Green Tea Health Benefits Still Being Evaluated
For centuries, if not longer Asian countries have been consuming tea as a beverage as well as in herbal medicine practices. It is thought that the first discovery of tea as a hot beverage is credited to ancient China as tea leaves accidentally landed in a cup of boiling water and the flavor was found to be pleasant. While the health benefits of tea are still being researched, green tea is being touted as being rich in antioxidants and as a preventative and possible cure for many ailments.
When teas leaves are picked, the processing to dry the leaves takes place within a day or two of harvesting. This prevents the natural fermenting of the leaves that turns then dark and preserves many of the catechins that occur naturally in teas. With the potential health benefits of the antioxidant more prevalent in green tea it is believed its use to reduce free radicals in the blood stream can help prevent many health issues as well as help stop the growth of many others.
In addition to green tea being sold in crushed and whole leaf form for brewing in hot water, it is also being sold in ready-mixed form for immediate consumption either to be heated or consumed cold. It is currently one of the fastest growing products in terms of sales with American retailers.
Green Tea Health Benefits - Not All Studies Draw Positive Conclusions
Studies with catechins infused with green tea have shown a reduction in bad cholesterol as well as an increase in good cholesterol following a 12-week study period. This led researchers in Nashville, Tennessee to conclude that green tea used in conjunction with other appropriate dietary methods could be a benefit in reducing cholesterol. Additionally, it was to be useful when treating those with severe obesity.
Some claims by manufacturers of green tea for health issues have been denied by the Food and Drug Administration, while similar claims for the benefits of reducing the potential for cardiovascular disease have been allowed, provided clarification of the studies limitations are included in any advertising for the product as a health benefit.
Several foreign countries, especially Japan where green tea has been used for its health properties, offer unabashed claims about the many benefits of green tea when it is used as part of a specific diet. Claims include help for heart disease and cancer as well as for providing more energy. Many health conscious individuals consider green tea as one of the most all-around benefits found in a single product.
By Health Editor
