Active Green Tea- The Elixir Of Life Active Green Tea- The Elixir Of Life | Page 2

Active Green Tea- The Elixir Of Life
If you ask anyone to name the most popular beverage in the world, the answer in all probability will be Tea.
Tea is available in different forms and one of its forms, Green Tea has received considerable attention among
the scientists associated with human health. The benefits which can be accrued from Green Tea are many,
and the positive effect on the human body has been scientifically proven a number of times. The beneficial
effects of Green Tea are the biological actions of one of its key components- catechin, particularly (-)-
epigallocatechin-3-gallate.
Green Tea contains many polyphenols, and they add up to 30% of the dry weight. Flavonols or polyphenols
are also known as catechins, and the concentration of these catechins vary; being highest in green tea and
gradually reduces in black tea and Oolong Tea.
Recent studies with animal models have revealed that a critical component of Green Tea, i.e. Catechins
affords protection against degenerative diseases. Regular consumption of Green Tea could reduce the risk of
many types of cancer, primarily due to the antioxidant properties of the components of Green Tea.
Daily use of Green Tea helps to reduce the effects of Chemical carcinogens by converting them into inert and
inactive ingredients which are excreted out from the body. Studies have revealed that polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons which are classified as highly carcinogenic are rendered inactive by catechins.
Green Tea is one of the most potent antioxidants, and it protects the cells of the body against oxidative
damage caused by free radicals like nascent oxygen, superoxide, peroxyl radicals etc. Free radicals are
produced n the body during the metabolic process and also by the stress and strains of modern lifestyle. The
free radicals have been indicted for causing cardiovascular disease as well as cancer. Catechins are believed to
have a positive effect on the defence mechanisms of the body and help to preempt the damage caused by
these free radicals.
The catechins present in the Green Tea is a potent antioxidant and also has profound antimutagenic and
anticarcinogenic properties. Studies have revealed that crude catechin powder, when tested in experiments
using the active oxygen method, had a higher antioxidant capacity than the dl-α-tocopherol. Studies have also
shown that green tea consumption by cigarette smokers, preempts cigarette induced risks of carcinoma.
Green Tea has been consumed in Asia as an anti-diarrheal for ages. The Green Tea Catechins have an
inhibitory effect on many pathogens including H.pylori which is a very common cause of diarrhoea. Studies
have also revealed its impact on early stages of the influenza virus.
Green Tea contains catechins which include EGCG, have a positive action in reducing obesity and antidiabetic
effects. Green tea modulates the energy balance, endocrine secretions, food and lipid intake and
carbohydrate metabolism and helps in improving living standards in obese persons Green Tea is also very
beneficial in patients who have Type II diabetes. Type II diabetes is precipitated by the resistance of the lipid
and glucose to normal metabolic activities of insulin. It can also be produced by the deficient production of
Insulin by the beta cells in the pancreas. Green Tea in animal studies has been found to inhibit the factors
which lead to poor action of insulin on glucose and lipids.
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