The health benefits of green tea have been widely discussed in recent years. From fighting cancer to protecting against glaucoma and other common eye diseases, the list of purported benefits of green tea is long and endless.
So what makes this miracle brew so special and what gives it the healing properties?
Green tea, which is made from fresh, unfermented leaves of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, contains antioxidants known as catechins in higher concentrations. Catechins, a group of polyphenolic compounds, are known to prevent the activity of free radicals, which play a key role in aging, cancer and in ocular, neurological, and psychiatric disorders.
Types of Tea
Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world and tea consumption ranks second to water consumption. Depending on the way the tea leaves are processed, tea is classified into three predominant types – green, black and oolong. Green tea is the least processed of the three. Compared to black tea , which undergoes full fermentation and oxidation, green tea does not undergo any oxidation and it retains all the antioxidants as the tea leaves are only steamed.Aside from the three traditional types of tea, there is yet another type known as white tea made from the leaves of the same tea plant – Camellia sinensis. White tea is made from very young tea leaves and bud, and is comparatively rare and expensive.
Coming back to the topic on green tea’s benefits. Laboratory studies and cell culture studies have revealed that green tea helps fight against cancer cells. Human studies in establishing the therapeutic effect of green tea on cancer have been limited to Asia, which have produced mixed results.
According to a study conducted by Philadelphia-based researchers, which was published in the U.S. journal Cancer Prevention Research last year, Polyphenon E, a chemical found in green tea appears to slow the progression of prostate cancer. However further research is needed to confirm the relationship between green tea consumption and human cancer.
Regular intake of green tea may reduce the risk of heart attack, say some researchers. However, in May 2006, the FDA rejected the petition of green tea manufactures to make health claims regarding green tea’s actions against heart disease. Nevertheless, there are supportive evidence that indicate drinking three or more cups of green tea could reduce the risk of heart disease, though not conclusive.
It is widely believed that drinking green tea can lower cholesterol and increase the body’s rate of burning calories.
… So how does it work? Weight gain occurs when excess sugar gets accumulated as fat in the body. Green tea, which has high concentrations of catechin polyphenols, increases metabolic rate, inhibits fat absorption, helps glucose regulation and even reduce appetite, thus aiding in weight loss.
Researchers at the University of South Florida have found that EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), a component of green tea , decreases production of Alzheimer’s disease-related beta amyloid protein.
Though drinking green tea alone would not be effective in preventing and treating Alzheimer’s disease, the findings of the study are quite encouraging, which confirm previous evidence that antioxidants in green tea might be beneficial to Alzheimer’s patients either as treatment or prevention, according to medical experts. But that said, more research is needed before recommending the compound found in green tea as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease in humans.
Early this year, a new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, reveals that catechins, found in green tea, can penetrate into the eye tissue, protecting it from glaucoma and other eye diseases.
Though there are differing opinions on the recommended consumption of green tea, most people take 3 to 4 cups a day.
So, having read the benefits of green tea, are you ready to give it a try?
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