Advantages of Green Tea

Benefits of Green Tea

There are four primary polyphenols in green tea and they are often collectively referred to as catechins.

Powerful antioxidants, catechins have been shown in recent studies to fight viruses, slow aging, and have a beneficial effect on health. Clinical tests have shown that catechins destroy free radicals and have far-reaching positive effects on the entire body.

Free radicals are highly reactive molecules and fragments of molecules that can damage the body at the cellular level leaving the body susceptible to cancer, heart disease, and many other degenerative diseases.

EGCG is a potent antioxidant.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an antioxidant found in green tea, is at least 100 more times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times more effective than vitamin E at protecting cells and DNA from damage believed to be linked to cancer, heart disease and other serious illnesses. This antioxidant has twice the benefits of resveratrol, found in red wine.

Special Benefits of Green Tea

Reduces high blood pressure. Drinking green tea represses angiotensin II which leads to high blood pressure.

Lowers blood sugar. Green tea polyphenols and polysaccharides are effective in lowering blood sugar.

Fights cancer. There have been many studies that have shown that green tea catechins are effective at preventing cancer.

Green tea also boosts the immune system because of its high concentrations of polyphenols and flavenoids.

Green Tea and Weight Loss

If you drink green tea you can-

Lower cholesterol

Increase Thermogenesis (the body's rate of burning calories)

Enhance fat oxidation

Burns fat naturally and increases metabolism
Green tea contains high concentrations of catechin polyphenols. These compounds work with other chemicals to intensify levels of fat oxidation and thermogenesis, where heat is created in the body by burning fuels such as fat. Drinking Japanese green tea regularly will increase your metabolism and help burn fat safely and naturally.

Lowers cholesterol and increases energy expenditure
Green tea also causes carbohydrates to be released slowly, preventing sharp increases in blood-insulin levels. This promotes the burning of fat.

The thermogenic effect was originally attributed to its caffeine content. However, green tea stimulates brown fat thermogenesis far greater than a comparable amount of pure caffeine. It appears that the catechin-polyphenols, in particular epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and caffeine that naturally occur in green tea work synergistically to stimulate thermogenesis and augment and prolong sympathetic stimulation of thermogenesis. It has been shown to increase 24-hour energy expenditure and fat oxidation (caffeine only increases metabolism during the time you take it).

Facilitates weight loss by affecting glucose
Weight is gained as excess sugars and fats are stored in the body as fat cells. Green tea catechins can help prevent obesity by inhibiting the movement of glucose in fat cells. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has been found to be especially effective. There is now good evidence that green tea catechins are related to reductions in body fat.

EGCG is a powerful antioxidant with positive qualities but a balanced diet and exercise, lots of it, are of paramount importance to any weight reduction program.