Health Benefits of Green Tea

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By golly, it seems too good to be true. However, for your sake and mine it IS true. Nobody would ever guess that green tea is the magical beverage it is purported to be. But as research demonstrates, green tea is definitely above and beyond the call of duty with regard to its health protective benefits.

Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world. About 75% of is black tea while green tea makes up about 20% and oolong (a cross between black and green tea) about 2%.

However, it is green tea that posses many amazing health benefits. Much of the benefit attributed to green tea is due to substances in green tea called catechins. Green tea also contains gallic and phenolic acids and quercetin, all of which exert strong antioxidant properties, helping the body to scavenge damaging free radicals.

Drinking even two cups of green tea each day results in a significant increase in antioxidant levels in the blood. Furthermore, green tea exerts its effects after only 1 to 4 weeks by decreasing blood levels of markers for oxidative stress. These strong antioxidant effects result in dramatic health benefits. Not only is green tea rich in antioxidants, it is also rich in life-enhancing plant-based ingredients called phytonutrients.

Green tea has been extensively studied as a potential cancer-fighter. Green tea inhibits cancer growth in the skin, lungs, mouth, esophagus, stomach, liver, kidney, and prostate. Women who regularly drink green tea have lower rates of breast and ovarian cancer than those who do not. Furthermore, women benefit from the benefits of green tea more than men regarding cancer-lowering effects.

Green tea also contributes to cardiovascular health because it helps lower blood pressure. In addition, people who drink the most green tea also have the lowest rates of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. In fact, people who drink 2-3 cups a day have 50% lower risk for atherosclerosis and those who drink 4 cups a day are at 60% lower risk compared to people who don't drink green tea. People who consume green tea also have a 44% lower risk of heart attack. Green tea is certainly a source of Mother Nature's best liquid vitamins.

Green tea reduces cardiovascular risk by reducing the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol and by slowing the rate of cholesterol absorption. Furthermore, green tea also raises HDL (good) cholesterol. Amazingly, green tea also has benefits for oral health because it reduces dental cavities. The catechins in green tea reduce gum weakness. Green tea is also a rich source of natural fluoride-like compounds, which bind to the tissues in the mouth, thereby strengthening teeth and lowering the risk of oral cancer. In fact, many brands of toothpaste now contain green tea leaf extracts since the discovery of these properties.

Green tea can also protect against ultraviolet-light exposure and lower the risk of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. These benefits are thought to be caused by the high catechin levels in green tea and, secondarily, by the presence of caffeine. Green tea consumption also improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. In fact, some research has even suggested that green tea can actually repair damaged beta cells in diabetics, which are responsible for producing insulin.

Green tea has been shown to have other benefits. The substances contained in green tea have antibacterial and antiviral properties. Ingredients in green tea also improve the elasticity of the skin and arteries. Additionally, green tea is useful in the treatment of insect stings because of its strong anti-inflammatory properties.

Overall, green tea has been used for medicinal purposes for over 4000 years. Only recently have the health effects of green tea been studied in clinical trials. The unique and diverse therapeutic qualities of green tea are not matched by any other beverage and prove that green tea is quite likely the perfect drink. Interestingly, green tea bears some of the same properties as additive-free aloe vera juice .

Dr. Linda Kennedy MS SLP ND

Health Benefits of Green Tea Bibliography

Dr. Linda Kennedy MS SLP ND