subject: Health Benefits Of Green Tea [print this page] The Chinese have been taking advantage of the many amazing benefits of green tea for thousands of years, and it's probably about time you did to!
The benefits are not just ancient superstition and myth either, scientific research in both Asia and the west has turned up hard evidence that green tea can have many health benefits.
A study by researchers at the University of Purdue showed that regular green tea consumption actually inhibited the growth of certain cancer cells. There is also a good deal of research that shows that drinking green tea can help lower cholesterol and improve the balance of the good and bad forms of cholesterol HDL and LDL.
Green tea contains many beneficial compounds and is a powerful anti-oxidant. It has been reputed to play a part in reducing the formation of abnormal blood clots, which is of particular interest to those who suffer thrombosis, as it is the major cause of stroke and heart attacks.
The key compound researchers have been interested in is a substance known as EGCG, epigallocatechin gallate, which is a compound that has been shown to limit the negative effects of smoking and a fat-heavy diet. Which might go some way to explaining the lower than average rate of heart conditions in japanese and chinese men.
The reason this compound is specific to green tea is due to the way in which the leaves are processed. Oolong and normal black teas are made from fermented tea leaves, where as green tea is made by steaming the leaves, a process that leaves the EGCG in tact.
Researchers are now beginning to turn the sights on how much green tea you should drink in order to get the most benefits, but evidence is suggesting anything more than 3 cups can have positive benefits.
However much you drink it is important to brew the tea correctly. It is especially important not to over-brew the tea, and loose leaf tea is much better than tea bags. Specific green tea varieties will have different instructions on how to get the best cup, but the following are general instructions worth reading:
> Use 2-4g of tea (about 1-2 tea spoons) per cup
> Use fresh cold water, and then bring it to the boil
> Allow the water to cool for 2-3 minutes
> Place you leaves in a Tea Infuser, and place it in the cup/pot
> Pour the hot but not boiling water into your cup and brew for 3-5 minutes
> Allow the tea to cool for a further couple of minutes before drinking.
