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| Health EQ: Seven Reasons to drink green tea Popular Health Issues-Facts and Prevention |
Though the FDA concluded that existing evidence does
not support qualified health claims for green tea
consumption and a reduced risk of any other type of
cancer in 2005 [1], the steady stream of good news about
green tea is getting so hard to ignore its potential benefits.
Green tea contains, minerals, vitamins, oils, caffeine and
an important polyphenol - epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).
CUT YOUR CANCER RISK
Some test-tube and animals studies suggest that green
tea may have a protective effect against lung cancer,
breast cancer and prostate cancer. It is believed that
epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) mediates different
physiological and pharmacological actions, including
squelching the creation of new blood vessels that tumors
need to thrive, in bringing about the regression of the
tumors. However, mixed results are also obtained from
these studies, especially, on esophageal cancers.
LOSE WEIGHT
Green tea may speed up your body's calorie-burning
process. A study in Netherlands shows that green tea
reduces body weight, waist, respiratory quotient and body
fat. High caffeine intake is associated with weight loss
through thermogenesis and fat oxidation and with
suppressed leptin.
PROTECT YOUR MEMORY
Marketers promote green tea as an agent that keep the
brain from turning fuzzy. Sure, it contains caffeine!
Actually, researchers have shown that
epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the key ingredient
that may help prevent Alzheimer's disease from a study of
mice. In that study, EGCG decreased the production
beta-amyloid. [24] High levels of beta-amyloid are always
found in the brain of patients suffered from Alzheimer's
disease.
STAY YOUNG
The younger and healthier your arteries are, the younger
and healthier you are. So fight plaque build-up in your
blood vessels, which ups the risk of heart disease and
stroke, adds years to your biological age (or Real Age).
Some animal studies have shown that green tea can lower
the total cholesterol levels, improve the cholesterol profile
and protect against atherosclerosis.
STEADY YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
Credit goes to the epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)
again. [24, 25] They help keep blood vessels from
contracting and raising blood pressure. Italian researchers
investigated effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)
treatment to simultaneously improve cardiovascular and
metabolic function in SHR rats (model of metabolic
syndrome with hypertension, insulin resistance, and
overweight). In acute studies, EGCG (1 - 100 microM)
elicited dose-dependent vasodilation. It also improved
insulin sensitivity and raised plasma adiponectin. [24]
PROTECT YOUR SKIN
Green tea polyphenols suppress the carcinogenic activity
of UV radiation. Thus, it may be beneficial to combine
green tea polyphenols together with traditional sunscreens
to further protect the skin against the adverse effects of
ultraviolet radiation. [26]
GREEN TEA BENEFITS AND SIDE EFFECTS
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ZHION 2007. Discuss with your doctor before
drinking green tea. This article is for your reference only.
[1] FDA Issues Information for Consumers about Claims for Green Tea and
Certain Cancers FDA News Release June 30, 2005. [24] Potenza MA et al,
Epigallocatechin Gallate, a Green Tea Polyphenol, IMPROVES
ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION AND INSULIN SENSITIVITY, REDUCES BLOOD
PRESSURE, AND PROTECTS AGAINST MYOCARDIAL
ISCHEMIA/REPERFUSION INJURY IN Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR).
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Jan 16. [25] Babu PV et al, Therapeutic
effect of green tea extract on advanced glycation and cross-linking of collagen
in the aorta of streptozotocin diabetic rats. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2006
Apr;33(4):351-7. [26] Yusuf N et al, Photoprotective effects of green tea
polyphenols. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2007 Feb;23(1):48-56.
not support qualified health claims for green tea
consumption and a reduced risk of any other type of
cancer in 2005 [1], the steady stream of good news about
green tea is getting so hard to ignore its potential benefits.
Green tea contains, minerals, vitamins, oils, caffeine and
an important polyphenol - epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).
CUT YOUR CANCER RISK
Some test-tube and animals studies suggest that green
tea may have a protective effect against lung cancer,
breast cancer and prostate cancer. It is believed that
epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) mediates different
physiological and pharmacological actions, including
squelching the creation of new blood vessels that tumors
need to thrive, in bringing about the regression of the
tumors. However, mixed results are also obtained from
these studies, especially, on esophageal cancers.
LOSE WEIGHT
Green tea may speed up your body's calorie-burning
process. A study in Netherlands shows that green tea
reduces body weight, waist, respiratory quotient and body
fat. High caffeine intake is associated with weight loss
through thermogenesis and fat oxidation and with
suppressed leptin.
PROTECT YOUR MEMORY
Marketers promote green tea as an agent that keep the
brain from turning fuzzy. Sure, it contains caffeine!
Actually, researchers have shown that
epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the key ingredient
that may help prevent Alzheimer's disease from a study of
mice. In that study, EGCG decreased the production
beta-amyloid. [24] High levels of beta-amyloid are always
found in the brain of patients suffered from Alzheimer's
disease.
STAY YOUNG
The younger and healthier your arteries are, the younger
and healthier you are. So fight plaque build-up in your
blood vessels, which ups the risk of heart disease and
stroke, adds years to your biological age (or Real Age).
Some animal studies have shown that green tea can lower
the total cholesterol levels, improve the cholesterol profile
and protect against atherosclerosis.
STEADY YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
Credit goes to the epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)
again. [24, 25] They help keep blood vessels from
contracting and raising blood pressure. Italian researchers
investigated effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)
treatment to simultaneously improve cardiovascular and
metabolic function in SHR rats (model of metabolic
syndrome with hypertension, insulin resistance, and
overweight). In acute studies, EGCG (1 - 100 microM)
elicited dose-dependent vasodilation. It also improved
insulin sensitivity and raised plasma adiponectin. [24]
PROTECT YOUR SKIN
Green tea polyphenols suppress the carcinogenic activity
of UV radiation. Thus, it may be beneficial to combine
green tea polyphenols together with traditional sunscreens
to further protect the skin against the adverse effects of
ultraviolet radiation. [26]
GREEN TEA BENEFITS AND SIDE EFFECTS
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ZHION 2007. Discuss with your doctor before
drinking green tea. This article is for your reference only.
[1] FDA Issues Information for Consumers about Claims for Green Tea and
Certain Cancers FDA News Release June 30, 2005. [24] Potenza MA et al,
Epigallocatechin Gallate, a Green Tea Polyphenol, IMPROVES
ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION AND INSULIN SENSITIVITY, REDUCES BLOOD
PRESSURE, AND PROTECTS AGAINST MYOCARDIAL
ISCHEMIA/REPERFUSION INJURY IN Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR).
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Jan 16. [25] Babu PV et al, Therapeutic
effect of green tea extract on advanced glycation and cross-linking of collagen
in the aorta of streptozotocin diabetic rats. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2006
Apr;33(4):351-7. [26] Yusuf N et al, Photoprotective effects of green tea
polyphenols. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2007 Feb;23(1):48-56.