AMAZING HEALTH BENEFITS OF GREEN TEA

Green Tea & Health Benefits :-

Tea is considered the most consumed beverage in the world behind water, however 78% of the tea consumed worldwide is black and only about 20% is green.

All types of tea except herbal tea are brewed from the dried leaves of the Camellia sinensis bush. The level of oxidation of the leaves determines the type of tea.

Green tea is made from un-oxidized leaves and is one of the less processed types of tea (with white tea the least) and therefore contains one of the most antioxidants and beneficial polyphenols.

Green tea was used in traditional Chinese , Indian & Pakistan  medicine to control bleeding and heal wounds, aid digestion, improve heart and mental health and regulate body temperature.Recent studies have shown green tea can potentially have positive effects on everything from weight loss to liver disorders to type 2 diabetes.

Green tea, native to China , India& pakistan  has been consumed and hailed for its health benefits for centuries globally, but has only recently gained popularity in the US ,UK ets.

Possible health benefits of green tea:-

Listed below are the possible health benefits associated with green tea:

1.Cancer

According to the National Cancer Institute, the polyphenols in tea have been shown to decrease tumor growth in laboratory and animal studies and may protect against damage caused by ultraviolet UVB radiation.

Green tea is becoming increasingly popular in the US.

In countries where green tea consumption is high cancer rates tend to be lower, but it is impossible to know for sure whether it is the green tea that prevents cancer in these specific populations or other lifestyle factors.

One large-scale clinical study compared green tea drinkers with non-drinkers and found that those who drank the most tea were less likely to develop pancreatic cancer, particularly women, who were 50% less likely to develop the disease.

Studies have also shown the positive impacts of green tea on breast, bladder, ovarian, colorectal, esophageal, lung, prostate, skin and stomach cancer.

Researchers believe that it is the high level of polyphenols in tea that help kill cancerous cells and stop them from growing, however the exact mechanisms by which tea interacts with cancerous cells is unknown.

Other studies have shown a lack of preventative effects of tea on cancer. The amount of tea required for cancer-preventive effects has also varied widely in studies - from 2- 10 cups per day.

In 2005, the FDA stated that "there is no credible evidence to support qualified health claims for green tea consumption and a reduced risk of gastric, lung, colon/rectal, esophageal, pancreatic, ovarian, and combined cancers.

2.Heart Disease

A 2006 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that green tea consumption is associated with reduced mortality due to all causes, including cardiovascular disease.

The study followed over 40,000 Japanese participants between the ages of 40 and 79 for 11 years, starting in 1994.

The participants who drank at least 5 cups of green tea per day had a significantly lower risk of dying (especially from cardiovascular disease) than those who drank less than one cup of tea per day.

Another study found that consuming 10 cups of green tea per day can lower total cholesterol, however, consuming 4 cups or less had no effect on cholesterol levels.

3.Type 2 Diabetes

Studies concerning the relationship between green tea and diabetes have been inconsistent. Some have shown a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes for green tea drinkers than for those who consumed no tea, while other studies have found no association between tea consumption and diabetes at all.

4.Weight Loss

Green tea may promote a small, non-significant weight loss in overweight and obese adults; however, since the weight lost in the studies were so minimal, it is unlikely that green tea is clinically important for weight loss.

Other studies have found that green tea is helpful in preventing dental cavities, stress, chronicfatigue, treating skin conditions and improving arthritis by reducing inflammation.

Recent developments on the health benefits of green tea:-

Green tea or coffee may reduce stroke risk. Drinking green tea or coffee on a regular basis is associated with a reduced risk of stroke, according to a study published in the journal Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Green tea may help fight prostate cancer. British researchers have scientifically proven that broccoli, turmeric, green tea and pomegranate help fight the most common cancer in men in the United States and the United Kingdom - prostate cancer.

Green tea may boost our working memory. New research published in the journal Psycho pharmacology suggests green tea can enhance our brain's cognitive functions, particularly the working memory.⁷

Green tea component upsets cancer cell metabolism. A study reveals how an active component of green tea disrupts the metabolism of cancer cells in pancreatic cancer, offering an explanation for its effect on reducing risk of cancer and slowing its progression. The researchers believe the discovery signals a new approach to studying cancer prevention.