Green Tea !!

[Tim Wescott]

Here are just a few known health benefits of drinking green tea:

Boosts your immune system

Lowers blood sugar

Helps prevent cavities and tooth decay

Slows the aging process

Helps reduce the risk of cancer

Lowers cholesterol

Aids in weight loss by burning calories

Reduces high blood pressure

Prevents arthritis

Reduces the risk of heart disease

Reduces the risk of stroke

Lowers the risk of blood clot

National Cancer Institute (NCI) researchers are investigating the therapeutic use of green tea. One recently completed but unpublished NCI trial studied the anti-tumor effect of green tea among prostate cancer patients.

Other ongoing NCI studies are testing green tea as a preventive agent against skin cancer. For example, one is investigating the protective effects of a pill form of green tea against sun-induced skin damage while another explores the topical application of green tea in shrinking pre-cancerous skin changes.

In addition to including fruits and vegetables, be sure to include steeped Green tea in your daily diet!

[Tim Wescott]

More Green Tea Facts:

The polyphenols in green tea that act as antioxidants may actually inhibit the growth of existing cancer cells. In some animal studies, injections of tea extracts reduced the size of cancerous tumors in animals. The active agent that is thought to have this effect is an antioxidant, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG).

Recent clinical studies have also indicated that regular use of green tea may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, including oral, skin, prostate, colon, stomach, and rectal. In one clinical trial, patients with pre-cancerous mouth lesions who were treated with green and black tea extracts achieved a 38% decrease in the number of pre-cancerous cells. Further human studies are needed to clearly define the role of tea as a chemopreventative agent for cancer treatment.

The antioxidants in green tea may also be helpful in lowering cholesterol and preventing hardening of the arteries and ischemic heart disease. Low flavonoid intake has been linked to atherosclerosis in several studies. The data from one 1999 study, which followed over 3,400 tea-drinking residents of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, concluded that regular, long-term tea consumption can have a protective effect against severe atherosclerosis.

Another preliminary study published in 1999 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that green tea extract may increase energy levels and promote fat oxidation, and consequently, may be a useful tool in weight control.