Does green tea protect against viruses?
Because we’re not doctors, you won’t hear us say that food is medicine (except for the mind!), but if something is healthy and delicious, bring it on… Especially at times like these, many people are being more mindful about what they eat and drink, whether that comes from a need for comfort and reassurance or a desire for wellness – and we can only encourage that. And what follows just happens to be a perfect way to casually get some of those mega-useful antioxidants into your system!
Namely: a simple cup of green tea. It’s nothing new under the sun, because it has been drunk (especially in the Far East) for centuries because of its supposed boost to the immune system. In the Netherlands, a survey by the newspaper Trouw found that neither the Dutch Cancer Society nor the Netherlands Cancer Institute found evidence for, or believed in, any preventive (and obviously not curative) effect of green tea on cancer. There has, however, been plenty of international green tea research into its further positive effects on your health, and it’s always interesting to highlight the benefits of this wholesome drink once again:
Helpful compounds in green tea
Catechins, for example: nothing Roman Catholic about them, just antioxidants that help your immune system build resistance. They also seem to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and especially if, like us, you regularly eat something deliciously greasy (cheese, sausage, burgers, Chipito’s!), drinking green tea during the inevitable day of balance can’t hurt. And polyphenols; more of those hard workers, too. Anti-inflammatory and protective against free radicals.
Still, be careful
Researchers do point out that not everyone should now be sipping green tea all day long. It does contain caffeine, after all, and heart patients and pregnant or breastfeeding women are advised not to drink more than two cups a day. People who need to watch their iron levels should also discuss their tea consumption with their GP; polyphenols can affect this.
Corona tip?
Although it has been studied, there does not seem to be sufficient evidence that green tea helps strengthen the immune system against viral infections such as covid-19, or that it works preventively. But if you’ve been stuck inside for weeks and have baked and eaten yourself silly, or if lockdown has driven you a little up the wall mentally: relax with a fragrant cup of real green tea. Simply because it’s delicious, and in moderation it isn’t bad for your health.
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