Proven Health Benefits of Green Tea

The benefits of green tea may be relatively new to many, but green tea has been used for thousands of years by the Chinese, to promote better health and living. Its benefits are purported to help everything from weight loss to prevention of disease.

Green tea is a known to have protective antioxidants which can help protect the body against free radicals, which are harmful to the cells. Drinking green tea on a regular basis can help you live better and perhaps extend your life.

You can purchase green tea in bags, or in loose leaves. You may have noticed an recent abundance of green tea product in your local supermarket. Everyone is trying to cash in on the great healing benefits of drinks green tea.

Green Tea and Weight Loss

Green tea has high levels of polyphenols, with help to speedup the metabolism and oxidize fat, increasing the rate the body burns calories (thermogenesis). Adding green tea to the diet in the form of a tea or capsule can help increase weight loss.

Green tea studies in treatment for cancer. The National Cancer Institute has been doing studies with the use of green teas as a preventative measure against cancer of the skin.

Further studies in liver and stomach cancer; have shown positive results in shrinking tumors in mice that were fed green tea.

However, while it is not definitive that green tea can prevent cancer, it can be said that it does not hurt to drink it regularly.

Drinking green tea can help lower high cholesterol; but drinking 5 or more cups of green tea a day can help lower high blood pressure.   A study at Cedars-Sinai Green showed that after treating mice with green tea for 45 days showed signs of a 73% drop in blocked arteries. Green tea prevents LDL oxidation and protects plaque from forming on artery walls, thus helps lower high blood pressure and retards blocking of the arteries.

Studies by the American Society for Micorbiology, in Washington, D.C., suggest that catechins and theaflavins in green tea inhibit the growth of bacteria found in the mouth, helping to slow or prevent dental decay. Another study shows that green tea also inhibits bacteria that cause infection of the throat.

Green tea can be purchased as at grocery or health food store. It can be brewed in a bag like regular tea or place loose green tea leaves in an ainfuser.  

This process is done by placin in a cup and pour hot water over it and let sit for five minutes before drinking. You can drink green tea hot or iced in the summer. It you are not a tea drinker, green tea is available in table and capsule form.