Green Tea for All!

I recently bought a book called Healing Teas written by Marie Nadine Antol which I found very informative.  It is no secret that green tea is supposed to be the best tea to drink.  It is loaded in antioxidants as we all know but a lot of things claim to be these days.  So what is the hype about Green Tea that sets it apart from all of the rest?  

        

        It turns out that there is something that sets green tea apart from all of the other teas and that something is its presence of plant chemicals called Polyphenols.  Polyphenols are antioxidants.  Antioxidants are the substances that actually fight free radical cells which cause cancer.  Free radicals are also tied to premature aging and a whole list of other diseases.  These antioxidants that are present in green tea are lost during the fermentation process of other teas.  The most important of these polyphenols is called EGCG and is considered stronger than either Vitamin E or C-with medicinal properties.

                                         

          It is known that more people in Japan drink Green Tea than in any other country in the world.  As a result of this, there have been a number of studies done to analyze just how beneficial drinking green tea is.  It has been found that those who drink green tea on a regular basis have a much lower incidence of various types of malignant tumors including those found in the liver, breast, pancreas, skin esophagus, and even the lungs.  This is in spite of the fact that the Japanese love cigarettes.  In 1991, The American Cancer Society reported that those who regularly took green tea actually had a 45% less chance in developing lung cancer than those who did not!!!!

          It was also found in a double blind study that those who drink green tea each day can help to decrease excess body fat.  On the other hand, this only works with excess body fat.  It will not cause weight loss in people who are not overweight.   Additionally, green tea is good for the heart.  It actually prevents the production of platelets that cause the blood to thicken and clump into clots.  So, what's all this hype about green tea?  Well, obviously it isn't just hype.  It can help to treat a number of ailments common to people all over the world.  It has shown to lower blood pressure, prevent stroke, treats influenza, and fights bacteria that causes cavities and tartar.  The Japanese had it right again!  So, even if green tea isn't your ideal "cup of tea" the scientific data as not just a preventative but a healer is simply too strong to ignore.