Protecting Your Heart - Green Tea and Green Tea Extract

Studies have concluded recently that including Green Tea and/or Green Tea Extract into your diet may be very wise regarding your heart health. Currently, heart disease is the number 1 killer of US citizens so understanding how green tea or green tea extract works in your system to defend against coronary illness may be extremely valuable information for many.
Studies have shown that green tea can combat heart disease in few ways:
Green Tea Extract Can Reduce Cholesterol
Recent studies at the "Cedars-Sinai Medical Center" have supported this . Of course, knowing that you should keep your arteries clear from bad cholesterol is nothing new, yet many people are unaware that drinking green tea can be a totally effective and safe way to accomplish this. Green tea's powerful antioxidant properties can reduce plaque build up ( bad cholesterol or "Low density lipoproteins (LDL)" ) in the arteries which can directly cause heart attack and stroke.
Another relatively recent ( 2003 )12 week study from the "Archives of Internal Medicine" showed that participants taking green tea extract had a drop in "bad" cholesterol of 15% and their "total" cholesterol fell by 10%.
Green Tea Can Reduce Cell Damage
The powerful component in Green tea and green tea extract "EGCG" has the amazing ability to speed recovery of damaged cells. During a stroke or heart attack many cells are damaged due to lack of oxygen to the brain, and much of the cell damage is irreversible which is known as "cell death". Green Tea's powerful antioxidant properties can reduce the level of cell death that occurs after heart attack and stroke.
A cup of green tea provides upwards of 40mg of polyphenols ( catechin group) and has antioxidant activity greater than a serving of broccoli, spinach, carrots or strawberries. EGCG is a powerful catechin, a biological compound produced in green tea that is responsible for the amazing inherent antioxidant properties which are so beneficial.
How much Green Tea is Effective?
While there is no RDA for Green tea or Green tea extract since it's not considered an essential nutrient it has been reported that taking about 240-320mg daily is beneficial to overall heart health. This benefit can be derived from drinking about 4 cups of green tea daily or taking one 300mg green tea extract capsule daily. There is no difference in potency; the extract is recommended for those who may not like to drink tea but still want the powerful health benefits.
So, drinking just a few cups of green tea daily could become part of your heart disease prevention routine, along with a sane diet plan and exercise you should surely be much more healthy and of course, feel great. It's very low cost, has virtually no side effects (there is 40mg of caffeine in 8 oz cup of tea, much less than coffee however) is totally natural and is delicious hot or cold!
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Green Tea lowers cholesterol
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Can Green Tea Protect Against Atherosclerosis?

Out of control cholesterol is a leading contributor to heart disease, blood clots and stroke. One of the things that all of us should be concerned with in our quest to live long and healthy lives is our cholesterol levels. Heart disease and high cholesterol are some of the most prevalent health concerns in our country today.
High levels of this type of cholesterol are too low, the bad cholesterol is allowed to take over. HDL cholesterol actually carries bad cholesterol away from the heart and deposits it to the liver so that it can pass from the body. HDL cholesterol or (high density lipoproteins) is what we refer to as "good cholesterol".

Cholesterol comes in two forms.
It is this process that turns the LDL into plaque. Part of the "hardening" process in LDL is what is known as peroxidation. When an artery is blocked, this can cause heart attack or stroke.

These narrowed arteries make it for a clot to cause a blockage. This is what we call atherosclerosis. It forms plaque, a hard substance that clogs the arteries. When too much LDL circulates in the blood, it can build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. LDL cholesterol (low density lipoproteins) is the "bad cholesterol".
See your doctor for a blood test to determine your cholesterol levels. If you fall into this category, you may need medication along with lifestyle changes to get your cholesterol under control. You can significantly affect your cholesterol levels by with lifestyle choices; though some people are just genetically inclined to have high LDL levels.

