The Many Benefits of Green
Tea Extract
by Oktay Özadam
The Benefits of Green Tea
Extract: Anti-Aging, Anti-Cancer, Weight Control
One of the great advancements
in nutrition in the twenty-first century is the scientific
confirmation of the many benefits of green tea extract. Here
are just a few. Green tea:
- Slows arthritis
- Prevents the growth of cancer cells
- Assists weight loss
What accounts for the health benefits of green tea extract?
Over 1,800 scientific studies have found that the active
constituents in green tea are powerful antioxidants. These are
called polyphenols (catechins) and flavonols. Epigallocatechin
gallate (you can just call it EGCG) is the most powerful of
these antioxidants.
Milligram for milligram, EGCG has 25 to 100 times the
antioxidant power of vitamins C and E. A cup of green tea has
more antioxidants than a serving of broccoli, spinach, carrots
or strawberries.
These abundant antioxidants power the benefits of green tea
extract. They keep DNA intact and they stabilize the membranes
of cells. These effects of green tea make it a powerful support
in many health conditions. Let's look at the benefits of green
tea supplements in more detail.
Green tea has been shown to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol and
serum triglyceride levels.
Who would have imagined that simple green tea could be as
potent as Lipitor or Zocor or Crestin with none of their side
effects? Scientific studies show that middle-aged men and women
in Japan who drink 2 or more cups of green tea a day almost
always have normal cholesterol. Scientists have also recently
reported that if you drink green tea after you eat a fatty
food, less cholesterol will go into you bloodstream.
And if you have high cholesterol when you begin taking green
tea supplements, your body will convert less of it into a form
that clogs your arteries.
Green tea protects your joints against osteoarthritis.
This is one of the least known but most beneficial effects of
green tea extract. Green tea prevents inflammation. When there
is less inflammation, there is less wear and tear on your
joints.
Green tea prevents the growth of cancer cells.
The EGCG in green tea prevents cancer cells from growing by
binding to a specific enzyme. This health benefit of green tea
is especially important in cancers of the prostate, breast, and
lung.
Researchers studied two groups of men who a pre-cancerous
condition of the prostate. One consumed the equivalent of 12 to
15 cups of green tea a day. One did not. One year later, 30% of
the men who did not consume green tea supplements developed
prostate cancer. Only 3% of the men who took green tea
supplements developed cancer.
Another of the benefits of green tea extract is support for
women who have breast cancer. Green tea provides chemicals that
bind estrogen. This hormone is not then free to stimulate
breast cancer cells.
Women who consume the greatest amount of green tea before
menopause have the least severe forms of breast cancer when the
disease occurs. Women who drink green tea are less likely to
have recurrences of breast cancer after treatment. And most
important of all, women who consume green tea are 50% less
likely to develop breast cancer at all.
Another of the benefits of green tea extract is protection
against lung cancer.
The Japanese have both the highest rate of smoking and the
lowest rate of lung cancer in the developed world. Japanese
smokers who consume a lot of green tea seem to be protected
against lung cancer.
And green tea can even help you lose weight. In a clinical
trial, men eating a high-fat diet were given enough green tea
provide the caffeine in a single cup of coffee. Although this
amount of caffeine has no effect on weight loss, when the
caffeine comes from green tea, it is highly significant.
The green tea supplement boosted the number of calories burned
by 4.5%. While this is just 135 calories a day, the study
showed that taking green supplements could help the average man
on a high-fat diet lose 18 lbs (8 kg) in a year's time. It
could help the average woman on a high-fat diet lose 11 pounds
(5 kg). This is without eating less or exercising more.
How Can I Take Green Tea?
The benefits of green tea extract are greatest if you take
green tea supplements rather than drink green tea. A study in
the December 2004 edition of the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition confirmed that green supplements get more
antioxidants into your bloodstream that drinking green tea. Two
capsules of green tea extract a day can provide all the
benefits of 20 cups of green tea-all you need to support even
difficult health conditions.
Green tea is safe and effective. Take 1 to 3 capsules of green
extract every day. It is better to take green tea supplements
in the morning or afternoon rather than at night. In the
unlikely event of stomach upset, take with food.
About the Author
Oktay Özadam has an avid interest in health and well-being
and is a senior editor of Nutritional Supplements Health Guide. The
site discusses about vitamins, minerals, medicinal herbs,
and other health supplements.
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