longevity of your cells. This is crucial for delaying cellular senescence, a key mechanism behind aging.
A quick science lesson: Cellular senescence happens when cells permanently stop dividing. As a result, these cells become “senescent.” Although it’s a natural process, high levels of oxidative stress can speed up cellular senescence, leading to an accumulation of senescent cells. This is an issue for longevity because senescent cells release inflammatory molecules, contributing to tissue damage and aging, Melvani says.
Green tea antioxidants (EGCG, most notably) help slow cellular senescence by reducing oxidative stress. This reduces chronic inflammation, improves tissue function, and enhances cellular repair, thereby supporting a longer lifespan, Melvani notes.
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It Supports Gut Health
The gut affects many aspects of our health, including mental function, immunity, and (you guessed it) longevity. With that in mind, you might be inspired to fuel up on gut-friendly foods like kimchi and yogurt—but green tea deserves a spot on the list. “Green tea antioxidants improve gut health by supporting beneficial bacteria, reducing gut inflammation, and strengthening the gut barrier,” Melvani says. The result? Lower levels of systemic inflammation, enhanced immunity, and improved metabolic health, all of which are linked to a longer lifespan.
Matcha vs. Green Tea for Longevity
If you prefer matcha over regular green tea, you’re in luck. “Matcha provides the same benefits as regular green tea, often at a higher potency since you’re consuming the whole leaf,” Melvani says. (ICYDK, matcha is made of finely ground tea leaves dissolved in hot water, while regular green tea is steeped.) In fact, matcha has even more EGCG and antioxidants, offering stronger protection against oxidative stress and inflammation, Melvani says. This makes it a great tea for longevity, just like regular brewed green tea.
What About Decaffeinated Green Tea?
As a caffeinated beverage, green tea might not be ideal for those sensitive to caffeine. Fortunately, “you can still get the longevity benefits of green tea with decaf versions,” Melvani says. When caffeine is removed from green tea, the beneficial antioxidants (including EGCG) remain, which still support overall longevity. That being said, some methods of decaffeination preserve more antioxidants than others, but decaf green tea still packs plenty of health benefits for longevity, Melvani notes.
Read the original article on Real Simple