Can Green Tea Combat The Effect Of Air Pollution? Find Out

Green Tea has antioxidants that can fight to reverse the damage done by pollution. Sundeip Bhatia, Business Head, India Shilpa Medicare Ltd sheds light on the importance of adding green tea to your diet.

With the onset of winters and festivals around the corner, the air quality index (AQI) is plunging each day in Delhi and other nearby areas. The poor air quality is causing many health issues like throat irritation, sneezing, and coughing in almost all age groups. Apart from respiratory issues, exposure to air pollution also gives a rise to cardiovascular disorders, fatigue, headache, and anxiety Since people are also skeptical to visit hospitals due to the coronavirus pandemic, they are mostly adhering to home-based remedies and various green teas to keep their health on the check and strengthen their immune system.

However, it is suggested that whenever somebody is stepping outside, wearing a mask that fits your face is essential as it will not only protect from COVID-19 infection but also will prevent inhaling harmful pollutant matters. It is quite likely that you will experience respiratory illnesses like cough, cold, and congestion if you don’t adhere to precautions. We also need to introduce certain lifestyle changes to fight air pollution. One of such amendments is drinking green tea, which has become a staple of health because of its numerous benefits. One of these benefits is that it helps fight many kinds of damages that pollution does to our body.

Why one should take green tea?

The time we live in undergoes more environmental issues like global warming and rising air pollution than any other generation. The catechin content of green tea acts as a savior to fight the ill-effects of pollution in our body. The catechins are antioxidants, which fight and prevent cell damage. We all know, taking antioxidants regularly reduces the risks of oxidative damage, which would otherwise result in diseases such as various forms of cancer. The same applies to many kinds of effects that pollution has on our bodies. In the case of air pollution, our lungs get oxidized resulting in damage to the respiratory system. But, Green tea’s antioxidants fight to reverse this damage.
Even the presence of EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), a major polyphenolic compound, is found to exhibit a wide range of therapeutic properties, including:

• Anti-oxidant
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-atherosclerosis
• Anti-myocardial infarction
• Anti-diabetes

Lemon and ginger green tea

-Ginger is excellent for controlling cough, congestion, and cold. Ginger is a natural antiviral which helps to fight against illness and bacteria that causes cold. Ginger can heal from nausea and reduce congestion. Lemon helps in strengthening the immune system. As lemons are rich in Vitamin C, this drink shields the body from disease-causing microbes and helps the body fight back without antibiotics.

Green tea and skin

-Air pollution is not just a health concern. It is rapidly becoming a beauty issue not only in India but also globally. Toxic fumes from vehicles and industries are the primary cause of skin aging in polluted cities. New research shows that air pollution causes wrinkles and premature aging. Many studies suggest that both drinking green tea and applying it extracts can have benefits for your skin. Green tea extracts help with acne and help your skin look younger, but it also has the potential for helping to prevent melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers.