Green tea has been enjoyed for millennia by the Chinese,
who revere this mild and refreshing brew as a bringer of health
and a relief from a multitude of ills. Modern science has unveiled
one of the most important secrets of the health giving benefits
of green tea. It contains substances known as catechin polyphenols.
Of these, epigallocatechin gallate is one of the most powerful antioxidants
found in any food source. Antioxidants have extremely important
health benefits in that they are known to neutralise the cell damaging
effects of substances known as free radicals. So we'll take
a look at seven important reasons why green tea is actually very
good for you.
The 1st reason why drinking green tea is good for you is
that it can help you to lose weight. The caffeine it contains, while
much less than coffee cup for cup, stimulates the heartbeat and
increases metabolic rate, so you burn calories faster. A study conducted
at the University of Geneva in Switzerland in 1999 found that men
given green tea and caffeine combined burned more calories than
those given caffeine on its own or a placebo. If you are overweight
and want to assist your diet, drinking green tea can help you to
burn those calories off faster.
The 2nd healthy reason is that green tea contains antibacterial
agents that help to prevent tooth decay. They are able to destroy
dental plaque, which can cause any number of dental problems, eventually
leading to teeth rotting away or having to be removed. Good for
healthy teeth, not so good for the dentist's bank balance.
The 3rd reason green tea is good for you is the antibacterial
agents it contains also helps to prevent certain forms of food poisoning,
which would otherwise have been caused by a build up of harmful
bacteria on food. Drinking green tea kills the bacteria before it
has a chance to multiply and cause digestive problems.
The 4th reason has to do with the calming effect of drinking
green tea. This is a great stress reducer and reliever. By reducing
stress in our lives, we can also reduce the many stress related
problems and diseases that plague our fast moving, modern lives.
The 5th reason green tea is good for you is down to its
ability to control blood cholesterol levels. Compounds in green
tea have been shown to help to balance levels of bad and good cholesterol,
helping to reduce blood clots which could lead to thrombosis. High
levels of the wrong kind of cholesterol can lead to cardiovascular
problems and strokes, so by reducing this potential danger from
the bloodstream we reduce the potential for these life threatening
illnesses.
The 6th reason has to do with green tea's ability to
reduce inflammation and thereby bring relief from the pain of rheumatoid
arthritis. By reducing the painful swelling in the affected joints,
arthritis sufferers can gain some relief from the pain and suffering
this debilitating disease causes.
The 7th reason green tea is good for you is arguably the
most important, which is why it was saved until last. The powerful
antioxidants contained in green tea, as we have already noted are
known to fight against free radicals, which are known to cause certain
cancers to form in the body. Other compounds in green tea are also
known to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. By drinking green tea
regularly, the risk of oesophageal cancer in Chinese men and women
is known to be reduced by around sixty percent. By neutralising
the cause of these potential cancers, green tea could yet prove
to be modern medicine's best hope of finding a prevention and
cure for one of the greatest scourges of modern times.
7 ways of staying healthy means 7 great reasons to drink green
tea on a daily basis. Not only is this wonderful, relaxing and health
giving beverage such an important addition to our diet, but it also
makes a tasty, refreshing hot drink for any time of the day. So
here's to your very good health!
