Friday, February 27, 2009

Green Tea and Health Benefits

By Julia Sabinzky

The Miracle of Green Tea

For over 4,000 years, the Chinese people have used green tea as treatment for numerous ailments.

Today, studies are conducted in Asia and the west in order to produce hard evidence of the health benefits of green tea. In the 1994 edition of the Journal of National Cancer Institute, the results of an epidemiological study stated that one of the health benefits of drinking green tea is that it can reduce the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by up to 60%.

The rich presence of catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the reason why green tea has so much health benefits. A powerful antioxidant, EGCG can not only inhibit the growth of cancer cells but can also destroy them without harming healthy cells.

The University of Purdue has also concluded a research on how a certain compound present in green tea can stop cancer cells from growing. Still another health benefit of green tea is its ability to lower down cholesterol levels and improve the ratio between good (HDL) cholesterol and bad (LDL) cholesterol.

The EGCG in green tea is a health benefit substance that can lower down LDL cholesterol levels and stop blood from forming abnormal clots (thrombosis), a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes.

Green tea has a lot more health benefits than other teas like oolong and black tea, even though they all come from the Camellia sinensis plant. Green tea differs because of the process used to make it. Green tea gets much of its health benefits from a steaming process that keeps the EGCG from oxidizing. Oolong and black teas go through a fermenting process which causes the EGCG be less potent.

Aside from medicinal value, green tea can also offer other health benefits, especially in the fitness field. Drinking green tea can cause a person to burn down more calories. A recent study on the health benefits of green tea shows that the drink can help dieters. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1999, men who take both caffeine and green tea burn down more calories than men who only take caffeine or a placebo.

Green tea even has bacteria-destroying properties. Studies are being done on how green tea can help prevent food poisoning and even tooth decay. The compounds found in green tea can kill the bacteria that cause food poisoning and dental plaque to form.

The benefits of green tea are numerous - have you had your miracle in a cup today? - 15255

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