It's critical for all of us to know our cholesterol levels and make sure that we have high levels of HDL and low levels of LDL.
How Can I Improve My Cholesterol Levels?
Here are the basics If you know that your cholesterol numbers could use some improvement, there are many things you can do to improve those numbers.
Exercise - Just 30 minutes of walking, 3-5 times a week can help bring your cholesterol numbers in line.
Taking the weight off can improve these numbers. Lose weight if you're overweight - Overweight people tend to have higher LDL levels.
Don't smoke - Smoking contributes to high LDL levels and to low HDL levels.
Managing Your Diet
Diet is the most important factor in controlling your cholesterol levels. Whether or not you need to lose weight, a healthy diet is critical to maintaining good cholesterol levels. Here are the diet basics you should follow.
Use egg substitutes or egg whites rather than egg yolks. Opt for chicken, fish and turkey more often; beef and pork just once or twice a week. Reduce the amount of red meat in your diet.
Choose low fat cheese, yogurt and sour cream.
Oatmeal and whole wheat are great options. Increase your whole grains - Replace simple, white flower based products with whole grains.
For the highest levels of anti-oxidants, be sure to eat your share of blueberries, red beans, artichokes and tomatoes. They are also filled with anti-oxidants, which can prevent disease by combating our body's free radicals. They fill you up on fewer calories, so you can eat less and lose weight. Increase your fruits and vegetables - Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins and fiber.
These good fats can help raise your HDL levels, without elevating your LDL levels in the process. Use olive oil, flaxseed oil and canola oil as your primary fats. Stay away from anything that contains "trans fats". Use good fats - We all need fat in our diets, but the types of fat we choose are important.
There have been many studies that have concluded that green tea's anti-oxidants have a powerful influence in preventing heart disease. Green tea is rich in anti-oxidants, just like fruits and vegetables. Add Green Tea to your diet - Green tea is one of the most under-recognized health protectors.
In this study, some mice were fed a diet high in saturated fats and other products known to raise bad cholesterol. The University of Shizuoka in Japan conducted a study on green tea and its ability to prevent atherosclerosis. One study, in particular is worth noting.
After about eight weeks, the mice who were fed green tea showed significantly less propensity to have atherosclerosis.* While the high level of LDL could still be spotted in the blood, it was not being converted to plaque.
So, even when the diet was higher than normal in "bad cholesterol" foods, the green tea seemed to prevent this cholesterol in the blood from turning into artery blocking plaque. The study concluded that green tea has the ability, likely because of its high anti-oxidant level, to prevent the peroxidation of the LDLs.
However, it does indicate that green tea may be highly effective at preventing the bad cholesterol that we do ingest from turning into arterial plaque. Now, this doesn't mean that it's ok to eat a diet high in fat and cholesterol and rely on green tea to take care of the problem.
It may give you an extra edge to winning the cholesterol battle! But, it's also wise to add green tea to your diet. So, for the best plan for preventing heart disease and stroke, it's wise to follow a low cholesterol diet, maintain a healthy weight and get regular exercise.
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Many Health Benefits of Green Tea

As you may know, the benefits of green tea may include:
Lowers total cholesterol and LDL (bad)-cholesterol levels
Increases HDL (good)-cholesterol levels
Reduces blood pressure
Lowers blood sugar
Acts as "blood thinner"
Reduces the risk of cancer
Reduces the risk of heart attack
Decreases the risk of stroke
Decrease the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis
Protects against Parkinson's disease
Enhances immune function
Acts as an antibacterial and antiviral agent
Helps burn extra calories
Prevents dental cavities and gum disease
Builds stronger bones
Boosts longevity
Green Tea - Increase Metabolism Naturally
A University of Geneva medical study showed that over a 24-hour period, green tea extract increases the metabolic rate by 4%. This increase in fat oxidation was higher than in subjects who used a placebo or caffeine. In addition, this stimulation of thermogenesis and fat oxidation by the green tea extract was not accompanied by an increase in heart rate. Thus, green tea extract has a distinct advantage over stimulant diet drugs, which can have adverse cardiovascular effects, especially for obese individuals with hypertension and other cardiovascular complications. The Green Tea 300 Weight Loss System provides a safe way to burn fat for healthy weight loss.
Green Tea - Suppress Appetite Safely
Scientists at the University of Chicago have found that green tea caused rats to lose up to 21 percent of their body weight. Rats injected with a green tea extract lost their appetites and consumed up to 60 percent less food after seven days of daily injections. The lead scientist on the study explained that a person would have to drink green tea almost constantly to obtain these results. Thus, the Green Tea 300 Weight Loss System was designed to provide the constant supply of high potency green tea needed to achieve these weight loss results.
Green Tea and Polyphenols
Unfortunately, polyphenols have a quick life span (short half life) of about 3 hours, thus the scientific reason behind researchers' recommendation to drink green tea a minimum of 8 times a day. This super antioxidant eliminates free radicals, the unstable molecules in the body that are the major cause of both aging and disease, which are continually attacking the body. EGCG, the most abundant and powerful of green tea's 5 main catechins, is dubbed the 'super antioxidant' because it is 200 times more powerful than the popular antioxidant vitamin E.

