Green Tea Health Benefits

Green tea has been treated as a health in the Occident for thousands of years. Research indicates that drinking green tea is one reason why the Japanese have a lower incidence of cancers compared to the western world. So whats in green tea that is so beneficial to our health?

Green tea contains powerful antioxidants called catechins (cat-eh-kins) - which score well on the ORAC scale (oxygen radical absorbance capacity). This is a scale that measures the antioxidant levels in food. Although there are some kinks to iron out in this measuring system, it is still a good indication of antioxidant activity. A cup of green tea generally varies from around 500-1600 on the ORAC scale, depending on type and brewing methods - cold press being the least favorable. Antioxidants work by disarming free radicals, unstable molecules that attack all cells in the body. This cell damage can cause cancer, heart disease, diabetes, many other problems and are the reason why we age. Free radicals are a natural by-product of necessary chemical reactions such as the releasing of energy from food. These days however, we are overloaded with them in the form of environmental pollutants such as pesticides, smoking, gas emissions, etc. Consequently, our need for foods high in antioxidants increases to meet this onslaught!

Green Tea and Cancer Prevention
Catechins specifically help in protecting DNA cells from free radical attacks. Even though DNA cells can take an impressive amount of abuse from free radicals, eventually they can 'buckle' under the pressure. This results in a mutation of the DNA cells, that in a few years time can manifest as cancer in a person. This could explain why regular drinkers of green tea statistically have a lower incidence of developing cancer.

Green Tea and Heart Disease
The cells of our artery walls are another place that free radicals cause damage. Exposure to pollutants and/or too little antioxidants in the diet can increase rapidly the rate of this damage. This develops as a premature aging and hardening of the artery walls, resulting in atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a major risk factor in heart disease.

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