Why Green Tea?
Green tea has been used as a medicine
for thousands of years, originating in China but widely used throughout Asia
this beverage has a multitude of uses from lowering blood pressure to
preventing cancer. The reason that green tea has more health benefits attached
to it than black tea is (apparently) due to the processing. Black tea is
processed in a way that allows for fermentation whereas green tea’s processing
avoids the fermentation process. As a result, green tea retains maximum amount
of antioxidants and poly-phenols the substances that give green tea its many
benefits.
Here’s a list of some of its amazing
benefits — benefits that you may not have been aware of. Some of these benefits
are still being debated, so please do your own research if you want to use
green tea for medicinal purposes.
1.
Weight Loss. Green tea increases
the metabolism. The polyphenol found in green tea works to intensify levels of
fat oxidation and the rate at which your body turns food into calories.
2.
Diabetes. Green tea apparently
helps regulate glucose levels slowing the rise of blood sugar after eating.
This can prevent high insulin spikes and resulting fat storage.
3.
Heart Disease. Scientists think,
green tea works on the lining of blood vessels, helping keep them stay relaxed
and better able to withstand changes in blood pressure. It may also protect
against the formation of clots, which are the primary cause of heart attacks.
4.
Esophageal Cancer. It can reduce
the risk of esophageal cancer, but it is also widely thought to kill cancer
cells in general without damaging the healthy tissue around them.
5.
Cholesterol. Green tea reduces bad
cholesterol in the blood and improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad
cholesterol.
6.
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It is
said to delay the deterioration caused by Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Studies
carried out on mice showed that green tea protected brain cells from dying and
restored damaged brain cells.
7.
Tooth Decay. Studies suggests that
the chemical antioxidant “catechin” in tea can destroy bacteria and viruses
that cause throat infections, dental caries and other dental conditions
8.
Blood Pressure. Regular consumption
of green tea is thought to reduce the risk of high blood pressure.
9.
Depression. Theanine is an amino acid
naturally found in tea leaves. It is this substance that is thought to provide
a relaxing and tranquilizing effect and be a great benefit to tea drinkers.
10.
Anti-viral and Anti-bacterial. Tea
catechins are strong antibacterial and antiviral agents which make them
effective for treating everything from influenza to cancer. In some studies
green tea has been shown to inhibit the spread of many diseases.
11.
Skincare. Green tea can apparently
also help with wrinkles and the signs of aging, This is because of their
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Both animal and human studies
have demonstrated that green tea applied topically can reduce sun damage.
How Much?
These are some of the many benefits but
the reality is one cup of tea a day will not give you all the abundant gains.
The jury is out on how many cups are necessary; some say as little as two cups
a day while others five cups — and more still say you can drink up to ten cups
a day. If you are thinking of going down this route, you may want to consider
taking a green tea supplement instead (it would keep you out of the bathroom).
Another thing to point out is that there
is caffeine in green tea — so if you are sensitive to caffeine then one cup
should be your limit. Green tea also contains tannins (which can decrease the
absorption of iron and folic acid), so if you are pregnant or trying to
conceive then green tea may not be ideal for you. You can try mixing green tea
with other healthy ingredients such as ginger.
For the rest of us with all these
abundant benefits…it’s a wonder we drink anything else.
It is made from shade-grown tea leaves and used for Japanese tea ceremony and wagashi (Japanese confectioneries). 