Just one example is a subgroup of polyphenols, exclusive to green tea, called catechins. These extremely high levels of polyphenols deliver green tea's unique results in several ways. Green Tea is the #1 source of polyphenols, chemical compounds found in fruits and vegetables.
So try green tea today to take advantage of what many people have already discovered and live a happier healthier life.

Anti-Aging Benefits of Green Tea

If you want to look and feel younger without prescription drugs or surgery something as simple as adding green tea to your diet may be an effective option. This very simple yet effective and tasty drink may very well reverse some of the more visible signs of aging!
Studies have indicated that green tea's powerful combination of biological compounds, called polyphenols which has a subgroup called "catechins" are extremely effective at destroying free radicals which can help reverse the aging process.
The most powerful of these catechins is a compound called EGCG. This is a natural antioxidant found in green tea or green tea extract which has 25-100 times the potency of vitamin C or E.
Here is one very interesting example. There is strong evidence supporting the notion that drinking green tea may reduce the risk of neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's.
Healthy cells exposed to "amlyoid", a protein highly linked to Alzheimer's, rapidly died ( a condition called "cell death" ) due to the high toxicity of this protein. On the other hand, cells exposed to amlyoid and then exposed to green tea extracts containing catechins survived.
These amazing findings are too powerful to be ignored and give strong support to the notion that consuming green tea or green tea extract may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
There are many other anti-aging benefits related to drinking green tea such as: Reducing age spots, clarifying the skin, protecting against the suns UV rays, lowering LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol)…
Green tea does contain caffine, which could be related to insomnia, anxiety, or other symptoms caused by the caffeine content naturally present in green tea. There is no real downside to moderate sensible tea consumption. More good news!
One cup beverage contains about 50-100 mg of polyphenols, depending on the quantity and quality of tea leaves used. A recommended dosage would be 300-400 mg of polyphenols daily to fully realize the anti-aging properties of green tea or green tea extract.
With every enjoyable cup you're doing your mind and body a favor - slowing the aging process the easy way! Compared to most artificially sweetend, overly processed and overpriced beverages out there today, you can't find a more healthy substance to put into your body than green tea.

Eleven Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea is known to provide 10-40mg of polyphenols and has antioxidant activity greater than a serving of spinach, broccoli, carrots, or strawberries. Studies show that green tea contains antioxidants, polyphenols, theanine, as well as a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Green tea is definitely good for your body.
Enhances Health
Tea is known for its incredible power to prolong life. In recent research into green tea, results show its power in preventing disease as well.
Prevents Cancer
The death rate from cancer is known to be significantly lower for both women & men in Japan. Why is this you may ask? As much as 5-6 cups daily are consumed in areas that produce green tea, making it the main beverage to drink. This suggests that the main ingredients of green tea (tannin, catechin); in sufficient amounts lower the standard mortality rates for stomach cancer.
Restricts Blood Cholesterol
There are two types of cholesterol, one is "bad" cholesterol (LDL), and heavy accumulation of these in tissues can lead to atherosclerosis. The other is good cholesterol (HDL) that prevents accumulation of excessive "bad" cholesterol. It has been proven and demonstrated that green tea catechin restricts the excessive buildup of cholesterol.
Controls High Blood Pressure
Green tea is known for lowering blood pressure. High blood pressure is a serious burden on the vascular system and is known to cause heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases.
Lowers Blood Sugar
Green teas given to diabetes patients cause a decrease in the blood glucose levels. Green Tea has the capability of lowering blood sugar. The sugars and carbohydrates in our food are digested mainly in the duodenum, where it is converted to glucose and then absorbed into the blood stream.
The agent that regulates the intake of blood sugar continues for a long period, it will affect the vascular system and cause serious diseases including arteriosclerosis and retinal hemorrhages.
Suppresses Aging
Oxygen plays a key role in metabolism, but can also be an unhealthful agent. As a free radical, oxygen in the body can corrode cell membranes, which will damage DNA and the fats. This then leads to diseases such as cancer, cardio-vascular disease and diabetes. Lipid peroxide created by fats combined with oxygen tends to build up in the body and create aging.
Consumption of antioxidants such as vitamins E and C promises longer life, and we already know that green teas are rich in those two vitamins.
Refreshes the Body
Green tea caffeine taken in proper quantity stimulates every organ in the body and clears your mind. The small amount of caffeine (about 9 mgs of caffeine) present in a normal serving of green tea can stimulate the skeletal muscles and smooth the progress of muscular contraction.
Deters Food Poisoning
It has long been known that green tea has the ability to kill bacteria and is known to deter food poisoning. Treating diarrhea with consumption of strong green tea. Green tea is a powerful sterilizing instrument for all sorts of bacteria that cause food poisoning.
Prevents and Treats Skin Disease
Soaking in green tea has been successful as a treatment for athlete's foot. Bedsores and skin disease can be prevented or healed by using a green tea bath.
Stops Cavities
It has been known for some time that small amounts of fluorine can strengthen teeth and help prevent cavities. Green tea contains natural fluorine and is thought to aid in the reduction of cavities in schoolchildren.
Fights Viruses
Green tea catechin and theaflavin, which are both present in black tea, have a strong effect on the flu virus. It is also thought that the anti viral capability of green tea catechin may have some beneficial effect on the AIDS virus.
Additional Information
· Green Tea drinkers appear to enjoy better health.
· Catechin is 100 times more potent than vitamin E.
· Green Tea drinkers have half the risk of fatal heart attacks. Compounds in the tea called flavonoids stop blood platelets from forming clots, much like aspirin does.
For more information, visit
http://www.TeaInfoCenter.com

