Green tea is packed with so many antioxidants that are good for your health.
These benefits of green tea include improved brain function, fat loss, lower the risk of cancer and many other benefits.
More than 25,000 peer reviewed articles on PubMed have evaluated the health benefits of green tea!
The main group of antioxidants in green tea are known as ‘green tea polyphneols’ or ‘green tea catechins’.
What are catechins?
Catechins are polyphenols (i.e. a ring with an –OH group on it) and are a part of the family of antioxidant flavonoids.
Here are some health benefits that you might want to know about green tea so you can answer the question ‘what is in green tea that is good for you?’:
Green Tea is rich in bioactive compounds
– Green tea contains bioactive compounds that function as powerful antioxidants.
– EGCG (epigallocatchin-3-gallate) has been studied for health promoting properties for decades.
– Green Tea has a history of going back 1000’s of years
Green tea improves brain function
– Green tea contains caffeine, not as much as coffee, but can stimulate the brain.
– Green tea blocks the inhibitory neurotransmitter adenosine.
Green Tea increases fat burning
– Green tea has been shown to increase fat burning and boos metabolism in different clinical trials.
– One study showed fat oxidation increased by 17%! (1)
Green Tea may lower your risk of many different cancers
– Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world.
– A key event early in cancer development is caused by oxidative stress. Antioxidants under certain conditions can help decrease oxidative stress.
– Population based studies have observed a 22% lower risk of developing breast cancer in women (2) and a 48% lower risk of developing prostate cancer (3).
Green tea lowers risk of Alzheimer’s
– Green tea compounds have been shown in the laboratory to protect neurons potentially lowering the risk of Parkinson’s
Green tea may reduce risk of cardiovascular disease
– Risk factors for heart disease include high total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (sometimes referred to as the bad cholesterol), and triglycerides have been shown in clinical trials to be improved with green tea. (4)
– Green tea does improve the antioxidant capacity of the blood. This is important because it protects LDL particles from oxidation which leads to heart disease.
– Green tea drinkers in one study have shown up to a 31% lower risk of cardiovascular disease! (5)
Take away message: A little bit of green tea over decades can go a long way!!! If you haven’t started now is a great time to add green tea to your daily routine as one more tool for better health. If you have always thought green tea tastes ‘bitter’ don’t forget the temperature of the water matters. Green tea should be brewed for about 1-2 minutes in water that is about 175 degrees F while black tea is brewed in boiling water (212 degrees F). By using water that is not boiling the tannins or bitter part do not come out of the green tea.
References:
- Amerocan Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008; Volume 87 (Issue 3): pages 778-84.
- Carcinogenesis. 2006 ; Volume 27 (Issue 7): pages 1310-5.
- American Journal of Epidemiology. 2008; Volume 167 (Issue 1): Pages 71-7.
- Nutrition Research. 2008; Voolume 28 (Issue 7): pages 450-6.
- Journal of Nutrition. 2008; Volume 138 (Issue 8): Pages 1548S-1553S.
His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.
Categories: Antioxidant, Body weight, Cholesterol, Heart, Plant Medicine, Weight loss