If there is a beverage that offers more health benefits than pure, filtered water (ideally with one-fourth teaspoon of sea salt mixed in), I haven’t found it. But running a close second to water is green tea.
Green tea comes from the same plant as the regular tea you find but it is processed differently. Rather than undergoing a process of fermentation — which raises the levels of caffeine and tannin in the tea — green tea leaves are dried or steamed without being fermented.
In 1211 A.D., the Buddhist monk Eisai wrote about the healing wonder of green tea in his book, Maintaining Health by Drinking Tea. Green tea, like all true tea, comes from the leaves of the camellia sinensis tree. And 90 percent of the world’s supply of tea is still produced in China.
What makes green tea so powerful are compounds called catechins and polyphenols, which occur naturally in plants and works as antioxidants. Polyphenols work to protect the body from the oxidative stress that causes diseases. Specifically, the polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is an extremely powerful antioxidant. EGCG antioxidant activity is more powerful than the antioxidants found in vitamins C and E.
Perhaps this is why green tea has been linked to a lower risk for diseases that cause functional disability, including stroke, cognitive impairment, and osteoporosis. In fact, in one study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition — researchers looked at nearly 14,000 Japanese people ages 65 years and older. Those who drank the most green tea were found least likely to develop functional disability. For those who consumed at least five cups of green tea a day, only about 7 percent had any functional disability.
Green tea also provides vitamins, minerals and amino acids; promotes the growth of good probiotic bacteria; protects the gastrointestinal tract against cancer-causing agents and may help prevent ulcers.
I could write all day about green tea’s benefits and still miss some. But here are a few more that should convince you that a cup (or three or four cups) of green tea should be part of your daily routine.
- Green tea reduces glucose by inhibiting the secretion of an enzyme that slows down the absorption of glucose in the bloodstream which, in turn, helps in the control of type 2 diabetes. It also helps in weight loss by increasing the body’s metabolism. This promotes faster consumption of stored body fat.
- Green tea improves the pancreas’ functions, allowing it to be more efficient in regulating insulin levels and better absorb and neutralize sugar.
- Beneficial properties found in green tea may help protect against glaucoma and other common eye diseases. Researchers concluded that eye structures are in fact capable of absorbing significant amounts of individual catechins from green tea. The beneficial effects of antioxidants found in green tea lasted in the eye for up to 20 hours.
- If you drink three to four cups of tea (better herb teas) per day, you could reduce the risk of diabetes by 25 percent. And green tea can reduce the risk of depression by 44 percent if you drink four or more cups daily.
- Scientists at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) carried out two impressive studies. The first shows that a cup of tea — specifically green tea — not only reduces the severity of Rheumatoid Arthritis but also, in some cases, prevents it altogether.
- Taking a green tea break not only helps melt away tensions, but it’s also a great source of the amino acid l-theanine which promotes a sense of calm and improves one’s mood.
- Green tea’s compounds help protect your body’s cells from damage and fight off disease. Green tea may lower your odds of getting heart disease and can help fight certain kinds of cancer — skin, breast, lung and colon.
Researchers from the Chung Shan Medical University in Taichung, Taiwan, found that respondents who drank at least one cup of green tea per day had a five-fold lower risk of developing lung cancer than those who did not.
Among smokers, participants who consumed a minimum of one cup of green tea every day had a 13-fold lower risk than those who drank no tea.
Green tea has been shown to slow down cancer growth. In 2003, scientists at the University of Rochester’s Environmental Health Science Center found that two chemicals in green tea similar to the bioflavonoids — epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG) and epic ate — chin-3-gallate (EGC) — inhibit the activity of a key molecule that becomes toxic when exposed to tobacco smoke.
It was found in 2004 that two to three cups of green tea have enough active EGCG to bind to a protein found on the surface of lung cancer cells and dramatically slow down its growth.
- Scientists from Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan, investigated the impact of green tea consumption on male participants aged 49-59 with varying levels of periodontal disease.
They observed that for every one cup of green tea consumed per day, there was a decrease in three symptoms of the condition, including periodontal pocket depth, clinical attachment loss of gum tissue and bleeding on probing of the gum tissue.
- If you’re a fan of sprays, mints and mouthwashes to freshen your breath — you might be surprised to know that green tea works even better.
Bad breath is caused when bacteria in your mouth break down proteins to form sulfur compounds. Breath fresheners are used to either eliminate the odor of these compounds or stop them from forming.
Japanese researchers found that toothpaste simply removed the odor. And gum, mints and parsley oil didn’t hold a candle to green tea powder. It successfully cut odor and stopped the production of sulfur compounds. They chalk it up to a chemical in the tea with antioxidant properties.
- The easiest way to optimal blood pressure is with green tea.
A major cause of a rise in systolic blood pressure (the top number) is an enzyme secreted by the kidneys called angiotension-converting enzyme (ACE). Green tea is a natural ACE inhibitor, and several medical studies show lowered blood pressure of between 4 and 5 mmHg in both animals and humans given green tea extracts.
Simple reductions like these mean many benefits for your overall health: A 14 percent decreased risk of stroke; 9 percent decreased risk of coronary heart disease; 7 percent decreased risk of death from any cause.
A study at the University of Arizona Cancer Center found green tea to be especially beneficial to women with regard to lowering blood pressure.
- Green tea can boost stamina and endurance and its antioxidants help with muscle recovery after exercise.
- Green tea is good for overall oral health. It controls bacteria, lowers the acidity of saliva and it has been found to outperform mints, chewing gum and parsley-seed oil for helping keep breath fresh, according to a study by the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Dentistry.
It also improved gum health, according to a German study; and research in Japan published in 2010 found that men and women who drink one or more cups of green tea daily were more likely keep their teeth.
I buy raw cinnamon bark and boil several sticks while brewing green tea loaded with fresh mint leaves. Drinking this brew forces blood pressure down and greatly helps reduce insulin resistance. It is a great drink — cold or hot.
There are two things you should be aware of. The first is that, also regarding women, taking iron supplements can reduce the effectiveness of drinking green tea because the catechins will bind to the iron molecules.
The second is that studies show it is decaffeinated green tea that can significantly lower blood pressure, and improve endothelial function, which also relaxes blood vessels and contributes to cardiovascular health.
Green tea can be consumed hot or cold, but I prefer it hot. Warm beverages taken with meals help improve digestion. Cold beverages with a meal cause the body to work harder to warm the liquids, making them take longer to digest and assimilate.
Bob Livingston
