Diet Blog

Green tea is often referred as a magical medicine that can cure or prevent many of the potential human health hazards. Green tea is the beverage prepared from the leaves of the plant, Camellia sinensis. Even though many other types of tea such as black tea, and oolong are available, the green tea is said to be more beneficial than the rest of them. The comparative study of the lifestyles and disease, prevailing in different parts of the world, revealed that the Asian people, who had the habit of drinking green tea, has lower incidence rates for cancer and heart disease, even though 75% of those people were smokers. Hence, it is now believed that green tea will affect the health positively.

What’s inside green tea

Green tea was used as an effective medicine, in the traditional medicinal systems of India and China, from ancient times, which dates backs even to 2737 B.C. The Kissa Yojoki, or Book of Tea, written in 1191, by Zen priest Eisai, shows that it was effective in the treatment of the vital organs such as heart. It also narrates that green tea had been used as not only as stimulant that can quench the thirst and prevent the fatigue, but also as a drink, which motivates brain action. Green tea was believed to be effective in the treatment of the beriberi, ill effects of alcohol addiction, and urinary diseases. In day to day life, it is evident that having a cup of the green tea will help for relaxation, relieve head ache or depression. But, the western scientists were not much convinced about the effect of green tea on health, till recently. However, the recent scientific studies regarding the active compounds of green tea proved that it certainly attributes benefits to the health.

Because of the peculiar composition, in green tea, the polyphenols, called catechins such as gallaogatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin, epicatechin gallatem epicatechin, and apigallocatechin gallate (also known as EGCG) is believed to protect the functionality of the most parts of the body. The prevention of the attack of heart diseases is considered as a major attribute of green tea. The EGCG seems to be the most effective compound, which is a potent antioxidant that can scavenge the free radicals in the body. It will also reduce the LDL cholesterol in the body, and increase the HDL, which in turn reduces the possibility for thrombosis and such diseases.

Green tea can cure cancer!

Green tea is helpful in the prevention of the liver damage and enhancement of the immune system. The arthritis, skin disease and oral health is also attributed by green tea However, the most interesting effect of green tea in health is its action on the cancer cells, that it can prevent the growth of cancer cells as well as kill the cancer cells. It is believed that green tea is effective in the control of wide range of cancers such as esophageal cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer, colorectal cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Green tea is also suggested helpful to rejuvenate the nervous cells and reduce the occurrence of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Thus green tea is a stimulant for nervous reactions and also an effective remedy or preventive against a wide range of diseases that affect the health such as cardiovascular diseases, multiple sclerosis, skin disease, arthritis, and cancer. In addition, the alkaloids in the green tea such as theophylline, caffeine, and theobromine attribute the stimulatory effect to green tea. To add on, green tea is suspected to act also as a fertility booster. In comprehensive, the green tea is a protector for body to maintain it healthy.