13 Health Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea has been enjoyed by people in China and Japan for thousands of years. Over the time it has become widely known in the West.
I want you to have exactly the same feeling I have, so here are the benefits that you get while sipping delicious cup of tea. I not only enjoy the taste of it but I also get the moral satisfaction knowing that I am doing something right and extremely healthy for my body. And believe me after I've learned all the health benefits of green tea, I get completely different feeling every time I drink it.

A lot of people nowadays have heard that green tea benefits the overall health, but not a lot know why exactly.
Green tea contains anti-oxidants that:
1. Helps to prevent cancer.
The is some strong evidence that green tea included in you every day diet can reduce bladder, colon, esophageal, pancreas, rectum, and stomach cancer up to 60%. An antioxidant known as "epigallocatechin gallate" (EGCG for short) is at least 100 more times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times more effective than vitamin E at protecting cells from harmful influence.
The amazing thing about it that EGCG it not only inhibits the growth of new cancer cells it also kills some of the existing cancer sells without harming the healthy ones.
2. Lowers "bad" cholesterol (known as LDL) and improves the ratio of "good" cholesterol (known as HDL). It explains why tea-drinkers can eat almost twice the foods containing cholesterol as those who don't drink green tea, but still have an equal cholesterol count.
It takes on added importance if you consider that thrombosis is one of the main causes of strokes and heart attacks. Stops the unnatural formation of blood cloth which if not taken care of will cause thrombosis. 3.
Reduces high blood pressure by repressing angiotensin II which causes constriction of the blood vessels causing high blood pressure. 4.
5. Lowers blood sugar (polyphenols and polysaccharides are the two main antioxidants are especially effective in lowering blood sugar). That helps prevent and relieve type-two diabetes.
6. Protects liver against toxins like alcohol and chemicals in cigarette smoke.
7. Promotes oral health by suppress the process of plaque formation and destroys the bacteria that forms plaque. It also destroys bacteria that causes bad breath, so after eating something sweet I suggest you drink a cup of green tea.
8. Destroys free radicals that cause aging.
9. Boosts your immune system function (because of its high concentration of polyphenols and flaveboids).
It also kills seven strains of food poisoning bacteria including clostridium, botulus and staphylococcus (which makes it a good treatment for diarrhea). Recent studies show that green tea inhibits the spread of disease, speeds up recovery from cold and flu. Possess antibacterial and antiviral properties.

10.
Helps your body to maintain healthy fluid balance and relieve fatigue and stress often caused by dehydration. 11.
12. Blocks main receptors that produce allergic reactions.
Stimulates metabolism, calorie burning process and is wildly being used as an important part of a healthy diet. 13.
Black tea during fermentation process loses most of its medical benefits. It is important to know that black tea, even though it comes from the same plant as a green tea, will not give you the same benefits.
It is better to let your tea steep for about 4-5 minutes before drinking it. All the decaffeinated, ready-to-drink bottled or instant teas will give you very little of natural health compounds. The best way to preserve all the disease-fighting nutritions is to drink your tea freshly brewed.
After all it is a rare case when something that good for our health can be also that delicious. I hope that after reading this article you will include a cup of green tea in your daily ratio.
Copyright 2005 Arina Nikitina
Visit: Arina Nikitina is the owner of the website GreenTeaSecrets.com, where you'll find a lot of free information about green tea, learn how green tea can benefit to your health and how it can help you lose weight.
http://www.greenteasecrets.com

Your Guide To Green Tea Concentrate

Green Tea concentrate, often sold as Green Tea pills, allows manufacturers to make highly potent forms of this great herbal supplement. The Green Tea pills can have the same efficacy as drinking cups of Green Tea. Green Tea has been associated with a host of good health effects, so it is a great idea to get this supplement in pill format.
To that end, manufacturers have found a way to manufacture Green Tea concentrate that is caffeine free! While some may see this as a benefit, there are others out there who have to watch their caffeine intake. One of the potential risks associated with Green Tea concentrate, however, is that it includes caffeine. Green Tea has also been shown to be an anti-cancer agent, and it may help to lower the low density lipoproteins (or "bad cholesterol") in our bodies.

