Green tea has been considered a medicine and a healthful beverage since ancient times. In Chinese medicine, green tea is often recommended for headaches, aches and pains, digestion, depression, detoxification, as an energiser and to prolong life in general.
However in recent years green tea has been proven to Green tea has received a great deal of press regarding its alleged fat-burning properties. Fat, like carbohydrate, is a source of energy. As such it is nutrient that researchers are indicating can provide benefits for endurance sports activities like hockey.
Green tea and endurance Capacity
A 2004 study found that green tea extract improved endurance capacity in mice: “GTE [green tea extract] markedly improved endurance capacity and stimulated lipid use.” And a 2006 study concluded that “the endurance-improving effects of GTE were mediated, at least partly, by increased metabolic capacity and utilization of fatty acid as a source of energy.” All of that jargon basically means that green tea extract was found to improve endurance during aerobic activity, and that increased endurance was in part due to an increase in fat being burned for energy. While both of those studies were conducted using mice, human studies have shown similar results.
How to turn tea into a sports drink
You can take two approaches to making a green tea sports drink, depending on how much time you have. You can cold-brew or simply use hot water
- Cold-brewing starts the night before training or playing. Put green tea in cold water and leave them steeping in the fridge all night. It is very important not to soak leaves too long; otherwise, tea will turn bitter.
- To make tea the classical way, brew about 6 grams of tea leaves at ~85ºC for 60-90 seconds. I usually don’t use any filters – just throw tea in water and let the leaves flow freely. When you have two litres of green tea, add some ice cubes to cool it quickly and only then pour the drink into your sports bottle.
In conclusion, green tea is indeed a superior source of health and hockey performance boosting qualities that stands up scientifically to the impressive claims. Particularly when considering the natural production of free-radicals by strenuous training or playing, hockey players might consider incorporating green tea into their daily diet in order to negate this effect and boost overall health.
Source: various
