Green Tea - Discover the Benefits Of This Super Antioxidant

"If we do not find time to take care of our health, we will
reluctantly have to find time for our illness"
-Hippocrates
Lately there's a lot of buzz in the news and online about
green tea and its' health benefits, particularly the role of
polyphenols in green tea.
Polyphenols are chemical compounds found in fruits,
vegetables and green tea and further divided into sub groups
called catechins. There are 4 major catechins in green tea
of which EGCG ((-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the
most potent and found in abundance in green tea.
This compound is dubbed the "super antioxidant" because it's
more powerful than the popular antioxidants Vitamin E &
Vitamin C. This super antioxidant eliminates free radicals,
the unstable molecules in the body that are the major cause
of both aging and disease, which continually attack the body
and leave the body vulnerable to disease.
All of which are vital for normal cellular function. They are highly reactive molecules; their activities cause damage to critical structures such as DNA, lipids and proteins. Free radicals indiscriminately kill cells, destroy enzymes and produce toxic chemicals which cause damage to cellular functions. Free radicals disrupt the biochemical processes within cells, and our body's natural defenses become compromised leading to illness.
Free radicals in the body are toxic forms of reactive oxygen
metabolites (ROM). It's ironic that on one hand oxygen
sustains us and on the other hand oxygen can be responsible
for much of the destruction and aging of our cells. Free
radicals are responsible for many ailments including but not
limited to aging, cancer, heart disease, stroke and
arthritis. Without an antioxidant line of defense, your
cells oxidize or breakdown faster thus speeding up the aging
process, it's the free radicals oxidative damage that makes
us age.
Since EGCG contained in green tea is a potent antioxidant it neutralizes free radicals and hence is responsible for the health promoting benefits listed below.
Lower total cholesterol and LDL (bad)-cholesterol levels
Increase HDL (good)-cholesterol levels
Reduce the risk of cancer
Reduce the risk of heart attack
Decrease the risk of stroke
Decrease the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis
Enhance immune function
Act as an antibacterial and antiviral agent
Help in weight loss
Boost longevity due to potent antioxidant properties
As mentioned above EGCG is believed to possess 100 times more potency as an antioxidant than vitamin C and at least 25 times more potency as an antioxidant than vitamin C and at least 25 times more potency as an antioxidant than vitamin C and at least 25 times more potency than Vitamin E and protects cells and DNA from damage believed to be linked to cancer, heart disease and other potentially fatal illnesses. One cup of green tea usually provides 100-300 mg of polyphenols and contains EGCG in high concentrations.
We're just now scratching the surface of what green tea has to offer, new studies come out constantly that provide data on the effectiveness of green tea can be attributed to polyphenols, particularly EGCG. Green tea has been used for centuries in China for the health benefits it provides.
Green tea comes in various dosage forms but the more popular
versions are the liquid forms and the patch. The patch seems
to be gaining in popularity due to the convenience factor
and delivery of the same amount of the active ingredient of
green tea at a constant rate. Place the patch on the skin
and wear it for 48 hours and replace it every other day. It
can't get any simpler than that :-)
As you can see EGCG is an important component of green tea
responsible for all of the health benefits listed above.
Recent studies also indicate green tea as being effective in
promoting weight loss.
Green tea is truly a 'wonder compound' with a large array
of benefits for improving
health. It's been around for thousands of years and now it
has finally been re-discovered
for our benefit.
For more information please visit the website.
(c)Mayur Vibhakar - All rights reserved.
Mayur Vibhakar is a health professional and editor of

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Oolong Tea - A Healthy Refreshing Drink

Green tea is often touted as a wonder drink providing all sorts of health benefits. Studies have shown that green tea can prevent cancer, lower blood pressure, boost the immune system and reduce hypertension. Although green tea gets the spotlight, many of these same health benefits can be attributed to all sorts of tea including oolong.
Tea is, after all, tea. The only difference between green, oolong, and black tea is the way it has been processed after harvesting. White tea is a little bit different because of the way it is grown, but all tea is from the same plant - Camelia sinensis. And this plant has naturally occurring antioxidants that are beneficial to human health.
Antioxidants are also present in other types of food such as nuts, fruits, vegetables, and wines. They are good for disease prevention by combating free radicals - substances in the body linked to cancer, Parkinson's disease, senile and drug-induced deafness, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's.
There are several components in tea that act as antioxidants including catechins, flavanoids, and polyphenols.
White, Green or Oolong?
Oolong tea is produced by allowing the tea leaves to oxidize for a short time after picking. Oxidation is the process which makes the leaves turn dark on exposure to oxygen. Oolong is semi-oxidized; black tea is fully oxidized; and green tea is un-oxidized.
Fresh tea leaves are high in catechins. Processing the tea reduces these levels, so the more the tea is oxidized the lower the catechin levels. This means that white tea has the highest levels of catechins closely followed by green tea.
Catechins are the media darling of green tea promoters and usually receive the most coverage when discussing the health benefits of tea. There is one point, however, which is often overlooked: As the levels of catechins decrease during oxidation, the levels of theaflavins and thearubigins increase.
These two substances are found in higher concentrations in oolong and black tea than in green tea and have anti-allergy, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. A 2001 Chinese study indicated that the antioxidant properties of green tea and black tea are equal.
So it appears that oxidation does not eliminate the health properties of tea, but simply reduces one type of antioxidant while increasing other health-promoting compounds.
So is Oolong Good for You?
It is safe to say that all tea is good for you, but since we are particularly interested in oolong, let's see what the medical literature has to say.
Diabetes - Oolong tea may be an effective adjunct to oral hypoglycemic agents in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Eczema - Japanese researchers reported that patients with a form of eczema improved after drinking a liter of oolong tea daily.
Allergies - Two catechin derivatives (C-1 and C-2) with potent antiallergic activity were isolated from Taiwanese oolong tea.
Bacterial infections - Oolong tea polyphenols strongly inhibited the enzyme activities of some types of streptococci.
Cavities - Oolong tea polyphenolic compounds could be useful for controlling dental caries.
Obesity - Consumption of oolong tea stimulates both EE and fat oxidation in normal weight men.
Cancer - Oolong tea extract has a chemopreventive action against hepatocarcinogenesis.
Great stuff! Drinking oolong tea will make you healthier, live longer, be more beautiful and have great teeth!
The Bottom Line
Drink oolong tea for your health, but don't lose sight of this simple fact - people have been drinking tea for thousands of years because it is a great tasting beverage. Sit back, relax, and savour the sensations as you sip this wonderful drink. It's good for the soul, and what's good for the soul is certainly good for the body.
__________________________________
References:
J. Agric. Food Chem., 47 (5), 1906 -1910, 1999. 10.1021/jf981114l S0021-8561(98)01114-5
Archives of Dermatology, January 2001
Diabetes Care 26:1714-1718, 2003
Appl Environ Microbiol. 1993 April; 59(4): 968-973.
131:2848-2852, November 2001 Nutr. The American Society for Nutritional Sciences J.
Caries Res. 1993;27(2):124-9.
Jpn J Cancer Res. 1996 Oct;87(10):1034-8.
Journal of Nutrition. 2001;131:2248-2251.
Copyright © 2006 by Ross MacIver
TeaFromTaiwan.com
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