Forget the sugary sodas and fruit drinks. Green Tea packs more health benefits than most beverages children drink these days.
According to Steven Pratt, M.D., author of SuperFoods Rx, green tea contains over 4,000 chemical compounds including phytonutrient polyphenols called “flavonoids”. Flavonoids are vitamin-like nutrients that make blood cells less prone to clotting, enhance the function of vitamin C, strengthen the immune system, benefit the cardiovascular and digestive systems, protect against some forms of cancer, including skin cancer, and act as “anti-allergics” and anti-inflammatories. Still feel like pouring your child a soda? Read on.
By serving your child just one cup of brewed green tea a day (warm or iced), you are serving them 316 milligrams of those health-promoting flavonoids. You are also helping to strengthen their teeth. Due to the high fluoride content in green tea, it can lower the risk for developing gum disease and cavities, by up to 75 percent! Tea also seems to inhibit bacteria from adhering to tooth surfaces and inhibits the rate of acid production of oral bacteria.
Because green tea includes a modest amount of caffeine, and because the flavonoids degrade with time, it’s best to serve your children freshly brewed decaffeinated green tea that is quickly iced. To sweeten, you might consider a splash of honey.
Have a tea party tonight with your children where you can begin to talk about the benefits of decaffeinated green tea. Each day, offer green tea as a beverage option for your family. Different brands of green tea have different flavors, so have a taste test with your children offering several fresh brewed warm and iced green teas. Then allow your children to select the one they like most.
Coaching Questions: How can you entice your family to select green tea over sodas? How can you serve as a role model to your children in the area of health and nutrition? What would you and your children enjoy most about having a special tea time together each day?
