Is Green Tea Good for your Health?

The simple answer to that question is a big, emphatic YES. From keeping cancer at bay to preventing heart disease, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, green tea could be doing almost everything that your doctor is for you.

But what exactly is green tea? Green tea is made from the same leaves that ordinary black tea is made from except that it undergoes far fewer processing measures than black tea. When tea is normally made, the leaves are picked, withered (dried), rolled or broken, oxidised and then dried.  Oxidation usually manages to remove precious nutrients from tea that make it so good for health.

Green tea is the same tea leaves, picked, fired (heated or steamed) and then dried. Because they haven’t been subjected to the process of oxidation, they still retain most of their anti oxidants which are the main reason they are considered so healthy.

If it is weight loss that you worry about, its time you became best friends with green tea. It just happens to be one of those fantastic drinks that you can indulge in guiltlessly during your day. Some studies have shown that that green tea can increase the body’s capacity to burn more calories, possibly through the action of phytochemicals called catechins.

It is also a very useful tool in the war against cancer. Studies have shown that green tea contains chemicals that can shut down one of the key molecules that tobacco relies upon to cause cancer. Studies also show that people who regularly drink green tea are less likely to develop cancer than those who don’t. Green tea contains two powerful antioxidants, known as epigallocatechingallate (EGCG) and epigallocatechin (EGC), which have the capability of binding to a protein found on tumour cells that dramatically slows their growth, making green tea helpful in the prevention of a variety of cancers, such as lung, prostate, liver, skin, pancreas and breast.

This wonderful drink also has the ability to reduce the risk of disabling diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Looks like your morning cuppa could be doing more for you than merely keeping you awake!

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