Did you ever realize that simply by drinking two cups of green tea can actually save you from so many health problems? The Chinese have been using it since ancient times for treating everything from headaches to depression. Green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years.

The process:

The Chinese are said to be the first ones to discover tea. China produces the world’s finest green teas. At the time of Tang Dynasty wild tea was gathered and then processed which involved steaming the tea on a bamboo tray and grinding the tea into a fine pulp called tea mud. Then this mud was placed into moulds. After that the tea was pressed and left to harden. It was then transferred out of the mould, dried in the sun, and baked to prevent rotting. This is very different to how green tea is processed today. Green teas are rich in vitamin C. It is believed that they stimulate the spirit better than any other blend thus improving the abilities to think and meditate for prolonged periods without fatigue.

Benefits of Green Tea:

According to a research it has been estimated that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. The reason being that green tea is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly EGCG-Epigallocatechin Gallate which is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol. It has also been effective in inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots.

Apart from this green tea has been claimed to be good for:

Stopping certain neurodegenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer

Preventing/ treating cancer

Burning fat and increasing metabolism

Treating rheumatoid arthritis

Treating Cognition

Lowering high cholesterol levels

Treating cardiovascular disease

Treating infection

For impaired immune function

Prevent tooth decay

How much should one take?

Different researchers claim different estimation of how much green tea should one consume. Some say that drinking ten cups of green tea per day would help you stay cancer-free for three years longer than if you drink less than three cups a day .Meanwhile, another study suggests that drinking four or more cups of green tea per day could help prevent rheumatoid arthritis, or reduce symptoms in individuals already suffering from the disease. It is also reported that breast cancer spreads less quickly, in women with a history of drinking five cups or more of green tea daily. A University of California study on the cancer-preventative qualities of green tea concluded that you could probably attain the desired level of polyphenols by drinking merely two cups per day. As green tea does not have any known side effects so you can drink according to what you think is the right amount for you.

Green tea has so many health benefits though Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant so what sets green tea apart from the other teas is the way it is processed. The tea leaves used for green tea are steamed or pan-dried immediately after picking, arresting bacterial growth and thus preventing the EGCG compound from being oxidized. Then they are rolled by hand to squeeze out excess moisture and to release flavor enzymes. On the other hand black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, as a result of which the EGCG compound gets converted into other compounds which is not effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.

So, get your green tea today and enjoy your drink!!

Jeffrey Meier offers more detailed information on Green Tea at http://www.jam727.com/greentea.htm For additional easy reading articles on Health and many other topics we recommend you check out other subjects in the Information Directory

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The Case For Green Tea

Green tea devotees claim that is has many health benefits. The Chinese have been using it for thousands of years to treat everything from headaches to depression and some of those claims are now starting to be verified by scientific research. Here are some examples.

1. Cancer: The Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of a study in 1994 which indicated that drinking green tea reduced the risk of oesophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. In addition, researchers at the University of Purdue concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

2. Cholesterol: Some research indicates that drinking green tea can lower your overall cholesterol levels. It improves the ratio of HDL cholesterol (that’s the good kind) to LDL cholesterol (the bad kind).

3. Weight Loss: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results in 1999 of a study conducted at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. University researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo. In other words the green tea accentuated the stimulant properties of caffeine which raise the metabolic rate.

4. Tooth Decay: Green tea kills the bacteria that causes dental plaque, thus helping to prevent tooth decay.

5. Infection: Green tea’s anti-bacterial properties mean that it can also be used to fight infections and to prevent food poisoning. Skin preparations containing green tea - from deodorants to creams - are starting to appear on the market.

What Is Green Tea’s Magic Ingredient?

The benefits you can get from green tea arise because it is rich in beneficial antioxidants, in particular EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant that can inhibit, or even stop, the growth of cancer cells without harming normal healthy tissue. EGCG has also been shown to be effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots that are the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes.

EGCG is twice as powerful as another beneficial antioxidant called resveratrol. This antioxidant occurs in red wine and is the main reason why the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans, even though they have a diet rich in fats, dairy produce and red meat.

The other part of the secret behind green tea is that the leaves of the Camellia sinensis tea plant are steamed when they are processed. This prevents the EGCG antioxidant compound from being oxidized. Black tea and oolong tea and are made from the leaves of the same Camellia sinensis plant but the leaves are fermented during processing. The fermentation means the EGCG is converted into other compounds that are not as beneficial.

The Case Against Green Tea

On the other hand, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a report in May 2006 stating there is no credible scientific evidence that drinking green tea reduces the risk of cardiovascular (heart) disease. The FDA released the statement in response to a petition that wanted green tea labels to be able to make the claim that it reduced the risk of heart disease.

The FDA report said it reviewed 105 articles and other publications submitted as part of the petition, but it could not find any evidence to support claims of the beverage’s health benefits.

Are There Any Harmful Side Effects?

Green tea does contain caffeine, however it contains less than coffee - approx one third to just over half the amount for the same weight. As you could reasonably expect, if you drink too much green tea you may suffer from insomnia and to date, insomnia is the only negative side effect reported from drinking green tea.

Green tea has been recognized for its curative properties for thousands of years. Research is now steadily accumulating scientific evidence that proves these benefits. Green tea can certainly do you no harm, except to keep you awake at night if you drink too much, whether because of the caffeine or the frequent trips to the bathroom. So it seems you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by drinking it. Better put the kettle on!

The author gave up drinking coffee several years ago and has been tasting and researching the benefits of green tea and herbal teas ever since. He contributes to http://www.tealeafmagic.com

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It is a miracle. People have been drinking green tea as treatment for everything from weight loss to curing cancer to skin problems.

In the 1994 edition of the Journal of National Cancer Institute, the results of an epidemiological study showed 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 many health benefits. A powerful antioxidant, EGCG can not only inhibit the growth of cancer cells but can also destroy them without harming healthy cells.

Also another benefit of green tea is its ability to lower down cholesterol levels and improve the ratio between good (HDL) cholesterol and bad (LDL) cholesterol. This is a leading cause of strokes and heart attacks.

Green tea has greater health benefits compared to other Chinese teas like oolong and black tea, which come from the plant Camellia sinensis. What makes green tea different is the process by which it is made. Green tea owes much of its health benefits to how the Camellia sinensis leaves are steamed. The process stops the EGCG health benefit of green tea from oxidizing.

Drinking green tea can allow more calories to be burnt which will result in weight loss. This was proven in 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. Many People have embarked on green tea dieting with great success and benefit.

Another health benefit of green tea is its bacteria-destroying properties. The benefit of green tea is that it can help prevent food poisoning and also prevent tooth decay.

Well known for its countless health benefits such weight loss and curing cancer, green tea is a miracle.

For more info about the benefits and dangers of green tea go to
http://benefitofgreentea.blogspot.com.
Benefits of Green Tea WebSite

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