Green tea is a popular beverage known for its health benefits, but it’s important to drink it at the right time to maximize its positive effects.
Green tea has some caffeine, but it also contains the amino acid L-theanine, which helps improve concentration and promote relaxation. It’s best to drink green tea throughout the day and before bed.
Morning
A cup of green tea can be a great way to start the day. Its energizing effects are partly due to its caffeine content, which is a stimulant known for increasing attention and alertness. In addition, green tea contains L-theanine, an amino acid that helps promote relaxation and reduce stress. It’s a good idea to drink your tea early in the morning, before breakfast, to help kick-start your metabolism and increase energy levels.
You should also try to limit your green tea intake after lunch, since it may interfere with the absorption of important minerals such as iron, copper and chromium. The diuretic properties of green tea can lead to excessive urination and dehydration, which can have negative health effects.
Moreover, drinking green tea in the evening may cause sleep disturbances because of its caffeine content. Sensitive people should not consume green tea after 4pm, as it could make them nervous and anxious, and might even result in fidgeting and insomnia. Drinking a cup of green tea at bedtime can also lead to nighttime peeing, which can disturb sleep cycles and lower your quality of life.
However, you can still enjoy a cup of green tea in the afternoon or at night. Just don’t go overboard, since too much green tea can disrupt your sleep cycle and lead to indigestion, nausea, fatigue, heartburn, weight gain and high blood pressure.
Afternoon
Green tea is known to help control blood sugar levels, lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides – the fats that form plaque in the arteries, making it hard for the heart to pump blood. It also helps the body burn fat faster. Drinking green tea in the afternoon can re-energize you after a long, busy day and is an excellent alternative to unhealthy sugary drinks or snacks that many people consume for a quick pick-me-up.
The caffeine and L-theanine in green tea can help you stay focused, reduce stress and promote sleep quality. But if you’re sensitive to caffeine, you may want to avoid it after 4pm or risk a difficult time falling asleep.
Generally, it’s recommended to drink green tea on an empty stomach to maximize the benefits. However, this may not be ideal for everyone due to its acidic properties. Moreover, drinking it on an empty stomach can increase the absorption of tannins that may block certain nutrients, like iron and copper. To prevent this from happening, it’s best to drink your green tea 1 or 2 hours before or after eating. This will enable your body to absorb the healthy nutrients it contains more efficiently. It is also a good idea to drink a glass of water with your green tea as this will aid in digestion and keep you hydrated.
Evening
Drinking green tea in the evening can help promote a good night sleep. It can also improve nutrient absorption during the night. However, one should not drink it on an empty stomach. This is because green tea contains tannins, which may be harsh on an empty stomach and cause gastric upset and heartburn. It is recommended to eat something first before drinking green tea in the evening.
While green tea is a great evening beverage, it should be consumed in moderation as it contains caffeine which can disrupt sleep patterns. Moreover, people who are sensitive to caffeine should not have it at night as it can cause insomnia and other sleep disturbances. It is advisable to choose caffeine free teas, like kyobancha, hojicha and kukicha as they contain less caffeine than other types of green tea.
Additionally, people who are sensitive to caffeine should not take it with milk as this can increase the amount of caffeine they consume. Instead, they should use water to brew their green tea and steep it for a shorter time than usual. In addition, they should avoid adding any sugar or honey to their tea. They should also be careful about how many cups they drink as drinking too much can make them feel jittery. It is important to have a regular sleep routine to ensure a good quality of life.
Bedtime
Generally, we wouldn’t recommend drinking green tea at bedtime. Even though it has only a small amount of caffeine, it can cause sleep disturbances and keep you awake at night. However, drinking a cup of hot tea an hour or two before sleep may help you fall asleep faster. Moreover, you should avoid drinking too much liquid before bedtime because it may increase your urination and lead to multiple trips to the bathroom throughout the night, disrupting your sleep cycle.
Having a good quality of sleep is important for overall health and well-being. Although it isn’t a substitute for good sleep hygiene and a consistent sleeping schedule, drinking a cup of tea at night could improve your overall sleep quality by improving relaxation and stress relief. This is because green tea contains an amino acid called L-theanine, which can reduce anxiety and promote restful sleep.
Depending on your personal preference, it’s also a good idea to drink your green tea at different times of the day to get the most benefit from this herbal beverage. For instance, if you enjoy a more refreshing taste, try out our spring green tea blends, or choose our rooibos tea for calming flavours that are great for sleep. We also have a wide variety of herbal teas for sleep including our decaffeinated green tea, which is made without the use of any chemicals and retains all the healthy properties that you love about this delicious beverage!