The Goodness of Green Tea

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How is green tea beneficial to health?

Green tea comes from Camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub that grows in the mountainous regions of India, China, India and other countries. Despite going through the process of steaming, pan-frying and drying, green tea leaves continue to maintain important molecules called polyphenols, which are attributed to its many health benefits.

Here’s what studies say about the effects of green tea on your health:

Boosting Overall Health

The polyphenols in green tea including epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and flavonols like  catechins. While catechins are natural antioxidants and help prevent cell damage, EGCG is a powerful compound used in the treatment of various diseases and is mainly the reason behind the medicinal properties associated with green tea.

These substances also reduce the formation of free radicals that contribute to ageing and diseases. Some studies have also proven that green tea can kill bacteria and inhibit viruses like the influenza virus, potentially lowering your risk of infections.

Dealing with Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the last few decades and afflicts over 400 million people worldwide. According to a meta-analysis study, green tea has been known to decrease glucose levels (on fasting), HbA1c concentrations – a favourable effect for persons where it – and also a significant reduction in fasting insulin concentrations.

However, on the other hand, a few other studies have found no association between tea consumption and diabetes at all.

Controlling Cholesterol

High lipid levels can become the root cause of many diseases. According to a meta-analysis of 14 randomised controlled trials, green tea has beneficial effects on lipid levels.

It showed that the administration of green tea beverages or extracts resulted in significant reductions in serum total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol concentrations, but had no effect on HDL (good) cholesterol.

Promoting Heart Health

Studies suggest that drinking green tea had favorable effects on the risk factors leading to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which are caused by disorders of the heart and blood vessels.

A clinical research suggests that consuming green tea extract daily for 3 months reduces blood pressure in people with a condition of high blood pressure and reduces the risk of death from heart disease. However, there is some conflicting evidence with regard to its effect on high blood pressure.

Weighing in on Weight Loss

Green tea has been taking the fitness world by storm in the recent years due to studies linking it to increased fat burning (especially during exercise) and contribute to weight loss.

According to a study, the mixture of catechin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and caffeine has a small positive effect on weight loss and weight management. However, the results suggest that habitual caffeine intake and ethnicity may be moderators to this effect.

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