Green Tea

Green tea contains extremely powerful antioxidants, a range of catechins in particular, which protect against health problems such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. It also contains varying amounts of caffeine bound to tannins; the caffeine content depends on where the tea is grown. For some types of tea, the caffeine content is comparable to that of coffee. However, even the green teas with the highest caffeine content are much gentler on the body and the adrenals than coffee, the reason being that the caffeine is bound to the tannins in the tea, which ensures a somewhat slower rush of caffeine into the blood. The result is a much gentler and more sustained energy boost, compared to coffee and black tea. Also, you won't experience the energy downs you get from coffee, when the rush of caffeine suddenly stops as abruptly as it started. So for those having trouble getting through the day without coffee, which stresses the body's biochemistry, green tea is not merely an alternative, but an improvement. It can do what you want from coffee, but it has none of the negative effects.

Green tea also seems to increase fat oxidation to a level greater than what can be explained by its caffeine content alone. So green tea might also be good for weight loss when combined with a proper diet. The tannins in green tea have a beneficial effect on the GI flora; they inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the GI tract. One Japanese study showed antibacterial and even bactericidal effect against some types of pathogenic bacteria, which might attack the GI tract1.