The Many Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea is from the same tea plant as black tea and white tea but harvested at a different time in the plant’s cycle.  All forms of tea have significant health benefits when grown in the correct soil properly, but green tea has some unique benefits.

Green tea is chock full of polyphenol antioxidants that include flavonoids and catechins.   The most notable catechin is Epigalocatechin-3-gallate or EGCG for short.   EGCG has many benefits for many different health and disease conditions.

Cardiovascular Benefits of Green Tea

Recent research from the University of Leeds and Lancaster University showed that EGCG can actually help dissolve arterial plaque which is the main cause of heart disease and stroke.     Other research has shown it can also help to inhibit the buildup of amyloid beta plaque in the brain which is the main culprit in Alzheimer’s disease.

Green tea can also help control blood pressure.   Drinking three to four cups of green tea daily has been proven to promote cardiovascular health and help prevent arteriosclerosis, cerebral thrombosis, heart attack and stroke while improving blood flow and protecting against blood clots.

Green Tea and Cancer

Green tea polyphenols also retard the growth of blood vessels to tumors and may help to improve tumor cell response to chemotherapy.

Green Tea and Weight Loss

EGCG increases fat oxidation for several hours after intake which can aid in weight loss.

Green Tea and Exercise Capacity

In a study, mice who were given green tea extract improved their endurance exercise time by up to 24%.

Best Type of Green Tea

Matcha Green Tea uses the entire ground tea leaf and contains much more EGCG than regular green tea.      The best Matcha comes from Japan is steamed rather than roasting or pan frying which retains much more nutrients.    The leaves are ground into a powder which is stired directly into hot water.    The tea is bright green.