Why Drink Green Tea?

Today, various health benefits of green tea are constantly being reported and many scientists are now focusing their attention on the simple, yet profound beverage that is green tea.

Like all three of the major Asian teas in the market, green tea comes from the plant called Carmellia sinensis. Much of the health benefits of green tea are due to the steaming method of making it. As opposed to black and oolong tea which undergoes full oxidization, green tea is only gently steamed, preserving the natural antioxidants in its original form.

The antioxidants in green tea help fight free radicals. According to tradition, Chinese green tea could cure anything from headaches, body aches, and pains to constipation and depression. Over the centuries, more health claims were made for Chinese green tea until it began to appear as a miracle drink.

Chinese green tea is said to increase the blood flow throughout the body. Because green tea contains a little caffeine, ingesting this drink stimulates the heart and allows the blood to flow more freely through the blood vessels. For the same reason that Chinese green tea stimulates blood flow, it also stimulates mental clarity.

Green tea detoxifies the body. Antioxidants in green tea can boost immunity, preserve young-looking skin, and brighten the eyes. Green tea researchers claim that it can help prevent food poisoning and also prevent tooth decay. The substances found in green tea kill the bacteria causing food poisoning and those that cause dental plaque to form.

Green tea aids in digestion and banishes fatigue. Chinese green tea is also said to prolong the lifespan.

For many years, researchers remained skeptical about the health claims made by green tea enthusiasts. The role of Chinese green tea in promoting longevity has been studied and tested in many trials and reports. This led some researchers to believe that Chinese green tea has “a protective factor against premature death.”

The polyphenols found in green tea may be responsible for the health benefits. With its high amount of polyphenols, green tea seems to have a stimulating effect on the immune system. A stronger immune system helps reduce the risks of getting sick.

HEALTH BENEFITS:

There are many health benefits associated with drinking green tea. One of these green tea benefits is preventing cancer. Certain substances present in green tea are said to help in destroying cancer cells without harming any neighboring tissues. This substance is called epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG.

Study after study has shown that drinking green tea and eating polyphenol-rich foods reduces the risk of any heart complications. Drinking green tea also helps strengthen the blood vessels that provide oxygen and valuable nutrients to the heart and brain. One research reported that men who drink green tea have 75 percent less possibility of having a stroke than those who don’t drink green tea. Much as I admire green tea, I'm thinking those researchers ignored all the other good things those tea drinking men did.

Green tea helps lower total cholesterol levels and improve the ratio between LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. Study shows that men who drink nine or more cups of green tea daily have lower cholesterol levels than those who drink fewer than two cups.

A safer alternative to diet pills for people wanting to lose weight is adding green tea to your diet.

Green tea diets can be a potential cure to obesity. The catechin polyphenols present in green tea diets can delay the reaction of gastric and pancreatic lipases in the body. By delaying these enzymes, green tea diets can therefore stop fat from being stored and prevent obesity in people.

Scientists believed that the weight loss benefits of green tea extracts are due to their caffeine content but the results of a study show otherwise as they discovered that green tea extracts have weight loss benefits beyond that of caffeine.

Further findings indicated that a certain compound found in green tea extracts might be the ingredient that causes weight loss. When flavonoids interact with other green tea extract ingredients, more calories are burned thus contributing to weight loss.

Another ingredient that actively contributes to the weight loss benefits of green tea extracts is the compound catechin polyphenols. The great thing about the weight loss benefit of green tea extracts is that it does not have any adverse side-effects.

A study conducted by the University of Geneva on the weight loss benefit of green tea extract reported that green tea extract can also help thyroid patients. Green tea extract can promote weight loss by increasing metabolism without over stimulating the adrenal glands.