Monday 4 February 2013

A Wonder drink: Green Tea




Green tea has known to be in use since ages. Green tea is not merely a soothing drink or a beverage, in recent years the medicinal properties of green tea has been investigated significantly  and has found to have vast health benefits associated with it. Green Tea is made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis that undergoes minimal oxidation during processing. It is known to have multiple health benefits from lowering blood pressure to preventing cancer. Other teas are fermented during processing whereas green tea is not which contributes to its health benefits.

Avoiding the fermentation during processing helps it to retain the high concentration of anti oxidants, such as polyphenols making it special. It also contains many phytochemicals such as flavonoids. Flavonoids are a group of phytochemicals present in most plant products that are responsible for health effects such as anti-oxidative and anti-carcinogenic functions. Anti oxidants fight free radicals that contributes to aging and damaging of DNA and a number of other health problems such as cancer and heart disease.


 The  antioxidants, particularly the epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a powerful anti-oxidant, besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels and improves the level of the good cholesterol. It also inhibits the abnormal formation of blood clots and heals wounds acting as an astringent. New researches have found that caffeine and green tea combined can help boost the metabolic rate and therefore it is also good for dieters. It is also good for gas treatments and to regulate body temperatures. It also keeps blood sugar levels down and aids in digestion.

It is also known as an effective treatment for multiple sclerosis. They also have excellent antiviral and antibacterial fighting properties due to which it also helps against tooth decays. Theanine is an amino acid naturally found in tea leaves and it is this substance that is thought to provide a relaxing and tranquilizing effect and be of help to people suffering from emotional disorders. Therefore it is a good stamina and boost endurance. Green tea may also be useful in inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis. Research suggests that green tea may help arthritis by reducing inflammation and slowing the breakdown of cartilage. Studies also show that drinking green tea is associated with reduced risk of dying from any cause.


Two or three cups of green tea per day will bring enormous changes to you and your body. However keep in mind that anything in excess will always be a bane rather than being a boon.


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