Sunday, October 25, 2009

Why Green Tea Can Prolong Your Life

By Dan Williams

Polyphenols in green tea are all the rage. The health establishment in the United States now endorses drinking a glass of green tea every day because of these new found polyphenols.

Green tea has the same substance that is in vegetables and fruits: catechins. There are four types of catechins with the most powerful being the one that is found in green tea: epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).

EGCG is called a super antioxidant because it is even more powerful than Vitamin C. EGCG destroys free radicals in the human body. Free radicals are unstable molecules that have been linked to disease. Free radicals constantly attack the body leaving it open to disease.

So how do free radicals cause damage within the human body? They interfere with what is called the biochemical process that takes place within all cells. Free radicals ultimately kill healthy cells by destroying enzymes and other cellular functions. Just as bad, free radicals produce toxic waste. These highly reactive molecules damage not only proteins, but actual DNA as well.

There are different types of free radicals but all are children of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM). So oxidation inside the body is harmful. Yes, we need oxygen to survive, but because of this need, reactive oxygen metabolites are produced. These free radicals age and destroy our cells. These free radicals have been linked to illness, sickness, aging, heart disease, cancer, and even arthritis.

If your body does not have much of an antioxidant line of defense, your cells oxidize faster which speeds up the aging process. So by consuming antioxidants, you not only improve your body's immune system, you slow down the aging process as well.

EGCG is found in such high concentrations in green tea, it is why new research has linked green tea to the health benefits listed below.

Lowers bad cholesterol

Raises good cholesterol

Lowers the risk of cancer and heart attack

Lowers the risk of stroke

Lowers the risk of arthritis

Enhance immune function

Kills bacteria. Has anti-viral properties. Helps lower weight.

Boost longevity due to potent antioxidant properties

A single cup of tea has 110 - 320 mg of polyphenols and has a lot of EGCG. Medical researchers now believe that EGCG has over 100 times more antioxidants than Vitamin C and over 20 times more than Vitamin E.

For thousands of years, the Chinese have known the benefits of drinking green tea. In more advanced countries like the United States, medical research continues into the effectiveness of green tea against a variety of illnesses and even aging itself.

A new research study was just released a few months ago that linked green tea to preventing Alzheimer's. The EGCG in green tea decreases the production of a protein which in large amounts causes memory loss.

Green tea comes in various dosage forms but the more popular versions are the liquid forms and the patch.


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