5 Health Benefits of Drinking Green Tea

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5 Health Benefits of Drinking Green Tea

by Jennifer Lance in Beverages, Food and Cuisine, Tea

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I’m a coffee drinker, and I often feel guilty about my love for the bean when I hear about the benefits of green tea. Green tea is the most popular tea drank worldwide, and in the last two decades, it has gained popularity in the west. Green tea undergoes the least amount of processing compared to black tea, thus it contains more antioxidants.

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From weight loss to improving mental function, green tea has many health benefits.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center:

Green tea is made from unfermented leaves and reportedly contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols. Antioxidants are substances that scavenge free radicals — damaging compounds in the body that alter cells, tamper with DNA (genetic material), and even cause cell death…Many scientists believe that free radicals contribute to the aging process as well as the development of a number of health problems, including cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants such as polyphenols in green tea can neutralize free radicals and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage they cause.

From weight loss to cancer, there are many benefits to drinking green tea. Here are five health benefits of drinking green tea that have been proven in correlation studies:

Cancer: Clinical studies have proven green tea helps prevent many types of cancers, and there is research to support polyphenols may actually kill cancer cells and arrest their growth. Bladder, breast, ovarian, colorectal, esophageal, lung, pancreatic, prostrate, skin, and stomach cancers have all shown to be positively affected by green tea.
Heart disease: Natural News reports:

Research at the Graduate School of Medicine in Kyoto, Japan confirmed that green tea polyphenols can protect a heart from oxidative stress, as well as maintain good left ventricular function after ischemic arrest (restriction in the heart’s blood supply) and reperfusion (tissue damage caused when the blood supply returns).

Green tea also protects the heart by preventing hypertension.
Type 2 diabetes: Green tea consumption “may improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in individuals with diabetes.” In studies, it has been shown to help our bodies make better use of glucose.
Weight Loss: Drinking green tea boosts the body’s metabolism. The polyphenols also help burn fat. The World’s Healthiest Foods explains:

A human study, published in the January 2005 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, confirms green tea’s ability to not only reduce body fat, but damage to LDL cholesterol as well. After 12 weeks of drinking just one bottle of green tea each day, 38 normal-to-overweight men in Tokyo had a significantly lower body weight, BMI, waist circumference, body fat mass and amount of subcutaneous fat compared to men given a bottle of oolong tea each day.
Cognitive improvement: Senior citizens that drink green tea have demonstrated increased mental abilities. Also, green tea may protect the brain from forming plaque deposits found in Alzheimer’s disease and reduce memory loss.

Green tea has amazing health benefits, but how much do you need to drink? Studies have varied on consumption levels from one to three cups, and very little research has been done on the benefits of green tea for children. Whatever the amount, a little green tea in your diet is sure to have some positive effect.

Posted on Jun 22, 2009

Tags:

cancer, diabetes, green tea, health, heart disease, weight loss

About the Author

Jennifer Lance

Jennifer lives on 160 acres off-the-grid in a home built with her own two hands (and several more skilled pairs of hands) from forest fire salvaged timber. Her home is powered by a micro-hydro turbine, and she has been a vegetarian for 21 years. She graduated from Humboldt State University with a degree in art education and has been teaching art to children for over 16 years. Jennifer is the founder and editor of Eco Child's Play.

8 Responses to “5 Health Benefits of Drinking Green Tea”

Justin Beck

Twitter: @justindr660
Jun 22, 2009

Green tea has been consumed in China for more than 4000 years. I remember reading about green tea’s ability to fight cancer a number of years ago. I have it in Asian restaurants when I eat there but green tea is not easy to take to go. Tea is always grand on a rainy day I say.
siva123

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Jun 23, 2009

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Twitter: @Twitter Name (optional)
Jun 23, 2009

I’ll drink to that!
Coffee is a fuel injection and goes great at 6am.
For a relaxing break it’s green tea.
green tea

Jul 05, 2009

Green tea is a type of tea made solely with the leaves of Camellia sinensis, that has undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea originates from China and has become associated with many cultures in Asia from Japan to the Middle East. Recently, it has become more widespread in the West, where black tea is traditionally consumed. Many varieties of green tea have been created in countries where it is grown. These varieties can differ substantially due to variable growing conditions, processing and harvesting time.
Tea

Jul 06, 2009

Healthy five tips about green, today i will start to reduce my weight
health fitness articles

Jul 10, 2009

Thanks for this post. I don’t like tea but after reading green tea benefits, will try and drink.