Benefits of Green Tea

This piece is about the benefits of green tea. Green tea is a tea made of leaves of Camellia sinesis, which has gone through minimal oxidation during processing.

Green tea originates from China, where is has been consumed for thousands of years.

Traditionally, it was used for a variety of purposes such as a stimulant, astringent (to control bleeding and help in healing wounds), diuretic (helps in the excretion of urine), flatulence (to control gas), regulate body temperature and blood sugar levels, promote digestion, improve mental processes as well as helping the heart.

Nowadays, it is recognized for both its helpful antioxidants as well as a helpful complement in weight loss management.

The Special Ingredient

Green tea contains an abundant amount of catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).

EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant that inhibits the growth of cancer cells while also killing cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.

It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, as well as inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The inhibition of blood clots is important because thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of both heart attacks and stroke.

A Key Difference

One of the key differences between Green tea and other teas is that it is processed differently. Green tea leaves are steamed, which keeps the EGCG compound from being oxidized.

Other teas such as black and oolong tea, which come from the same leaves of Camellia sinensis are made from fermented leaves, which causes the EGCG to be converted into other compounds not as effective in preventing and fighting diseases.

A summary of health conditions green tea is useful for:

* Atherosclerosis(Coronary artery disease)
* High cholesterol
* Cancer
* Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
* Diabetes
* Liver disease