Tea is the world’s most popular beverage after water and is made from the young leaves of the Camellia sinensis bush which is a shrub native to Asia. Research has shown that a number of readily available foods such as green tea, actually appear to have a major impact on cancer prevention. These cancer fighting foods seem to have the ability to interfere with the development of cancerous tumors. Cancer fighting foods all contain large amounts of certain phytochemicals. Phytochemicals were developed by nature to protect plants against damage caused by insects, disease and environmental stress. These phytochemical molecules are the ones that give fruits and vegetables their brilliant colors, provide the smell to garlic and the astringent taste to tea. It is very likely that these phytochemicals, not the vitamins and minerals, that are the source of the cancer prevention capabilities of these healthy foods.

The tea leaf contains large quantities of phytochemical polyphenols called flavonols, commonly known as catchetins. Although green tea and black tea start out from the same plant leaf, their chemical composition is different because of the way they are processed. Apart from an initial brief steam roasting to stop fermentation, the production of green tea is largely a manual process. Japanese green teas contain more catchetins than Chinese green teas. On the other hand black teas are allowed to go through a fermentation process before they are roasted. This process destroys most of the cancer fighting flavonols. Some black teas like Darjeeling still contain significant quantities of catchetins. Oolong tea is only partially fermented and retains cancer fighting properties somewhere between green tea and black tea.

Green tea has been thought for years to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure as well as improve digestion and help protect against ulcers. It has been promoted as an herb that can prevent certain bacterial infections. Green tea is widely consumed in Japan, China, and other Asian nations and is becoming more popular in Western nations. Some reports indicate green tea may have the ability to help prevent many types of cancers. However results of studies on human populations are still preliminary. On the other hand, studies on mice have shown that the catchetins in green tea give mice protection against all stages of cancer development. These catchetins may cause cancer cells to die just like normal cells and in a process called angiogenesis - it may also stop new blood vessels from forming to supply the tumor.

The amount of green tea needed to achieve beneficial effects is unknown. Asians usually drink at least 3 cups per day using 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried leaves steeped in a cup of boiling water. Tea should be steeped longer than 7 or 8 minutes to extract the maximum amount of catchetins. Green tea is generally considered safe as large numbers of people have consumed this tea for thousands of years with few dangerous side effects. However drinking large amounts of tea may cause problems because of the caffeine content which can cause nausea, sleeping problems and frequent urination. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should not drink green tea in large amounts as caffeine can cross the placenta and also be passed along in breast milk.

Eating a healthy balanced diet can provide our bodies with tens of thousands of different phytochemicals. Much of the available research on cancer prevention foods still comes from laboratory cell studies, animal studies and epidemiologic observational studies comparing populations. Clinical trials on humans are being conducted but it takes many years for results to be validated. Not all fruits, vegetables and other plant products provide the best anti-cancer phytochemicals. The ten best groups of anti-cancer foods are discussed in our website http://www.benefits-of-antioxidants.com . They include: berries and citrus fruits, cruciferous vegetables, garlic and onions, green tea, omega-3 essential fatty acids, olive oil, tomatoes, soy products, red wine and dark chocolate.

Green tea has been used in ancient Chinese culture for thousands of years and was only drunk by the most fortunate of people. It was not until many years later that the public was allowed to consume the tea. Many teas can be found in China but it is said that green tea has the most medicinal and health purpose.

Todays biggest focus of green tea is the antioxidants that are found in the tea. By not fermenting the tea the antioxidants are kept in the tea to where as with other teas that are fermented they are lost. The traditional Japanese way of steaming the leaves stops the oxidation process. The Chinese use flat pans to dry the leaves to stop oxidation. By stopping the oxidation the tea retains its medicinal properties. Antioxidants are used by the body to keep are healthy cells from oxidizing premature and becoming unhealthy. They also help to keep free radicals from attacking and damaging healthy tissue.

Green tea has many health benefits people who drink at least two cups of tea a day are said to live longer. It helps in the prevention of different cancers, heart disease and liver problems. The Epigallocatechin gallaten antioxidant found in green tea is said to be 100 times more potent than vitamin C and 25 times stronger than vitamin E at protecting cells and DNA.

Antioxidants can be found in other areas such as to guard against food deteriation in the form of
Vitamin C
Citric Acid
BHA BHT EDTA
These are just a few of the antioxidants that are used for this purpose.

