Green Tea and Health Benefits

By: Julia Sabinzky

How do you fit a miracle in a cup?

For thousands of years, the Chinese have used green tea as something of a miracle cure for their ailments.

In 1994, the Journal of National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study of Chinese men and women that showed one of the health benefits of drinking green tea is that it has possibly reduced the rate of esophageal cancer by up to 60%.

The presence the antioxidant EGCG is the principle reason why green tea has such great health benefits. EGCG has properties that can not only inhibit the growth of cancer cells, but may even be able to destroy them without harming healthy cells.

The University of Purdue has also concluded a research on how a certain compound present in green tea can stop cancer cells from growing. Still another health benefit of green tea is its ability to lower down cholesterol levels and improve the ratio between good (HDL) cholesterol and bad (LDL) cholesterol.

The EGCG in green tea is a health benefit substance that can lower down LDL cholesterol levels and stop blood from forming abnormal clots (thrombosis), a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes.

Green tea has more health benefits than other teas like oolong and black tea, even though they come from the same Camellia sinensis plant. Green tea is different because of the process by which it is made. Green tea gets much of its health benefits from how the Camellia sinensis leaves are steamed. The steaming process keeps the EGCG health benefits from oxidizing. With oolong and black teas, the leaves are fermented instead of steamed, which causes the EGCG be less potent.

Aside from medicinal value, green tea can also offer other health benefits, especially in the fitness field. Drinking green tea can cause a person to burn down more calories. A recent study on the health benefits of green tea shows that the drink can help dieters. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1999, men who take both caffeine and green tea burn down more calories than men who only take caffeine or a placebo.

Another health benefit of green tea is its bacteria-destroying properties. The health benefit of green tea in this area is that it can help prevent food poisoning and also prevent tooth decay. The substances found in green tea kill the bacteria causing food poisoning and those that cause dental plaque to form.

Well known for its countless medicinal and health benefits, green tea is nothing short of a miracle.

Julia Sabinzky is the principle writer for Diet Tea Online and is very knowldgeable in the area of tea and dieting. For more great free information on how green tea and other teas can help you with your health and weight loss goals, please visit her site.