How do you fit a miracle in a cup? For 4,000 years, the Chinese have been using green tea as a treatment for everything from headaches to depression. Today, studies are ongoing to produce hard evidence of the health benefits of green tea. The rich presence of catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the reason why green tea has so many health benefits.
A powerful antioxidant, EGCG appears to not only inhibit the growth of cancer cells but also destroy them without harming healthy cells. Green tea has been shown to lower cholesterol levels and improve the ratio between good (HDL) cholesterol and bad (LDL) cholesterol. The EGCG in green tea has also been linked to preventing blood from forming abnormal clots (thrombosis), a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes.
Green tea seems to have more health benefits than other Chinese teas such as oolong and black, all of which come from the plant Camellia sinensis. What makes green tea different is the process by which it is made. Green tea leaves are steamed, which keeps the EGCG from oxidizing. With oolong and black teas the leaves are fermented instead of steamed, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.
Aside from its medicinal value, green tea offers some other health benefits, especially in the area of weight loss. The link between green tea and weight loss has been quite well documented. Drinking green tea can cause a person to burn more calories. In November, 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.
Green tea is also destroys bacteria and can help prevent food poisoning. And even tooth decay! The compounds in green tea kill the bacteria that cause dental plaque to form.
Increasingly well known for its medicinal and health benefits, green tea appears to be nothing short of a miracle in a cup!