Green Tea, the Way to be Healthy

Green tea has long been recognized as a healthy drink by practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine but it is only relatively recently that scientists have attempted to find out if this is true and what the benefits may be. Some of the research has been purely based on observation whilst others have sought to identify what chemical compounds are found in green tea, and what benefits that these substances may confer.

Green tea may work against heart attacks, stroke, and thrombosis. It does so in a general way through its role as gentle stimulant to the heart and circulatory system. Secondly, it appears to keep the blood vessel walls soft. The chemical rutin has been prescribed for a long time for just this purpose - green tea contains rutin. There is evidence that the phenols in green tea inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract. This could help decrease the cholesterol in the bloodstream. The link between circulatory disorders and cholesterol is well documented. Finally, it may decrease the blood's tendency to form thrombi, or unwanted clots, well known as the cause of both heart attacks and strokes.

Green tea turns out to be a double-barrelled threat to tooth decay because of the natural polyphenols (tannin) and the fluoride it contains. Polyphenols tend to reduce the formation of plaque, while fluoride strengthens tooth enamel so that it can resist decay.

Green tea seems to get the best results, with the variety of Lung Ching coming out on top. Some researchers claim green tea acts as a mild germicide in the digestive tract to help prevent food poisoning and diseases like cholera, typhoid, and dysentery. "The antibacterial effects of tea have been well documented in Chinese scientific literature," writes Dr. Albert Y. Leung in Chinese Herbal Remedies. "Green teas have stronger effects than black teas. They are effective against any types of bacteria, including those that cause dysentery, diphtheria, and cholera".

So in short, if you drink plenty of green tea, you could easily be drinking your way to health.

Disclaimer: When pregnant or nursing only small amounts of green tea should be used, it may also interfere with the action of MAO inhibitors and blood thinning medication. Also the consumption of green tea may interfere with the absorption of medicines. This article is intended to be for information about the nutritional benefits of green tea only and should not be regarded as medical advice in its own right. The information has been taken from secondary sources and is given here in good faith. You should seek the assistance of a qualified physician if you require medical advice on any condition mentioned in this article or wish to use green tea in a medical context.