What makes green tea special

The Chinese for instance, have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression. Today, scientific research in both Asia and the West is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. In 1994, the Journal of the National […]

The Chinese for instance, have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression.

Today, scientific research in both Asia and the West is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. In 1994, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. There is also a research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.

The secret of green tea lies in its rich catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. EGCG also inhibits the abnormal formation of blood clots. This is important when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Recent research shows that green tea extract is naturally rich in antioxidants, which helps protect the body from free radicals – naturally occurring particles in the body associated with accelerated ageing and an increased risk of major diseases. Exposure to pollution, smoking and excess sunlight increases the number of free radicals in the blood, but the potent antioxidants found in green tea add strong weight to the belief that green tea not only promotes good health but also makes you look younger.

One product that seems to have much promise in helping people to lose weight is green tea. In some studies, green tea has been shown to help regulate insulin and lower cholesterol. In addition, it is believed that green tea speeds up the metabolism, so that we burn fat faster, and can even turn off the receptors that make us want to eat.

The key to sustained weight loss is to lose weight slowly so that you are burning fat and not muscle. Green tea in weight loss promotes the burning of fat so that your muscles can stay strong.

Another factor to consider is that you do not want water loss from your body. If you do that it will simply return the minute you stop the diet and exercise. That’s why burning fat is so crucial.

Green tea is not a fast acting diet and one should use it in order to reach long term goals. It will help your metabolism. And with long term diet and exercise you will see more significant results than someone who only does exercise while dieting. Their metabolism will be more sluggish than those of a person using green tea for weight loss.

However, nearly all of the negative side effects of green tea are related to its caffeine content. Even though caffeine is also responsible for a few of the positive benefits, in some cases overconsumption can lead to: upset stomach, restlessness, irritability, sleeping problems. Similarly, some health organizations advise pregnant women to limit their caffeine consumption to 300 mg per day, as caffeine has been associated with an increased risk of miscarriage and low birth weights.

But again, taking one look at the health benefits that come from drinking green tea and you will want to say goodbye to coffee and soft drinks for good.