“All green tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, but the final
aromas and tastes differ depending on where the leaves are grown and
how they’re produced,” says Mary Lou Heiss, coauthor of The Tea
Enthusiast’s Handbook: A Guide to the World’s Best Teas.
Green tea has been used as a medicine for thousands of years,
originating in China but widely used throughout Asia this beverage
has a multitude of uses from lowering blood pressure to preventing
cancer. The reason that green tea has more health benefits attached
to it than black tea is (apparently) due to the processing. Black
tea is processed in a way that allows for fermentation whereas green
tea’s processing avoids the fermentation process. As a result, green
tea retains maximum amount of antioxidants and poly-phenols the
substances that give green tea its many benefits.
Weight Loss. Green tea increases the metabolism. The polyphenol found
in green tea works to intensify levels of fat oxidation and the rate
at which your body turns food into calories.
Diabetes. Green tea apparently helps regulate glucose levels slowing
the rise of blood sugar after eating. This can prevent high insulin
spikes and resulting fat storage.
Heart Disease. Scientists think, green tea works on the lining of
blood vessels, helping keep them stay relaxed and better able to
withstand changes in blood pressure. It may also protect against the
formation of clots, which are the primary cause of heart attacks.
Esophageal Cancer. It can reduce the risk of esophageal cancer, but
it is also widely thought to kill cancer cells in general without
damaging the healthy tissue around them.
Cholesterol. Green tea reduces bad cholesterol in the blood and
improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol.
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It is said to delay the deterioration
caused by Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Studies carried out on mice
showed that green tea protected brain cells from dying and restored
damaged brain cells.
Tooth Decay. Studies suggests that the chemical antioxidant
“catechin” in tea can destroy bacteria and viruses that cause throat
infections, dental caries and other dental conditions
Blood Pressure. Regular consumption of green tea is thought to
reduce the risk of high blood pressure.
Depression. Theanine is an amino acid naturally found in tea leaves.
It is this substance that is thought to provide a relaxing and
tranquilizing effect and be a great benefit to tea drinkers.
Anti-viral and Anti-bacterial. Tea catechins are strong
antibacterial and antiviral agents which make them effective for
treating everything from influenza to cancer. In some studies green
tea has been shown to inhibit the spread of many diseases.