Another great advantage of green tea is it helps with weight loss. Researcher have found that drinking green tea can help with weight loss and increase metabolism beyond that of the caffeine properties in the tea.

Green tea can be found in most of the major tea brands such as Lipton, Celestial Seasonings and others. Lipton has gone as far as to create the AOX seal that lets you know of the antioxidants in their tea. There are many supplements but they have literature that has said that too much supplementation can be harmful.

Researchers have said that drinking two cups of green tea a day can give you enough antioxidants. Other research has noted that the polyphenols do not have a very long life span once the tea has been brewed so some suggest drink up to eight cups of tea a day.
Whatever amount of green tea you choose to drink you will get great benefit from drinking this ancient tea.

We have known for years that sweet tea is great for shock, and for many years we have used tea as a form of stress relief at the end of a hard day. Nutritionist Cath MacDonald says, “Tea is a soothing, satisfying drink.” It’s also well known in Western society that a nice cup of tea and a friend can also sort out many of life’s problems (Personal or otherwise). But is there more to tea than just this. Did you know that 165 million cups of the world’s favourite drink are drunk in the UK every day? Drinking four cups of tea a day can be beneficial to your health. The Chinese have believed for 5,000 years that tea can promote longer life. There may be some truth in the old folklore.

One of the reasons why tea is so good for us is because the tealeaves are picked and dried in a short space of time, locking in their goodness. This means that when you brew up all the goodness and minerals from the tea are released into the drink. Polyphenol antioxidants, which are found in the tealeaves (in substantially greater amounts than that of fruit and herbal teas.), help deal with the bad forms of cholesterol and help prevent damage done to cells. Fluoride can also be found in team and this is good for our teeth, helping to prevent cavities and decay. Tea with milk contains calcium, which, as we know, is good for our teeth and bones. Caffeine taken in moderate amounts throughout the day can help concentration and promote performance.

Regular cups of tea are good for you if you are watching your figure. Contrary to the nickname ‘Tea Belly’, a name given to tea lovers, tea can actually reduce your belly by speeding up the burning of fat calories, aiding weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight. Did you know that tea without milk and sugar has no fat or calories and that a cup of tea with semi-skimmed milk contains only 13 calories and 0.5g of fat.

In the UK 1 out of 3 people will suffer from cancer. Good news then that regularly drinking tea has been found to prevent some cancers. Ongoing studies are showing that the healthy properties in tea may be reducing cancer risks in China and Japan, where they regularly drink tea, and have been doing so for hundreds of years. Also in Australia researchers believe that tea could be the next weapon against skin cancers.

Evidence has shown that the chances of having a heart attack can be reduced by drinking three to four cups of tea a day. This is because the tea improves cardiovascular – more platelets (blood cells) are made. Regular tea drinking may help keep people who have had heart attacks alive, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard Medical School.

The review of 1,900 men and women in their 60s who had suffered a heart attack found that those who drank the most tea before their attacks — more than 14 cups a week — had a 44 percent lower death rate than none drinkers nearly four years later. Moderate tea drinkers had a 28 percent reduced risk.

If this is not reason enough to be a tea lover it can also make you more beautiful. Placing cold tea bags on your eye lids for five or ten minutes can reduce swelling and puffiness of the eyes.

So, put the kettle on and brew up some good health!

Tea is made from the dried leaves of a shrub called Camellia sinensis. Historically, India, China, Japan, and Thailand have been drinking its brew for thousands of years. Because ancient sages realized the health benefits of green tea, it became part of their rituals and ceremonies. Tea drinking is inculcated in the culture of most Asian countries. India and China were the first cultivators of tea and still are today, the largest producers of tea.Chemical Composition of Green TeaGreen tea is made from unfermented leaves and reportedly contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols, the most important of which are flavonoids (catechin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate, and proanthocyanidins). Out of these flavonoids, Epigallocatechin gallate is the most significant active compound.Dried green tea leaves generally contain from 8-12% total polyphenols, caffeine (3.5%), theanine (~4%), lignin (6.5%), organic acids (1.5%), protein (15%), and chlorophyll (0.5%). Green tea contains B-vitamins and ascorbic acid, which are destroyed in the process of making black tea. The essential oil contains more than 300 components including aldehydes, phenylethyl alcohols, phenols, hexenal, linalool, dihydroactinidiolide and p-vinylphenol.Traditional UsesTraditionally, Chinese and Indian medicine used green tea as a stimulant, diuretic (to promote the excretion of urine), astringent (to control bleeding and help heal wounds), and to improve heart health. Other traditional uses of green tea include treating flatulence (gas), regulating body temperature and blood sugar, promoting digestion, and improving mental processes.Health Benefits of Green TeaExtensive medical research on the benefits of Green Tea is showing positive results. Studies indicate:

