I have been told that the Grand Master of our style, Eizo Shimabukuro serves only two beverages to his students in Okinawa when they stay for dinner: Water and green tea. Martial artists in Asia have been utilizing green tea as a healthy beverage for thousands of years, but what exactly makes green tea so healthy?
Green tea is processed much less than black or oolong teas. This keeps the nutrients more intact. Green tea contains a powerful antioxidant called EGCG which has been shown to destroy cancerous cells and harmful free radicals. A university in Switzerland also did a study that showed that green tea helps people burn more calories.
With all of these health benefits it’s easy to see why martial artists have been drinking green tea for so long.