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Green Tea Fights Aging and Disease

By Carol Stack

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 29Mar2007 Word count: 594 Viewed: 222 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

Green tea has become popular with weight loss programs. There are actually compounds within the tea that promote weight loss by increasing your metabolism. But did you know that Asians have been drinking green tea for 4,000 years as a natural remedy for a variety of ailments including headaches and depression?

It has long been known that green tea has the ability to kill bacteria and is known to deter food poisoning and plaque. Other studies are now showing that green tea may be able to help mitigate the damage from LDL cholesterol -- otherwise known as the "bad cholesterol" that is a key marker in heart disease.

Although the researchers never explained how the tea may influence cholesterol levels, previous studies have shown that certain compounds in green tea play a role in reducing the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the body, increasing amount of cholesterol excreted, and thus keeping cholesterol from being stored in the liver.

Antioxidants in Green Tea

There are high concentrations of antioxidants found in green tea. Polyphenols (catechins) are powerful antioxidants that fight aging and disease. Green tea's active components are these polyphenols.

In fact, green tea contains one particular catechin that is very potent. This catechin contains 25-100 times more antioxidants than vitamins C and E. This makes green tea an excellent source for fighting the free radicals in our bodies. Free radicals are toxins in our systems that cause aging, disease, and shorten our life.

Losing Weight with Green Tea

How does green tea help a person lose weight? Clinical trials, conducted by the University of Geneva, in Switzerland, indicate that green tea raises metabolic rates and speed up fat oxidation. There is also clear evidence that green tea's polyphenols (EGCG) helps depressing leptin (a protein produced by fats that plays an important role in how the body manages fat storage through brain signals).

Basically, green tea helps you with weight loss by suppressing your appetite, regulating your blood sugar, and boosting your metabolic rate. It also provides a replacement for that cup of high-calorie coffee you've been drinking in the morning. It isn't going to work wonders, but it can help.

One Danger in Green Tea – Fluoride

There is a downside to drinking green tea. The plants receive fluoride from the soil. Fluoride has been linked to causing Alzheimer's and other brain degenerative diseases.

To get rid of the fluoride in the tea you can add calcium carbonate to your cup of tea. Or you can drink white tea instead. White tea actually has more antioxidants than green tea.

They come from the same plant. The only difference is white tea is produced from leaves that are picked earlier, whereas green tea comes from the leaves left on the plant longer. Black tea has the most fluoride since it comes from leaves left on the plant the longest.

Where to Find Green Tea

If you try to buy green tea in a supermarket – even in a very large one – the chances are that you'll only find one kind of green tea: the kind with ‘green tea' written on the packet. A better place to search is on the internet or a health food store.

Remember, by purchasing the freshest you will be getting a greater helping of the wonderful benefits Green Tea has to offer.

If your body can handle caffeine, then green tea might interest you. Where else will you find a drink that helps with weight loss, the prevention of cancer, healthy teeth, and lowering cholesterol?

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