1. Green Tea can help to protect against a range of cancers. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, polyphenols containing catechins present in green tea may play an important role in the prevention of cancer. Emerging studies also suggest that polyphenols inactivate oxidants, reduce the number and size of tumors, and inhibit the growth of cancer cells. (New Scientist, 20 March 2004). Studies in particular have been conducted on cancers of the bladder, breast, ovaries, esophagus, lungs, pancreas, prostate, skin, and stomach.
2. Green Tea can help to prevent Atherosclerosis.Antioxidants in green tea are believed to prevent fatty buildup in the arteries by suppressing the oxidation of LDL (”bad”) cholesterol. They may also reduce the likelihood of blood clot formation and help in relaxing blood vessels thereby improving blood flow.
3. Green Tea can help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Research indicates that green tea lowers total cholesterol and raises HDL (”good”) cholesterol in both animals and people. Polyphenols in green tea help block the intestinal absorption of cholesterol and promote its excretion from the body.
4. Green Tea can help to control Diabetes. Green tea has been used traditionally to control blood sugar in the body. Studies indicate Green tea may help regulate glucose in the body.
5. Green Tea can help to protect against Liver disease. Green tea seems to protect the liver from the damaging effects of toxic substances such as alcohol.
6. Weight loss. Studies suggest that green tea extract may boost metabolism and help burn fat. Some researchers speculate polyphenols, specifically catechins, are responsible for the herb’s fat-burning effect.
7. Relaxation. Due to the presence of the amino acid, L-theanine, drinking a hot cup of green tea helps produce a relaxed feeling, increasing alertness of mind.
8. Green tea can help to boost the immune system. The Brigham and Women’s Hospital research suggests that theanine present in green tea boosts the disease fighting capacity of Gamma Delta T cells and helps the body to fight infections.
9. Green tea helps to make the digestive and respiratory system strong because it is rich in bioflavonoids.

Green tea is anti-bacterial and helps prevent dental cavities.

Two to three cups of green tea per day (for a total of 240 to 320 mg polyphenols) is recommended. It is best to get green tea antioxidants from its natural form, green tea itself. But if you don’t like the flavor, or don’t have the time, and would like to make sure your body is benefiting from green tea antioxidants you may want to try Green Tea Extracts or Green Tea Drops. Green Tea Plus is a heavily concentrated form of green tea. It has an antioxidant value of 7800 units. Green Tea Plus has added trace minerals to aid in regular body functions. It can be added to any beverage, even water.

To understand the truth behind the medical claims for green tea and the antioxidant properties of EGCG, it is first necessary to have a close look at what green tea is, and why these claims are being made.

Green tea is a form of tea made from the leaves of the Carmellia Sinensis, a shrub that is native to China and has spread to other areas of Asia including Japan and the Middle East. Drinking it is believed to impart many health benefits, including the prevention of obesity, heart disease and some forms of cancer and it has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 400 years.

Tea is known to have been consumed in China for around 5,000 years, and used, not only in Chinese medicine, but also in that of Japan, Thailand and India for a number of ailments including regulating blood sugar, treating wounds and digestive problems. The drinking of green tea to benefit the heart and other vital organs is described in the Kissa Yojoki (Book of Tea), written in 1191 by Eisai, a Japanese Zen priest.

This two-part book talks about the various medicinal benefits of green tea, such as preventing fatigue, curing beriberi, quenching thirst, clearing the thoughts, maintaining health of the urinary tract and improving digestive problems. It also explains how to grow tea and how to prepare and use the leaves. The methods of treatment of various ailments and medical conditions are described in the second part of the book.

The active ingredients in green tea are catechins, polyphenols with strong anti-oxidant properties. Antioxidants are important components of your diet due to their effect on free radicals. These are small molecules, generally oxygenated, such the superoxide cation and hydrogen peroxide that are generated during normal metabolic processes and also ingested in pollutants such as traffic and factory fumes and insecticides. Free radicals are also formed by the effect of the ultra-violet component of sunlight on your skin and other tissues.

