Tea, the famous of all beverages, has numerous varieties one of which is the ancient Chinese traditional tea known as ‘green tea’. Green tea originated thousands of years back as a part of early cultivation yields in China and India. It was used in ancient China for medicinal purposes, to ease the feeling of depression and also to treat headaches.
This traditional tea has today become quite popular around the globe because of its refreshing and medicinal properties. Green tea goes through minimal oxidation during the processing period, making it one of the healthiest and most popular of all teas available in the market. It has a light and refreshing flavour and is lime yellow in colour. Its herbal taste refreshes a person and takes away all the tensed feeling thereby relaxing and soothing the person. Let us discuss about few major nutritional benefits of green tea and understand the properties in the tea that help provide these nutritional benefits to a regular user.
Health Benefits Of Green Tea
Green tea is rich in catechin polyphenols, especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) which is a powerful antioxidant that helps in slowing down the aging process. This particular chemical not only prevents the growth of cancer cells, but also kills cancer cells without any harm to the healthy tissues. EGCG also lowers the bad cholesterol levels thereby eradicating any risk of blocking in the blood vessels. This particular tannic acid in tea also prohibits abnormal blood clotting, known as thrombosis.
Green tea is a rich source of various vitamins like A, D, E, C, B, B5, H and K. Green tea also contains good amount of amino acids, protein, caffeine, folic acid and fluoride.
Green tea is the best beverage for facilitating the weight loss process, since it enhances the fat oxidation and increases the body’s metabolic rate. Green tea provides energy to the body and speeds up the metabolic rate of the body.
Green tea is completely fat free. It is free from any saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated or trans fat.
Green tea contains 27mg of potassium, 3 mg of sodium, 3 mg of calcium, 2 mg of magnesium and small amounts of copper, iron and manganese, fulfilling the mineral requirements for the beverage.
The amino acids present in green tea have excellent tissue repairing quality which also help in the production of antibodies, bile acids, few essential enzymes, haemoglobin, hormones, milk proteins in nursing mothers, glutathione and cytochrome, melanin, plasma proteins, purine and pyrimidine. Amino acid also facilitates the creation of rhodypsin and urea in the body.
Fluorides that prevent dental cavities and decay by eradicating bacteria like Streptococcus mutans are also richly present in the green beverage.
Green tea is prescribed by the doctors for pregnant women because of the presence of folic acid in it. Drinking a cup of green tea before a meal will prove to be beneficial for an expecting mother since it increases the metabolic rate of the body and enhances fat oxidation.
Green tea also helps the immune system fight against various heart complications and cancer. Green tea is even good for patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, since it strengthens the immunity of the body.
Research shows that around 70% of people vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease stop experiencing the symptoms once they started consuming green tea on a daily basis.
Green tea also prevents diabetes and its symptoms. It is also capable of showing 30 per cent reduction in the life-threatening disease and helps the body to create insulin in adequate amount.
Another research reveals that about 85% of chemotherapy patients concluded that a cup of green tea every day provides them the capacity to control the symptoms of nausea and make them feel more revitalized after the chemotherapy and radiation.
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