My cup of tea - make it GREEN

In this day and age, green tea surely does not need any introduction, but that wasn’t the case few years back even though, this wonderful herbal health drink, as it is called now, has been used for thousands of years particularly by the Chinese. So why is everyone raving so much about green tea these days?

What makes green tea unique is its basic ingredient, a catechin called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which is responsible for most of the health benefits as it is a powerful antioxidant. Numerous scientific studies suggest that regular green tea drinkers may have lower chances of heart disease and contracting certain types of cancer. Besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, green tea is known to kill cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.

Green tea is supposed to be helpful in various health disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, hypercholesteremia, cardiovascular disease, infections and impaired immune function. Green tea lowers total cholesterol levels in the blood and improves the ratio of good cholesterol (HDL) to bad cholesterol (LDL). Green tea can even help in preventing tooth decay. The polyphenols present in green tea reduces the amount of amylase produced by conversion of starch into sugar and hence the level of sugar in the blood also decreases, a great benefit to all diabetics.

So why only green tea? Does the regular black tea not have similar health-giving properties? After all both these teas come from the same Camellia sinensis plant. An important point to remember is the way the two teas are processed, that’s what sets them apart. While black tea is made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases, green tea on the other hand is made from the process of steaming, thus retaining maximum amount of antioxidants and polyphenols which are the substances that give green tea its many benefits.

It is a given fact that many of us struggle for that little bit of inch loss or weight reduction, in an effort to look gorgeous, slim and young. Yes, a balanced diet and hitting the gym definitely helps a good bit, but did you know that green tea could also do wonders for weight loss. It helps in burning the fat & increasing metabolism naturally due to the presence of catechin  polyphenols. It lowers the cholesterol & enhances fat oxidation. It also prevents obesity by inhibiting the movement of glucose into fat cells. Due to the antioxidant and anti inflammatory property, green tea can supposedly also help with wrinkles and the signs of aging.

So, what are you waiting for? The next time you sip that hot cup of tea, make sure it is green, may be not as much for its taste as its rich benefits. Relax and enjoy this natural way to keep you healthy and fit for life.