Green tea

Green tea (Simplified Chinese; Traditional Chinese; pinyin: l?chá) is a "true" tea (i.e., Camellia sinensis) that has undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea is popular in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and the Middle East. Recently it has become more widespread in the West, where traditionally black tea is consumed.

Health benefits

Proponents of green tea note that its medicinal benefits have been described for over 1000 years. The Kissa Yojoki, or Book of Tea, written by Zen priest Eisai in 1191, describes how drinking green tea can have a positive effect on the five vital organs, especially the heart. The book discusses tea's medicinal qualities, which include easing the effects of alcohol, acting as a stimulant, curing blotchiness, quenching thirst, eliminating indigestion, curing beriberi disease, preventing fatigue, and improving urinary and brain function. Part One also explains the shapes of tea plants, tea flowers, and tea leaves, and covers how to grow tea plants and process tea leaves. In Part Two, the book discusses the specific dosage and method required for individual physical ailments.

In more recent times, many studies have investigated a link between the consumption of green tea and a lower incidence of a range of cancers in populations, with mixed results. Green tea enthusiasts believe it to be useful for:

  • Cognition
  • Stopping certain neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's
  • Preventing/treating cancer
  • Treating arthritis
  • Treating multiple sclerosis
  • Preventing the degradation of cell membranes by neutralizing the spread of free radicals (which occurs during the process of oxidation). [1]
  • Increases fat oxidation (helps the body use fat as an energy source) and raises metabolism. [2]
  • Lowering LDL cholesterol (in high doses in lab tests)
  • Preventing lowered T-Cells due to HIV - In lab tests, EGCG, found in green tea, was found to prevent HIV from attacking T-Cells. However, it is not known if this has any effect on humans yet. [3]

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rejected claims of health benefits for green tea. [4]

  • "There is no credible scientific evidence that drinking green tea reduces the risk of heart disease."
  • "FDA concludes there is no credible evidence to support qualified health claims for green tea or green tea extract and a reduction of a number of risk factors associated with CVD" (cardiovascular disease)."
  • The FDA has said that green tea likely does not reduce breast, prostate, or any other type of cancer risk.

    The text below describes studies that show an association between drinking tea and better health, but they do not demonstrate that drinking tea causes better health. It may just be that healthy people like tea.

    Although a 2006 study published in the September 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that adults who consumed three or more cups of green tea per day had a lower risk of death due to cardiovascular disease. The study, conducted by the Tohoku University School of Public Policy in Japan, followed 40,530 Japanese adults, ages 40-79, with no history of stroke, coronary heart disease, or cancer at baseline beginning in 1994. The study followed all participants for up to 11 years for death from all causes and for up to 7 years for death from a specific cause. Participants who consumed 5 or more cups of tea per day had a 16 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 26 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease than participants who consumed less than one cup of tea per day. The study also states, "If green tea does protect humans against CVD or cancer, it is expected that consumption of this beverage would substantially contribute to the prolonging of life expectancy, given that CVD and cancer are the two leading causes of death worldwide."

    Green tea is also a potent fat burner. People who took green tea extract three times a day saw their metabolic rate increase by about 4 percent, according to a study published in the December 1999 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

    Joy Bauer, a New York City nutritionist, says green tea contains catechins, which increase levels of the metabolism speeding brain chemical norepinephrine.

    Japanese researchers claim if you drink five cups of green tea a day, you'll burn 70 to 80 extra calories. Dr. Nicholas Perricone , an anti-aging specialist, appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show and told Oprah's viewers they can lose 6 lbs. in 10 weeks drinking green tea instead of coffee.

    This information was taken from wikipedia.org 28.01.2007

    Back