What is green tea good for

Green Tea Health Benefits

Green tea has been used in Chinese medicine for more than 5000 years. It shows anti-cancer effect, prevents the development of atherosclerosis and heart diseases , speeds up metabolism and burning fat. Green tea contains fluoride, which prevents the development of caries.

It is also rich in antioxidants, which prevent damaging the cells in the body. Green tea is used for treating infections and colds by reducing cell damage caused by viruses. Using green tea prevents the development of malignant cells, and its regular consumption is associated with reduced incidence of ovarian, colon, esophagus, bladder, lung, pancreas, prostate and skin cancer development.

Preparations made of green tea are used locally for the treatment of viral infections (herpes virus, genital warts). Also, problems such as bad breath, sores in the mouth or frequent throat infections are solvable by regular drinking green tea or rinsing the throat with green tea. It is also used to increase blood pressure.

Green Tea Action

Primary effect of green tea, and all other beverages containing caffeine, is increased alertness and cognitive capacity.

Green tea is rich in antioxidants which are ten times more effective than vitamin C and E. Antioxidants neutralize effects of free radicals, thus helping in the fight against aging. They also prevent the emergence and spread of malignant cells (cancer cells). The cancer development rates are lower in Japan and other Far East countries where people regularly consume green tea. The exact mechanism of green tea action is unknown, but researchers believe that it contributes to the destroying cancer cells and prevents their development.

Studies have shown that green tea extract stimulates metabolism and helps in burning fat. Some studies indicate the effectiveness of a combination of green tea and caffeine in reducing and maintaining body weight of overweight and moderately obese people.

Green tea disinfectants oral cavity and prevents the development of infection. Green tea relaxes the bronchi thanks to the presence of theophylline, so it has found application in treating asthma and bronchitis. According to some studies, the use of coffee, tea and other caffeine beverages reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease. Studies have shown that consumption of green tea prevents the spread of breast cancer in premenopausal women.

Green tea lowers total cholesterol and raises HDL "good" protective cholesterol. Polyphenols - the components of green tea have the ability to reduce cholesterol absorption in the intestine and stimulate its excretion from the body. Green tea is traditionally used to control blood sugar levels. Japanese scientists have proven that green tea extract helps in stopping the HIV virus.

Dosage

Green tea is usually taken in doses of 300-400mg of polyphenols (the green tea active ingredient) per day. One cup of tea contains 50-100mg of polyphenols.

Side Effects

Side effects include: heartburn, stomach irritation and reduced appetite. In the case of an increased green tea intake, there is the possibility of over-stimulating the body resulting in rapid heartbeat, increased blood pressure, increased secretion of fluid, insomnia, and loss of appetite.

Theoretically, green tea can reduce the adoption of iron, and is not recommended in the case anemia. Green tea is not recommended in cases of allergy to caffeine, with insomnia and epilepsy.