Do Green Tea and Health Go Together?

Green Tea

There are hundreds of studies concerning green tea and health benefits that may accompany the beverage.  The whole thing started with what researchers like to call the “Asian Paradox”.

Green Tea

There are lower rates of heart disease and cancer in Asia, despite high rates of cigarette smoking.  Researchers have theorized that this could be due to the polyphenols and other antioxidants found in the average 1.2 liters of green tea that many Asians drink, every day.  Depending on the variety, that amount would provide 42 to 340mg of caffeine per day.

Other researchers have argued that it is not the polyphenols or other antioxidants found in the tea leaves, but the caffeine that conveys the derived benefit.  As a stimulant, caffeine increases blood pressure, heart rate and stimulates the production of gastric acid.  It prevents blood platelets from sticking together and forming clots or sticking to the arterial walls.

But, recent studies concerning long-term health benefits of caffeine from other sources, primarily coffee, have only showed a decreased incidence of Alzheimer’s among regular coffee drinkers.  But when it comes to studies concerning green tea and health effects, it has been shown to improve cognitive function, decrease the risk of heart disease and inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors.

The most compelling evidence is in the area of cancer prevention.  In the US, the FDA has ruled that companies may claim that the beverage or supplements containing the extract may help prevent prostate and breast cancer.  Don’t allow the claims to mislead you; remember to look at the word “may”.

Most people that have a family history of breast or prostate cancer want to do everything that they can to reduce their chances of getting the disease.  In order to do that, natural health experts advise that we avoid toxins of all kinds.  In order to do that, you need to try to eat more natural foods and fewer prepared ones.  The artificial preservatives, flavorings and colors that are found in packaged and processed foods are not good for you.

When it comes to green tea and health, drinking the bottled beverages is not the best choice, because they contain many of those artificial additives.  There is also a problem with the plastic bottles that most companies use.  The compounds used to create them will seep into beverages stored in them.  Some of those compounds act like hormones in the human body, which means that they may increase our cancer risk.

To get green tea and health improvement, the extracts that are found in the best dietary supplements are the right choice.  While some supplement manufacturers are simply trying to sell product and make profits by using the cheapest ingredients and the least costly testing, others test each raw ingredient for purity and potency.  They check the finished batches for contamination that can occur during processing.

They know that green tea and health may go hand in hand, but they also know that other nutrients and antioxidants are just as, if not more important.  Shop for the best and you’ll feel your best. If you have two minutes to spare, please take a look at my website now.

Gordon Hall

http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/do-green-tea-and-health-go-together-734612.html

Green Tea