Certain
substances present in green tea diets are said to help destroy cancer
cells without harming any neighboring tissues.
The
substance in green tea associated with these properties is called
epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG.
In
the 1994 edition of the Journal of National Cancer Institute, the
results of an epidemiological study stated that one of the health
benefits of drinking green tea is the reduction of the risk of
esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by up to 60%.
A
Healthy Drink to a Healthy Heart
Study
after study has shown drinking Chinese green tea and eating
polyphenol-rich foods can reduce the risks of heart disease.
Drinking
green tea also helps strengthen the blood vessels that provide oxygen
and valuable nutrients to the heart and brain.
It
has been shown that men who drink Chinese green tea have 75 percent
less possibility of having a stroke than those who don’t
drink this tea.
Green tea helps
lower total cholesterol levels and improve the ratio between LDL
cholesterol and HDL cholesterol.
Study shows that
men who drink nine or more cups of green tea daily have lower
cholesterol levels than those who drink fewer than two cups.
Green
Tea And Lowering Your Cholesterol
Obesity
has become one of the major health issues in our society today. In
fact, more than half of the American population is overweight or obese.
As
a result, diet and weight loss plans have become increasingly popular.
But not all diet plans work. And not all of them are necessarily
risk-free.
A
safer alternative for people wanting to lose weight are diets involving
green tea.
Chinese green tea
can be a potential cure to obesity. The catechin polyphenols present in
the tea slow down the reaction of gastric and pancreatic lipases in the
body.
These enzymes are
actually responsible for the convertion of calories in the body into
fats. By delaying these enzymes, green tea can stop fat from being
stored and help prevent obesity in people.
Green tea also has
the ability to lower cholesterol levels and improve the ratio between
good (HDL) cholesterol and bad (LDL) cholesterol.
The EGCG in the tea
can stop the formation of abnormal blood clots, which are a leading
cause of heart attacks and strokes.
Other
Health Benefits From Chinese Tea
Green
tea has always been known to have several health benefits, but who knew
that it could contribute to weight loss as well?
A recent study
published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition show that green
tea extract can increase metabolism and fat oxidation in the body.
In theory,
scientists believe weight loss benefits of green tea extracts are due
to the caffeine content, however the results of the study show that
green tea extracts have weight loss benefits well beyond that of just
the caffeine.
In their study,
researchers dispensed the same amount of caffeine as in green tea
extracts, but discovered it didn't make significant changes in the
body’s overall energy ussage.
This led to the
conclusion green tea has additional ingredients that actively interact
with each other which increase metabolism and fat oxidation.
Further research
seems to indicate a certain compound found in green tea might be what
causes weight loss.
These compounds in
the tea, called Flavonoids, may alter how the body uses norepinephrine,
a hormone that monitors how calories are burned.
When flavonoids
interact with other ingredients in green tea, more calories are burned
and that gets you more weight loss.
Other ingredients
actively contributing to the weight loss benefits of green tea are
catechin polyphenols.
These compounds
interact with the other ingredients in Chinese green tea and promote
weight loss through thermogenesis.
The best part about
the weight loss benefits of green tea are the lack of any adverse
side-effects. Unlike other herbal products like ephedra and
prescription drugs for obesity, green tea does not increase heart rates
or raise blood pressure.
Now, it also
appears that green tea may act as a mild appetite-suppressant because
of the presence of caffeine.
Caffeine in
excessive amounts can cause heart palpitations, hypertension, and
insomnia. However, green tea contains only low levels of caffeine, so
the chance of experiencing these side-effects is minimal.
Chinese green tea
is an effective and much safer alternative to other weight loss
products which can cause harm to you.
A study conducted
by the University of Geneva on the weight loss benefit of green tea
found that it can also help thyroid patients.
According to
dietitian Lynn Moss, M.S., R.D., green tea is a healthier choice for
people with thyroid conditions who are sensitive to stimulants.
The tea can promote
weight loss by increasing metabolism without over stimulating the
adrenal glands.
Green
Tea discovered part 3- ->