Green Tea extract is an anti oxidant that is one hundred times more potent than vitamin C and over twenty times as potent as vitamin E.
The anti oxidants found in Green Tea can help your body fight off the effects of free radicals, which are agents that attack the cell membranes in your body, causing damage. This is a matter of personal preference, as it can be good to get many of your necessary nutrients and minerals from one source. You can get Green Tea concentrate as a supplement by itself or you can find it included in herbal supplements that contain many ingredients.
With the caffeine-free blend, there are virtually no side-effects and it can do wonders for your health. Now that you know all there is to know about green tea concentrate, you can make a better decision regarding your choice of whether or not to use it.
John Gibb manages
http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com

Health Benefits of Green Tea

In Asian countries tea has long played an important cultural role. Tea also plays a very important part in social rituals of Japan. These two countries were the earliest users of tea.

Historical evidence suggests that tea leaves boiled in water were consumed as far back as 5,000 years ago in India and China.
Tea is derived from leaves of a plant called Camellia sinensis. The plant is grown in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Green tea is prepared from leaves that are not fermented; oolong tea is prepared from leaves that are not fermented; oolong tea is prepared from leaves that are not fermented; oolong tea is prepared from leaves that are not fermented; oolong tea is prepared from leaves that are not fermented; oolong tea is prepared from leaves that are not fermented; oolong tea is prepared from partially fermented leaves, while black tea is preferred in United States. All of these are derived from Camellia sinensis, the difference lying in the way the leaves are processed. There are three types of tea - Green, black and oolong.
In recent periods green tea has attracted a lost of attention due to many health benefits attributed to it. Many studies have been conducted which explore the link between consumption of green tea and incidence of certain diseases in the population. It has been observed that green tea is helpful in:
- preventing cancer,
- improving the ratio of 'good' (HDL) cholesterol to 'bad' cholesterol,
- cognition,
- treating flatulence,
- regulating blood sugar,
- regulating body temperature,
- improving digestion.
This may be compared to the lower incidence of heart diseases in Japanese population, 75% of which are heavy smokers. In some studies it was suggested that the lower incidence of heart related diseases in the French population in spite of the consumption of a fat rich diet is related to the drinking of large quantities of green tea by them.
The medicinal properties of green tea are attributed to the presence of polyphenols, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants help prevent the damage caused by free radicals present in body. Free radicals occur naturally, but they grow in numbers due to some environmental conditions like pollution, ultra-violet light, cigarette smoke etc. Green tea contains 30% to 40% polyphenols, while black tea contains up to 10% polyphenols.
3 to 4 cups of green tea is recommended for an adult.
Green tea has been found to be beneficial in following conditions :
One study conducted in animals suggests that polyphenols may help inhibit the absorption of cholesterol by intestines thus helping in the excretion of cholesterol from body. (1) People who drink green tea are found to have lower LDL cholesterol levels and higher HDL cholesterol levels.
(2) Though it has not yet been conclusively proved that drinking of green tea is related to the lower incidence of caner in Japan, yet some studies conducted in animals indicate that polyphenols that act as antioxidants may be responsible for killing the cancer cells.
Green tea can be helpful in regulating levels of glucose in the blood in such cases. The body stops producing insulin in Type 1 diabetes. The body stops producing insulin in Type 1 diabetes. (3) It was found in certain studies that polyphenols help control Type 1 diabetes.
(4) Green tea has also been found to be beneficial for the liver. It helps control the damaging effect of alcohol on it. People who drink green tea are found to have lower incidence of liver diseases.
Though not conclusively proved, weight reducing properties of polyphenols have been noted in some studies. (5) Green tea may also be helpful in reducing weight in obese people.
In some cases, however, certain precautions need to be taken while taking green tea.
People with stomach ulcers, heart problems, hyperthyroidism and psychological disorders should not take green tea. Pregnant women should also avoid it. Green tea should also be avoided if one is taking any of the following medications: anti-biotics, Benzodiazepines, Beta blockers, blood thinning medicines, chemotherapy, oral contraceptives and lithium.