Health News / September 2007
Some Beneficial Properties of Green Tea
By Gregg Hall
Asian cultures have used green tea for medicinal purposes throughout the course of time. Recent scientific studies, though, have shown many different benefits associated with green tea. Green tea is rich in powerful antioxidants. While green, oolong, and black tea all come from the same plant, the Camellia green tea is processed differently than the other teas. The leaves are steamed. Therefore, the compound that is so helpful isn’t oxidized as it is in the other teas. The only harmful effect noticed with green tea is the same kind of effect noticed with other caffeine drinks. Green tea, though, has considerably less caffeine than coffee.
Green tea offers at least ten health benefits. One health benefit green tea offers is a lowering of cholesterol because green tea has a high concentration of antioxidants. Green Tea will help your body increase your liver’s LDL receptors. This helps reduce bad cholesterol in the blood, thereby lowering your total cholesterol levels. Green tea has also been known to help remission in cancer patients. Green tea inhibits the enzyme which can help cancer cells spread throughout the body. It can help decrease tumor sizes and help prevent further tumor formation.
Green tea can also help prevent cancer. Because it contains the compound EGCG, the tea prevents cancer cells from growing when the compound binds with the enzyme also found in the body. Another health effect of drinking green tea is that it is able to help ease the effects of rheumatoid arthritis. The antioxidants in the tea ease swelling, which in turn, helps ease the pain associated with arthritis. Green tea can also help prevent heart disease. The tea not only helps lower cholesterol, as previously mentioned, but it also helps break down plaque on artery walls. This allows better blood flow, and thus, heart disease prevention. Another health benefit of drinking green tea is its ability to cure infections.
The antioxidants in the tea have the ability to help kill the disease causing organisms.
Green tea can also assist with impaired immune function. Polyphones and antioxidants exist in green tea. These help with the stimulation of your immune system. This can help to make you stronger and more able to fight infection. Green tea can help treat acne. It helps reduce toxins and swelling. It also reduces some of the hormone levels that are known to cause acne. Green tea can help prevent cavities. As green tea can destroy bacteria and viruses, it inhibits the growth of cavities, which are primarily the cause of tooth decay. In the future, you may see green tea in toothpastes and mouthwash products. One final health benefit of green tea is that it can promote longevity. The polyphones in green tea help to fight against free radicals. This means fewer wrinkles and longer life.
To brew the perfect cup of green tea, use one tea bag per cup. Boil a kettle of cold water. Once it has boiled, allow it to stand for a minimum of three minutes. Pour the hot water over the tea bag and let it steep for at least four minutes. Before drinking, allow the tea to cool.
Many people have difficulty brewing green tea. There are a number of things you can do to ensure that you receive all of the health benefits. First, if it is brewed at a heat higher than one hundred seventy five degrees, it will become bitter. Further, it should not be brewed for more than two minutes. Next, green tea only has a shelf life of six months. Once you’ve opened it, you need to get rid of it in two to three months. Also, the best green tea is harvested in April and May. While you can get it throughout the year, it may not be as tasty.
Green tea has many health benefits if properly used.
Information found in this newspaper is not intended to replace medical advice offered by physicians or healthcare providers. Information is provided for your general information. A Woman’s View, under no circumstances, makes any medical recommendations. Consult your physician or healthcare practitioner regarding all aspect of health concerns.
Copyright © 2007 A Woman's View. All rights reserved.
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