What are the advantages to green tea?
Saturday, February 20th, 2010 at
8:04 am
The_D asked:
I’ve heard green tea can be very healthy, but in what ways? And if it really is healthy what are the best types of green tea or the types to avoid?
Filed under: Green Tea
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Green Tea supposedly has lots of anti-oxidants, and some cancer retarding chemicals.
Doc
it can help with antioxidants that it has in it, ginsing is a healthy way of getting caffeine..
Green tea is beneficial to the health of your body and this is mainly due to the fact that tea contains high levels of antioxidants called polyphenols or flavonoids.
Consuming three cups of tea a day can produce a similar amount of antioxidants as eating six apples. Antioxidants help your body fight against free radicals which cause damage to cells and tissues in your body. I’ve found a website that lists all the pros in drinking green tea.
Simply drinking green tea can’t save us from the damages caused by overeating, a poorly-balanced diet, or a sedentary lifestyle. Today’s research identifies a plant-based diet, a healthy weight, physical activity, and avoiding tobacco as the most effective steps to lower cancer risk. For those who would like to do more to reduce their risk, replacing three or four cups of coffee or soda per day with green tea is still a reasonable step that may bring a variety of health benefits.
Green tea contains relatively high amounts of a type of phytochemical called EGCG, proven in laboratory studies to be a powerful antioxidant. A variety of antioxidants from plant foods seem to stabilize “free radicals,” protecting DNA from damage that could allow cancer to develop, and protecting blood vessels from damage that could promote blockages. Studies show EGCG can also increase production of enzymes that protect us from cancer-causing substances, decrease levels of a substance key to promoting cancer development, and increase cancer cell self-destruction.
Benefits start with one cup a day, but some claim 3-4 cups are needed to see actual results. I purchase both green and white tea from Amazon (search for Rishi tea). A good tasting green tea for those who do not like the ‘grassy’ taste is Jasmine Pearl. They infuse jasmine leaves (reported to speed metabolism and aid in weight loss) with the green tea leaves in small pearl-shaped balls. You then steep this in 175-185 degF water for 3-4 minutes. This is calorie-free, but I do add some local honey for sweetener.
I also enjoy White Tea, which is really green tea, but using the tips of the fresh leaves picked in early spring. They are silvery in color and are the least processed of all tea types, yielding different types of anti-oxidants. A smooth flavor and alternate to the green tea.
Enjoy!
1. Kills Leukemia Cells
2. Boosts Memory Function
3. Increases Metabolism & Fat Loss capabilities
4. Reverses the Aging Effects of Sun Damage & Fight Skin Cancer
5. Therapy For People With Rheumatoid Arthritis
6. Helps Ward off Alzheimer’s Disease
7. Lowers LDL (bad) Cholesterol Levels
8. Prevents Tooth Decay, Kills Plaque-Causing Bacteria & Prevents Bad Breath
9. Lowers Stress Hormone Levels
10. Stems the Spread of Prostate Cancer
In addition, tea is a nutrient rich beverage containing a multitude of vitamins. Teas contain varying amounts of vitamins A, B, and C, as well as Folic Acid, potassium, fluoride, and Manganese. It is important to note that processed teas have lower amounts of nutrients and vitamins. The process of tea preparation includes drying, rolling, oxidation, fermenting, and firing. Green teas contain the highest levels of vitamins and nutrients because they go through a minimal amount of processing, where as Black teas tend to be heavily processed and therefore loose many of the antioxidant properties.
In ancient times, Chinese believed that tea can be used to cure anything from headache to deppresion. In her book Green Tea: The Natural Secret for a Healthier Life, Nadine Taylor states that green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years.
Green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:
cancer
rheumatoid arthritis
high cholesterol levels
cariovascular disease
infection
impaired immune function
Source:http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa011400a.htm