best green tea for pcos

If you’re wondering what’s the best green tea for PCOS, how it can help you or how to use it, then you’re in the right place.

The fact that green tea is good for our health is nothing new. However, when it comes to a complex hormonal imbalance like PCOS, can plain old green tea really help?

Well, research is showing that green tea has properties that can indeed provide relief from various PCOS symptoms. We’re talking everything from improving testosterone levels and insulin to supporting a healthy metabolism and much more.

So, if you want to learn more about the benefits of green tea for PCOS and even, which type or brand to use, then keep reading!

Note: this post contains affiliate links and I earn a commission (at no additional cost to you)  if you use them to make a purchase.

MAIN BENEFITS OF GREEN TEA FOR OVARIAN CYSTS AND OTHER PCOS SYMPTOMS

1. Lowers Testosterone Levels

Excessive testosterone levels are a major contributor to PCOS symptoms like hirsutism, acne, menstrual irregularities and ovarian dysfunction.

And according to a 2017 study, green tea is effective at reducing testosterone levels in women with PCOS (source).

In that study, 60 women took green tea tablets every day for 12 weeks. 

After 12 weeks, the researchers found that green tea produced a statistically significant improvement in testosterone levels.

2. Supports The Liver and Detoxification

Both human and animal studies show that green tea protects the liver by reducing the risk of liver disease and improves liver health in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (source).

This liver protective aspect of green tea can be very helpful for PCOS because the liver has many different functions that affect overall hormone balance. These functions include:

  • producing hormones.
  • storing nutrients.
  • eliminating toxins.
  • getting rid of excess hormones.

Furthermore, a wide variety of hormones can be out of balance with PCOS, including progesterone, estrogen, FSH, LH, insulin and thyroid hormones.

And the only way to naturally restore balance to all of those imbalances is to support organs like the liver, that are essential for hormone health.

3. Improves Insulin Sensitivity

Green tea is loaded with antioxidants. And one of the most studied green tea antioxidants is EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) which has been shown to regulate insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels (source).

This is a huge win for PCOS patients because insulin resistance and blood sugar imbalances are two things that must be addressed in any PCOS care plan.

4. May Reduce The Number of Ovarian Cysts

If you happen to have ovarian cysts as part of your PCOS symptoms, then it’s worth noting that green tea may help to reduce the number of cysts. This is according to a 2015 study that was done with rats.

In that study, PCOS conditions were induced in rats and then, they were given green tea extract for 10 days. After 10 days, the results showed a reduction in the number of cysts.

These results are promising but additional human studies are needed to see just how effective this therapy is, as well as the ideal human dosage.

5. Fights Inflammation

A medical paper published in 2011 states that “chronic low-grade inflammation” is a major contributor to PCOS symptoms as a whole (source).

And more specifically, the paper discusses the role of “diet-induced inflammation” and its effects on PCOS symptoms.

Overall, that paper highlights the fact no matter which PCOS symptoms we’re facing, the deeper cause – at a cellular level – is inflammation.

So, what’s the best way to combat inflammation?

Start by drinking an anti-inflammatory tea like green tea. It’s a good source of antioxidants, such as flavonoids, that helps us prevent and recover from the damaging effects of inflammation (source).

6. Boosts Metabolism and Supports Weight Loss

If you have PCOS-related weight gain, then a cup of green tea can be a friendly ally.

This is all thanks to the antioxidant EGCG.

You see, EGCG has thermogenic properties, which means that it boosts metabolism and increases the body’s ability to burn fat (source).

Aside from the EGCG, green tea also contains caffeine, which helps to boost metabolism.

WHICH TYPE OF GREEN TEA IS GOOD FOR PCOS?

which type of green tea is good for pcos

There are two main types of green tea: matcha and regular, loose leaf green tea. While both types offer remarkable health benefits, matcha can have at least three times more antioxidants than many loose leaf green teas. This high antioxidant concentration gives matcha more anti-inflammatory properties, which might be better choice for PCOS (source).

That said, go with whichever green tea you have access to. They’re both healthy choices!

Now, if you’re not familiar with matcha, then you should know that it’s simply green tea leaves that have been ground into a powder.

Since it’s a powder, drinking a matcha tea means that you’re ingesting the whole green tea leaf.

In addition, matcha has a high chlorophyll content that can support detoxification and liver function.

That high chlorophyll content comes from the fact that the leaves that are used for matcha are grown differently from the leaves used for regular green tea. You see, with matcha (source):

  • farmers place special shaded structures over the green tea plants about 2 weeks before harvesting.
  • the leaves spend these last two weeks growing in the shade. This shade-grown approach actually increases the amount of chlorophyll in the leaves.

So, overall, all green tea provides similar health benefits. However, if you want to focus on getting more antioxidants, then matcha has an advantage of regular green tea.

HOW TO USE GREEN TEA FOR POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME

In general, experts suggest drinking the following amounts of green tea (1, 2):

  • 3 to 5 cups a day for regular, loose leaf green tea.
  • 1 to 2 cups per day for matcha (it has more nutrients and more caffeine, so you definitely don’t need a lot).

BEST GREEN TEA BRAND FOR PCOS

When it comes to standard green tea and matcha, there are lots of good brands to choose from in grocery stores and online.

Just keep the following in mind when shopping for your tea:

  • buy one that is organic. Since you’re using it for medicinal purposes, you might as well get tea that doesn’t have pesticide residue on it.
  • for matcha, make sure to buy ceremonial grade only. There are different grades of matcha and ceremonial is considered the best.
  • Ideally, get your teas from a company that specializes in high quality, organic herbs. One company that I often purchase from – and wholeheartedly recommend – is Mountain Rose Herbs.

You can find loose leaf green tea here and matcha powder here.

BEST TIME TO DRINK GREEN TEA FOR PCOS

Generally, you can drink loose leaf green tea in the morning as well as the evening (even though it has some caffeine it can actually help you unwind and prep for sleep).

However, if you’re very sensitive to caffeine, then you’re better off drinking your tea in the morning and early afternoon.

If you’re using matcha, then you’ll be better off drinking it in the morning and early afternoon as well (since it has significantly more caffeine than loose leaf tea).

TIPS FOR ADDING GREEN TEA TO YOUR PCOS DIET

A cup of standard green tea or matcha tea is the simplest way to enjoy this healing drink.

In addition you can also:

  • Use regular green tea as the liquid in your smoothie (instead of milk or water). Just keep in mind that green tea has a bitter flavor that can alter your smoothie (if it’s not a sweet smoothie).
  • Add matcha powder to a smoothie or yogurt.

FAQs ABOUT GREEN TEA AND PCOS

Is Lipton green tea good for PCOS?

Lipton has a variety of green tea products, including plain green tea bags as well as green tea that has been blended with other herbs. For PCOS, it’s important to use only the pure Lipton green tea.

CONCLUSION

Green tea addresses various underlying causes of PCOS such as inflammation, insulin resistance and high blood sugar.

So, whether you’re putting together a brand new PCOS diet plan or you’re looking for ways to boost your existing diet, green tea is one natural remedy that you should consider taking advantage of.

best green tea for pcos pin with matcha and tea leaves

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