Green Tea Medical Facts
Is any other food or perhaps drink claimed to possess several health benefits as green tea
? The Chinese have known about the healing benefits associated with green tea since ancient times, utilizing it to remedy everything from headaches to depression. In her book Green Tea: The Natural Secret for a Healthier Life, Nadine Taylor states that green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years.
Today, scientific research both in Asia and the west can give hard evidence for the health benefits long connected with sipping green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea lessened the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.
To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:
cancer
rheumatoid arthritis
high cholesterol levels
cariovascular disease
infection
impaired immune function
What makes green tea so special?
The secret of green tea is based on the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides suppressing the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer tissue without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and suppressing the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on additional importance when you consider that thrombosis (the development of abnormal blood clots) may be the leading cause of heart attacks as well as stroke.
Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the "French Paradox." For years, scientists were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in body fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the side effects of smoking and a greasy diet. In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the speed of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, despite the fact that approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.
Why don't other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it's processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, that prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.
Other Benefits
New proof is emerging that green tea extract can even help dieters. In November, 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a attend the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories from fat than those given only caffeine or a placebo.
Green tea can even assist in preventing tooth decay! Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that triggers dental plaque. Meanwhile, pores and skin preparations containing green tea - from deodorants to creams - are starting to look on the market.
Harmful Effects?
To date, the only negative side effect reported from drinking green tea is sleeplessness due to the fact that it contains caffeine. However, green tea contains much less caffeine than coffee: roughly thirty to sixty mg. of caffeine in 6 - eight ounces of tea, compared to over one-hundred mg. within eight ounces of coffee.
by: Diana Joy Flores
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