Skin care: Did you know drinking green tea can do wonders for your skin

One of the greatest benefits of green tea is its role in improving skin quality and maintaining the health of the skin.

Green tea is arguably one of the most popular healthy beverages out there. The main reason why this beverage is credited with multiple health benefits is the presence of antioxidants and phytonutrients.

Although green tea originated in China, now the production and manufacture of the tea leaves has spread to various parts of the world. Green tea is considered more beneficial than traditional black and oolong teas as the finished product is not made to undergo the same withering and oxidation process as the latter.

Green tea has a number of varieties, depending on the time of harvest, growing conditions, processing levels etc. One of the greatest benefits of green tea is its role in improving skin quality and maintaining the health of the skin. Green tea is said to be healthy for the skin in numerous ways and we're detailing how it may help you maintain a healthy and glowing skin.

May Help Fight Acne: Green tea has been found to possess a polyphenolic compound EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), which is antioxidant and anti-inflammatory in nature. It may help prevent acne and other skin infections.

May Reduce Risk of Melanoma: A 2003 study - conducted by the researchers at Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham - concluded that green tea might be used as a pharmacological agent for the prevention of disorders of the skin caused by excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiations.

May Help Control Oily Skin: The EGCG present in green tea is known to be anti-androgenic in nature. This effectively means that it regulates the production of androgens in the body, which in turn may reduce oil or sebum production on the skin.

May Slow Down Skin Ageing: There is some evidence to suggest that topical application of green tea extracts along with consumption of the tea may help improve skin elasticity, and hence, slow down skin ageing. Green tea is also known to have a moisturising effect on the skin and it may also reverse sun damage on the skin.