The effect of free radicals on your body can be devastating, and they not only destroy cell membranes but also oxidize such molecules as the low density lipids (LDL) that carry cholesterol around your bloodstream. This allows the LDLs to be absorbed by the white blood cells and then deposited as fatty plaques in the walls of your arteries. The end result is a thickening and hardening of the arteries that leads to a condition known as atherosclerosis, where the blood supply to the brain and heart muscle is restricted, which can in turn lead to strokes and heart disease.

Their effect on your cells is to cause cancer and premature aging, among others, and free radicals are also believed to play a part in conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease and also inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and diabetes. They can also cause damage to your DNA.

It is essential, therefore, that these free radicals are destroyed as quickly as they are generated, and that is what antioxidants do. You might be more familiar with the antioxidants Vitamins A, C and E, and phytochemicals such as flavonoids and carotenoids, but there are many substances available to you that are even more powerful such as the polyphenols found in green tea.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the most powerful of these with antioxidant properties at least twenty five times that of Vitamin E, and 100 times that of Vitamin C. EGCG comprises around 10-50% of the total catechin content of the tea and studies indicate that it likely helps to protect against DNA damage by free radicals, to protect against oxidation of LDL, provide protection against the damage of ultra-violet radiation and to protect you from the free radicals that are generated by smoking tobacco and general airborne pollution.

There are suggestions that the bioavailability of EGCG can be increased by consuming black pepper when drinking green tea, possibly due to the presence of piperine in the pepper. The piperine appears to retard the intestinal glucuronidation of EGCG and so allow more of it to be absorbed as opposed to excreted. So if you are using green tea for health reasons, spice up your food with a small amount of black pepper - that’s all it needs. You don’t have to smother your food in it! It should be stressed that these tests were carried out on animals, although the biochemistry involved is much the same.

The oxidation of fat by your metabolism to provide energy is a very important factor in weight control. If the contribution of the fats you ingest to the energy generated by your metabolism is low, then the fats can go on to be deposited in your body. This is not only unsightly, in that it can basically make you look ‘fat’, but is also dangerous to your health. Fat deposits around your midriff and round the major organs of your body can be extremely damaging and a severe risk to your health.

It has been shown by a recent study in the UK (Birmingham University) that those taking green tree extract displayed a 17% increase in fat oxidation over those given a placebo. Not only that, but the ratio of fat oxidation to the overall energy expenditure showed a similar differential between the study and the control group. This provides evidence of green tea extract being able to control your weight by burning fat, and also to improve the tolerance to glucose and sensitivity to insulin of healthy people.

Many other health claims have been made for green tea extract, although many of these have little, if any, scientific basis. Among these are the claims that it can treat multiple sclerosis and be used to treat cancer, although claims that it can prevent the destruction of cell membranes due to its oxidative effect are supported by the biochemistry, if not the medical proof. There are cases where theoretical biochemistry can explain many of the applications of ancient remedies without needing modern day studies to support it.

Some of the research supporting the green tea theories include:

1. In 2006, a study was announced that had followed over 40,500 Japanese men and women, aged between 40 and 79, that had no history of coronary heart disease, stroke or cancer starting in 1994. It was found that those who drank at least 5 cups of tea per day had a 16% lower risk of dying from any cause and a 26% less risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than those that drank less than one cup of tea each day. Since cardiovascular disease and cancer are the major causes of death world-wide, these are significant results.

2. Again in 2006, it was reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that studies indicated that a higher consumption of green tea was associated with a reduction in human mental impairment when compared to the average.

3. Yale University School of Medicine reported later that year that, in spite of smoking more than their western counterparts, Asians suffered lower rates of cancer and heart disease, and put that down to them drinking over 4 pints of green tea daily. It was the polyphenol content of green tea and its antioxidant effect that was proposed for this result, known commonly as the ‘Asian paradox’. A specific reason given for this was the antioxidant effect preventing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, and its subsequent deposition in the artery walls.

4. Another component of green tea is the amino acid L-Theanine that promotes relaxation, and it is believed that this could help to fight stress by inhibiting the excitation of cortical neurons.

There is a lot more evidence for the health benefits of green tea, and once again it appears that the ancients have been proved correct. Perhaps we should pay more attention to ancient remedies, although without the proper evidence much of it is ignored - for the time being at least. Green tea, however, has generally been accepted due to the research and studies carried out on ECGC (Epigallocatechin gallate) and in additional to the traditional form, is also available as a dietary supplement.