Effects of Green Tea in Gout
Green tea is one of the most consumed drinks in the world. There’s probably a good reason why. Not only is a relaxing drink, but it also provides a host of benefits for your health. We’re wondering, does it have benefits for gout as well? We’ll find out in this article.
The practice of drinking green toe goes way back many centuries. In China, it’s a drink that’s been consumed since as early as 2737 BC. This is because they believe green tea can cure many ailments such as high cholesterol, stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity, skin diseases, and even cancer. Yes, that’s how amazing green tea is!
And its popularity doesn’t exist in Asia. In the west too, particularly in Britain. It was introduced in the early 17th century by the East India Company but this time, it wasn’t just green tea but other kinds as well like Darjeeling, Assam, and Ceylon tea.
It’s no wonder why people who lived in places where green tea is the norm live longer. These are China, India, and Japan whose old population has a lower rate of developing conditions like arthritis and cancer.
So, what is in green tea that makes it such a hit among those looking for better health? Green tea is made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis. What’s great about it is that it doesn’t undergo oxidation which is a process that makes certain foods lose their health benefits. Green tea is great because it’s able to keep its powerful healing properties. Even better is that the flavonoids found in a cup of green tea is equal or more to that of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Green tea also has antioxidant compounds called polyphenols, gallic acid, and catechin compounds which give it its strong cancer fighting properties.
What Are the Benefits of Green Tea?
There are countless benefits to drinking green tea. Here are just some of them:
1. Green tea increases fat burning
If you’re trying to lose weight for gout, great! Green tea can help you with that since it increases fat burning and boosts your metabolism. This helps you lose weight faster so you can get to that ideal weight.
2. Green tea can prevent type 2 diabetes
Diabetes is one of the conditions that are correlated with gout. It’s already bad enough that you have gout, you don’t want to make it worse by having diabetes as well. To avoid that, drinking green tea might just be the answer. In one study, they found that individuals who drank the most green tea had lowered their risk for type 2 diabetes by 42%.
3. Green tea may help with heart disease and stroke
Cardiovascular disease is also associated with gout so if you want to decrease your chances for this disease, you should drink green tea. It’s able to do so by improving total cholesterol and lowering the bad cholesterol.
Other health benefits of green tea:
● It can improve brain function
● It can protect against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
● It gets rid of bad breath
● It lowers your risk for certain cancers like breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer
● It helps you live longer
But What About Gout?
Green tea is also beneficial for gout patients. It’s able to lower the serum uric acid levels in the body as well as improve serum antioxidant capacity. This means the drink has a positive effect on the gout patient’s body.
Another study at the University of Maryland Medical Center found that drinking 2 to 4 cups of green tea can help fight gout symptoms. However, this was only for a short term. They weren’t able to determine whether green tea had an effect in the long term.
Drinking green tea will also prompt you to urinate more frequently which means you are excreting more uric acid from your body.
The studies regarding green tea and gout are still inconclusive but there is no doubt that this healthy drink is good for you. Another thing that makes it great is that it’s very low in purines. The most you will get from a cup of tea is 2 calories. And when you do drink green tea, it gets rid of the bloated feeling you have after eating a big meal.
For the best results, you’ll want to drink 2 to 3 cups of green tea per day. That’s already more than 300 polyphenols which is a micronutrient filled with antioxidants that help your body.
If you suffer from high blood pressure, kidney problems, liver problems, stomach ulcers, anxiety, are pregnant or breastfeeding, anemic, diabetic, have glaucoma, or osteoporosis, make sure to talk to your doctor first. Individuals with these conditions might experience unwanted side effects from drinking green tea.
Since you’re taking gout medication, you might as well talk to your doctor about green tea. This is because green tea is a herbal remedy which means there’s a chance it might interact with certain medicines.
If you get a go signal from your doctor, start making it a habit to drink green tea every day. It’s a great beverage to have at any time of the day whether it’s before a meal or paired with an afternoon snack. Just try to avoid drinking it close to bedtime since green tea still does have caffeine that can keep you up at night.
When having tea, let it tea steep for five minutes as this is the amount of time it needs to release those beneficial flavonoids. You can use green tea bags but if you have the leaves, even better. Make sure they are organic, so you get the best benefits.
You can also customize it to your liking by adding a slice of lemon or honey. Some even add milk to theirs. This will only boost its benefits even more since milk is known to have a uricosuric effect on gout.
What has your experience with taking green tea for gout? Share your stories in the comments below.
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Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional for any health concerns.
