Why you should be drinking green tea

Why you should be drinking green tea

by Dan McCarthy

 

 

Green tea is said to be the healthiest drink on the planet. It’s the healthiest thing I can think of to drink,” says Christopher Ochner, PhD. He’s a research scientist in nutrition at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital. “Green tea is beyond a super food.(1) Originating in China, it has spread all over the Asian continent and is now drank throughout the world by many people seeking to take advantage of its powerful anti-oxidative and anti-carcinogenic properties.

 

 

Anti-oxidative and Anti Carcinogenic properties

Green tea has very high amounts of polyphenols like flavonoids and catechins which all operate as anti-oxidants. The role of these anti-oxidants is to reduce the amount of free radicals in the body. Free radicals can cause cell damage and are often the catalyst in the aging process and many other diseases. Green tea was studied and was shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer by 22% in women! For men, the results were even better! Men who drank green tea regularly had a 48% less risk of getting prostate cancer, that’s almost reducing your risk by half! There was also a study done on 69,710 Chinese women and the green tea drinkers had a 57% lower risk of developing colorectal cancer. So to sum it up, drinking green tea may significantly reduce your risk of getting cancer and prevent cell damage related to aging.

 

Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Improved Dental Health, Type II Diabetes, Cholesterol and Bacterial Killer

As I mentioned before, the polyphenols found in green tea may be a preventative measure, as well as a treatment for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease in humans and a leading cause of dementia The polyphenols work to protect dopaminergic neurons from malfunctioning.(2)

The catechins in Green Tea have been proven to kill bacteria and even inhibit the growth of the influenza virus lowering your risk of infection. Streptococcus mutans is the primary harmful bacteria in the mouth that causes plaque, tooth decay, and cavities.  Green tea can also reduce bad breath!

Green tea can also help with Type II diabetes which affects over 300 million people worldwide it reduces insulin sensitivity and reduces blood sugar levels. One study found that you have a 42% lower risk of developing type II diabetes.

Green tea has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol level and prevents the LDL from oxidization; green tea drinks have a 31% lower chance of cardiovascular disease.

 

Weight Loss

People have shown to have lost weight while taking green tea extract. Like with anything else, you have to maintain a decent diet and exercise routine. Also, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. In large doses of green tea extract liver damage can occur. It’s important to follow the recommendations on the bottle found at your local drug store.

 

The green tea verdict

Green tea is a must in your daily diet. It is loaded with all the health benefits and anti-oxidants you need to stay healthy and ward off diseases. It is the closest thing to a miracle herb there is! For dosing I recommend having two cups of caffeinated green tea and two cups of decaf green tea. The higher the quality of the tea, the more polyphenols it will contain, and the better the results. The local health food stores may sell green tea leaves which would be ideal for consumption. Also, keep the water of your tea about 160-180 degrees for maximum benefit and to not kill off all the polyphenols. You can also add lemon to your tea for added vitamin C!

See you at tea time!

 

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_tea(1)

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/health-benefits-of-green-tea

http://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-green-tea/(2)