DEVINDER BAINS, DUBAI: Devinder Bains, personal trainer and nutrition coach at Fit Squad DXB, shares her bite-sized advice on the superfoods that will help you lead a longer and healthier life.

Most of us love a nice cup of tea, in fact it’s the second most popular beverage in the world after water. But how about swapping your usual brew for an antioxidant-rich, zero-calorie, low caffeine green tea instead? Available from supermarkets and specialist shops alike, green tea comes in a variety of types and flavors and is stacked with health benefits.

Treatment for skin disorders: This little “super” tea not only eases skin irritations when you drink it but can also be applied directly to the concerned area. Green tea is rich in a powerful antioxidant called EGCG that some people think might help to prevent skin cancer and is high in catechins that are lauded for their anti-inflammatory properties. It can combat acne, psoriasis, dandruff and patches of dry, red flaky skin.

Increases lifespan: This might sound strange but a study of 40,000 healthy Japanese people aged between 40 and 79 showed that those who were drinking five cups of green tea a day lived longer than those who were consuming one cup or less.

Good for your body: Swapping a milky, sugary cuppa for a calorie-free green tea has obvious benefits, but this super drink also contains antioxidants that can help to increase metabolism and caffeine that can aid in fat burning and also improve exercise performance. Drinking three to five cups a day could have you on your way to losing weight.

Good for your brain: Research suggests that green tea can enhance our cognitive functions, particularly the working memory. It could also have a role in the treatment of dementia, as studies using green tea extract have shown positive effects on a key protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

Good for your heart: Drinking four cups of green tea a day might reduce your risk of suffering a stroke by up to a massive 20 percent. It could be down to the catechins which help regulate blood pressure and help improve blood flow. The results were found in a study on 82,369 men and women in Japan. Research in the US has also shown reductions in heart disease in those consuming green tea.