Green tea has become an increasingly popular drink over the past few years. There are many varieties available and it is commonly available to buy in most tea shops and food stores. As well as being a refreshing and tasty drink it is reported to have a beneficial effect on the health. There has been a great deal of research carried out recently about green tea health benefits and the findings are very interesting.
It is a well known fact that antioxidants are essential for a healthy body. They help to fight against free radicals. "What are they?", you may ask. Free radicals are by-products produced by oxygen in the body and they can lead to immune system deficiency, heart problems and can even lead to cancer.
Green Tea contains antioxidants; it actually contains a great deal of them. In particular it contains one very powerful antioxidant called EGCG or epigallocatechin-gallate. EGCG is one of the catechins and research has found it to contain far more antioxidant properties than both vitamin E and vitamin C. The special low levels of processing used to produce green tea allows much more of the health giving EGCG to remain in the tea.
It has also been shown in research that this EGCG can actually slow the growth of and kill cancer cells. In fact there have been several studies from around the world which point to green teas anti-cancer properties.
Wow! It's already a great story for green tea health benefits.
But the health benefits of green tea don't end there.
Green Tea also contains tannins which have a calming effect on the nerves. Tannins are polyphenols and they occur in many natural substances such as fruit and chocolate. Tannins add color and flavor to the tea and are particularly well known in wine circles for their appearance in red wine. It is thought a high amount of tannins is not good for the body, but the good news is that green tea has a much lower level of tannins than black or red tea.
So how about using green tea to help you stay fit?
The benefits of green tea come in many shapes and sizes. "What's next?", I here you say. Green tea is also reported to have a beneficial effect on the metabolism. Studies have actually shown that green tea consumption can help you to loose weight. What a great way to loose weight sipping on a healthy flavorsome cup of green tea! For those who do not appreciate the taste the tea is now available in many other forms such as extract, pills and even patches.
It has been shown in studies that green tea health benefits can also be gained through the teas ability to fight infection and kill bacteria. Green tea can be helpful in protecting teeth, in aiding the immune system with it's antifungal properties and by improving the digestive function.
The health benefits of green tea have been studied and enjoyed for years in Asian cultures such as China and Japan and now this information is much more widely available in the West. We can all now enjoy green tea health benefits and at the same time if we choose to actually drink the teas we can have a fun and interesting time trying out all the different varieties.
Tea drinker and creator of the Green Teas Guide. Explore the health benefits of Green Tea with the Green Teas Guide. Sign up for the Free Newsletter. |
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