Benefits of Green Tea

What are some of the health benefits of green tea?

Some folks wondering about the benefits of green tea ask what is the difference between green tea and black tea.  Both of these teas, the green and a black tea are made from the same plant.  What differs is the way in which these teas are processed.  Green tea is made by taking freshly cut tea leaves and lightly steaming them. 

Black tea on the other hand is produced by allowing these tea leaves to first oxidize.  By allowing the leaves to first oxidize, certain enzymes which are present in the tea, convert what are called polyphenols to compounds which are much less potent.  It is these polyphenols which provides you with green tea's therapeutic action.  In other words these polyphenols are what provide the benefits of green tea.

By lightly steaming the green tea leaves, the oxidation process does not happen because steaming keeps these enzymes from activating and converting these polyphenols.  Studies have proven that green tea is very high in these polyphenols and provides you with potent antioxidant and anticancer properties.

The main polyphenols found in green tea are flavenoids.  There are a number of these flavenoids having big names with the flavenoid "epigallocatechin gallate" being viewed as the most significant of these active components.

Benefits of Green tea as Antioxidants

The polyphenols found in green tea are very strong and potent antioxidants.  It has been found in most studies that these compounds in green tea provide better antioxidant protection for your body than does vitamins C and vitamins E. It has also been found that the benefits of green tea might stimulate the activity of certain antioxidant enzymes in your liver, lungs, and small intestine.

It has also been found that green tea may help to reduce your LDL cholesterol and increase your HDL cholesterol.  This seems to suggest that the benefits of green tea may help to protect against atherosclerosis and heart disease.

Benefits of Green Tea and Cancer Prevention

Studies have found that the cancer rate is lower in Japan.  A major reason may be that the Japanese consume more green tea.  Studies and experiments conducted in labs and with animals seem to suggest that the polyphenols found in green tea may inhibit cancer.  This is thought to be done by preventing the formation of certain cancer-causing compounds. Of course these studies are preliminary and require further research but for now appear promising.

The benefits of green tea can be found as a beverage as well as capsule form. Keep in mind that both of these forms will contain caffein unless purchased in the decaffeinated versions. Caffein is a stimulant and should be avoided by folks with a history of cardiac arrhythmia and also by folks with heart palpitations. The consumption of caffein should also be avoided by women who are pregnant or who are breast feeding.

As always check with your health care professional.

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