Learn About The Benefits
Of Green Tea
by Will Shaw
Green tea has become an
increasingly popular drink over the past few years. There are
many varieties available and it is commonly available to buy in
most tea shops and food stores. As well as being a
refreshing and tasty drink it is reported to have a beneficial
effect on the health. There has
been a great deal of research carried out recently about green
tea health benefits and the findings are very
interesting.
It is a well known fact that antioxidants are essential for a
healthy body. They help to fight against free radicals. "What
are they?", you may ask. Free radicals are by-products produced
by oxygen in the body and they can lead to immune system
deficiency, heart problems and can even lead to cancer.
Green Tea contains antioxidants; it actually contains a great
deal of them. In particular it contains one very powerful
antioxidant called EGCG or epigallocatechin-gallate. EGCG is
one of the catechins and research has found it to contain far
more antioxidant properties than both vitamin E and vitamin C.
The special low levels of processing used to produce green tea
allows much more of the health giving EGCG to remain in the
tea.
It has also been shown in research that this EGCG can actually
slow the growth of and kill cancer cells. In fact there have
been several studies from around the world which point to green
teas anti-cancer properties.
Wow! It's already a great story for green tea health
benefits.
But the health benefits of green tea don't end there.
Green Tea also contains tannins which have a calming effect on
the nerves. Tannins are polyphenols and they occur in many
natural substances such as fruit and chocolate. Tannins add
color and flavor to the tea and are particularly well known in
wine circles for their appearance in red wine. It is thought a
high amount of tannins is not good for the body, but the good
news is that green tea has a much lower level of tannins than
black or red tea.
So how about using green tea to help you stay fit?
The benefits of green tea come in many shapes and sizes.
"What's next?", I here you say. Green tea is also reported to
have a beneficial effect on the metabolism. Studies have
actually shown that green tea consumption can help you to loose
weight. What a great way to loose weight sipping on a healthy
flavorsome cup of green tea! For those who do not appreciate
the taste the tea is now available in many other forms such as
extract, pills and even patches.
It has been shown in studies that green tea health benefits can
also be gained through the teas ability to fight infection and
kill bacteria. Green tea can be helpful in protecting teeth, in
aiding the immune system with it's antifungal properties and by
improving the digestive function.
The health benefits of green tea have been studied and enjoyed
for years in Asian cultures such as China and Japan and now
this information is much more widely available in the West. We
can all now enjoy green tea health benefits and at the same
time if we choose to actually drink the teas we can have a fun
and interesting time trying out all the different varieties.
Tea drinker and creator of the Green Teas Guide. Explore the health benefits
of Green Tea with the Green Teas Guide. Sign up for the
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