Energy-Boosting Coconut Green Tea

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Recipe From My Longevity Kitchen

Tea is one of the simplest drinks you can prepare, and it
happens to be one of the healthiest as well. The great thing about it is that
there are various types of tea to please everyone’s palate, and you can add
more ingredients to further enhance the taste and the nutritional profile. But out
of all the varieties sold in the market, green tea is probably the best.

This green tea recipe from My Longevity Kitchen is a great mid-afternoon
snack that will lift your spirits. It can even be used as a pre-workout drink
to maximize your performance at the gym.

Ingredients:

·
1 serving of prepared hot, organic green tea

·
1 to 2 tablespoons coconut
oil

·
Grass fed vanilla whey protein powder

·
Generous dash of cinnamon

·
1 tablespoon medium-chain triglyceride (MCT)
oil, optional

Procedure:

1.
Using a blender, blend together the hot tea and
coconut oil.

2.
Carefully touch the mixture with your finger to
test the temperature. If it’s too hot to touch, then it needs to cool a little
longer before you add the whey protein powder (to avoid damaging the
nutrients).

3.
Once it’s at a temperature you can comfortably
touch, add the protein powder and cinnamon. Blend again. Enjoy!

Note: Different brands of whey protein powders have varying levels
of nutritional content and sweetness. Try adding 2 tablespoons first and then adjust
to your preferred taste.

Green
[TNAS1] Tea Is an Amazing Source of Powerful
Antioxidants

Green tea contains a high concentration of polyphenols,
which offer around 25 to 100 times better antioxidant activity compared to
vitamins C and E. Many studies have been done regarding this super food, and findings
suggest that it may help with:

·
Cardiovascular
health: Consuming green tea regularly can help lower harmful cholesterol
levels (LDL) and raise good cholesterol levels (HDL).[i]

·
Weight
management: The catechins in green tea can help you lose weight by boosting
your metabolism and promoting fat burning in your body.[ii]

·
Cancer: Results
from various studies suggest that green tea may help lower your risk of pancreatic,[iii]
breast,[iv]
esophageal,[v]
colorectal,[vi]
ovarian,[vii]
skin[viii]
and stomach[ix]
cancers.

·
Diabetes: Findings from a
2013 study indicate that green tea may have a positive effect against the
symptoms of type 2 diabetes.[x]

·
Brain
function: Green tea may help improve cognitive performance as you age. In a
2010 study, researchers discovered that the polyphenols helped suppress brain
beta amyloid plaque formation in mice.[xi]

Coconut
[TNAS2] Oil Adds Healthy Fats to Make This Beverage
‘Energy-Boosting’

The medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) in coconut oil provide a
clean, healthy source of energy because they don’t add to your weight. That’s because
this type of fat is immediately absorbed and converted by your liver into fuel.
And that’s not all — the MCFAs help improve the absorption of fat-soluble
vitamins.

I use coconut oil as much as I can in my cooking due to the
benefits mentioned above, as well as for the following reasons:

·
Immune
system boost: The various fatty acids and lipids in coconut oil can boost your
immune system. They have been found to help combat harmful microbes such as yeast, viruses and
bacteria.[xii]

·
Heart
health: Similar to green tea, consuming coconut oil can help lower your bad
(LDL) cholesterol levels and increase good (HDL) cholesterol levels.[xiii]

·
Hunger
reduction: Coconut oil’s MCFAs can help you feel full longer, helping reduce
your overall calorie consumption. In one study, participants who ate MCFAs
consumed 256 fewer calories on average compared to high-fat diet eaters.[xiv]

Whey
[TNAS3] Adds Important Proteins That Can Help With
Muscle Repair

Whey is a high-quality protein isolated from cow’s milk. It is
essentially a byproduct formed during cheese-making when enzymes are added in
the milk to create curds. The liquid portion that’s left is the whey protein,
which is then turned into a powder.[xv]

The main benefit of whey is that it is quickly absorbed by
your muscles within 10 to 15 minutes of consumption. It also contains leucine,
an amino acid that helps speed up muscle repair, making it a popular supplement
for fitness enthusiasts. If you exercise regularly, whey protein can benefit
your routine.

However, make sure to consume whey and other protein-rich
foods in moderation. Excess protein can negatively affect your mammalian target
of rapamycin (mTOR), a signaling pathway that can play a role in the
development of cancer. Only purchase whey protein made from grass fed milk to
ensure you are consuming a high-quality product.

Cinnamon
[TNAS4] Adds More Nutrients to Boost the Tea’s
Nutritional Profile

Cinnamon is a spice derived from the inner bark of the
cinnamomum tree, which is then left out to dry to produce the color, flavor and
aroma for which it’s known. Studies have found that cinnamon contains different
compounds that may provide health benefits, such as:

·
Increasing
antioxidant
function: Cinnamon is rich in polyphenols, which can help eliminate free
radicals throughout your body.[xvi]

·
Regulating
inflammation response: Consuming cinnamon can help promote proper
inflammatory response, thanks to its various essential oils.[xvii]

·
Controlling
insulin sensitivity: According to a 2010 study in the Journal of Diabetes
of Science and Technology, cinnamon has the potential to lower your risk of
insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.[xviii]

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Source:: Mercola Health Articles