Monday, May 14, 2012

Green Tea - Health Benefits

Green tea has been drunk by people for hundreds of years. You must be aware that there are three main types of tea. Green, black and oolong differ from each other only in the processing techniques. Unfermented tea leaves are used to make Green tea. This particular tea has a high percentage of a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants help the body get rid of free radicals, elements that exist in our body and are responsible for the process of ageing.   Free radicals are also believed to be responsible for the creation of various health problems like cancer and diseases of the heart. Green tea contains an antioxidant named polyphenol which can help it neutralize the effect of free radicals.  

A variety of studies carried out on the possible benefits of drinking green tea have revealed that drinking green tea can help you lower the total cholesterol and raise the HDL in your body. Regularly drinking green tea will also help prevent cancer, control blood sugar and also help you to lose weight.

Tea - a health drink; if I had said it some years before the introduction of GREEN TEA you all might had called me crazy or mad. But now green tea needs not any introduction. We came to knew about this green tea very late. But it's true that Chinese people were well aware about green tea from ancient time. In china there is a proverb that "Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea of one" They were using the tea as a cure of headache to depression. Now it has spread to all parts of the world & became synonymous to health drink. Over the last few decades green tea has undergone many scientific and medical studies to determine the extent of its long health benefits. Some evidence suggests that regular green tea drinkers may have lower chances of heart disease and contracting certain types of cancer. Green tea is supposed to be helpful in various health disorders also
·         Rheumatoid arthritis
·         High cholesterol levels
·         Cardiovascular disease
·         Infection
·         Impaired immune function

Green tea is the super tea as it is least processed and provides the most antioxidant polyphenols, notably a catechin called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which is responsible for most of the health benefits.
1.    It not just inhibits the growth of cancer cells but also helps in killing those dangerous cells without harming any healthy cell. The greenish-yellow tea has a green, slightly astringent flavor close to the taste of the fresh leaf.

2.    Green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol. Moreover, it inhibits the abnormal formation of blood clots which is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke. Green tea represses angiotensin II which leads to high blood pressure & reduces the possibilities of heart attacks.

3.    Green tea can even help in preventing tooth decay. As the bacteria destroying abilities of green tea helps in preventing food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that cause dental plaque.

4.    Green tea drinkers have lower risk for a wide range of diseases, from simple bacterial or viral infections to chronic disease including cardiovascular disease, stroke, periodontal disease, and osteoporosis.

5.    Green tea helps a lot in lowering down the sugar level in a body so its very god for a person who is suffering from diabetes. It will help them in controlling their sugar level without any extra effort. The polyphenols present in green tea extract reduces the amount of amylase produced by conversion of starch into sugar and hence the levels of sugar in the blood also decrease.

6.    One of the great advantages of drinking green tea is still there & I know after listing about this reason you will surely have a hot green tea. That advantage is weight loss. All those who want to be slim, smart & gorgeous will enjoy the green tea because it is natural & don't have any side effect.

7.    As green tea helps in burning the fat & increasing metabolism naturally due to the presence of catechin polyphenols. It lowers down the cholesterol & enhances fat oxidation.

8.    Moreover weight is gained as excess sugars and fats are stored in the body as fat cells. Green tea catechin helps in preventing obesity by inhibiting the movement of glucose in fat cells.

9.    EGCG - a powerful antioxidant with positive qualities is important for any weight reduction program but the balanced diet & regular exercise is also must. Presence of EGCG in green tea makes it more important for any health disorder.

10.  Green tea acts as an antibacterial and antiviral agent. It also helps in getting relief from influenza and diarrhea. It relieves stress, improves bone structure and delays the onset of osteoporosis.

11.  As all other tea it helps in getting relief from depression & headache which is a usual problem of a common man in this busy world.

Green tea is a very useful variety of tea & I know a good poet can write a poem to praise it. I started using it & I am quite sure that you are also making decision to try it out. If yet not decided, decide it fast to get the advantage as earlier as possible & get rid of all your problems.

Green tea is a wonderful beverage with potential health benefits. But if you're not familiar with a few basic techniques, you can wind up with a tea that's grassy, bitter, or just too strong. Here's how to get a perfect cup of green tea:
·         Determine how many cups of green tea you would want to make. The original guideline for brewing is one teaspoon (5 g) of green tea leaves (or pearls) per one cup of water. This will yield one cup of brewed tea

·         Measure out the desired amount of green tea leaves (or pearls) and place them in your tea strainer or sieve.

·         Fill a non-reactive pot or pan (glass or stainless steel) with water and heat it to about 180 °F (80 °C). You can use a candy thermometer to watch the temperature, but if you don't have one, then keep an eye on the water so that it doesn't boil.

·         Place the filled tea strainer or sieve into an empty mug or cup.

·         Pour the heated water into the mug, over the tea leaves.

·         Steep the tea leaves for 2 - 3 minutes but not any longer, or else your tea will become slightly bitter.

·         Remove the tea strainer from the mug.

·         Let your tea cool down for a few moments and enjoy your perfect cup of green tea.


Author: Dr. Idris Modi

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