The Benefits of Green Tea

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

29 May 2006 06:04 PM

Green tea is pretty amazing. It is one of the richest natural sources of antioxidants, which help clean out your cells and prevent heart disease and cancer. But the health benefits of green tea don't end there! Green tea has been shown to help fight cavities, slow down harmful blood clotting, and ease arthritis pain!

In case you're wondering, green tea and black tea come from the same plant. The difference comes from the processing -- black tea leaves are fermented, and green tea leaves are not. Black teas often have a stronger taste, while green tea is more delicate. But whether you drink your green tea hot or iced, with milk or lemon, you get the same health benefits!

For the past ten years or so, scientists have been studying the effects of green tea. More than five hundred different studies have shown that green tea is beneficial to your health!

Green tea helps to prevent cancer -- most of the research to date has focused on this subject. Green tea appears to be especially helpful in preventing cancer of the digestive system, including the esophagus, pancreas, stomach, colon, and bladder.

Green tea helps lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease, and control blood pressure. Again, the antioxidants are to thank for this. They can help decrease blood cell clumping, which can lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. Green tea can also help protect your liver and boost your immune system.

Green tea may also help ease the pain of arthritis! Recent studies suggest that the antioxidants in green tea can postpone the onset of arthritis in mice -- and even ease the symptoms in those who already have arthritis.

Green tea even contains fluoride, which helps protect your teeth against cavities.

And if you are concerned about your caffeine intake, don't feel so bad -- a six ounce cup of green tea has about 30 milligrams of caffeine. A cup of coffee of the same size has about 100 milligrams of caffeine.

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Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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Bonnie Sayers (1298) 29 May 2006 06:27 PM

I don't drink tea or coffee, only hot cocoa or skim chocolate milk. Last month I started taking green tea extract. Does this give the same benefit as drinking green tea?

Thanks ~ Bonnie Sayers http://autismspectrumdisorders.bellaonline.com

Aimee Amodio (11995) 30 May 2006 05:49 AM

You know, Bonnie, I believe it does, but I don't know 100% for sure. I've seen green tea extracts, and even tasted a few (they're not bad!) and I've heard the claims that they have the health benefits of 50 million cups of tea in one serving, or something like that... I'll look into it and see what I come up with!

Erika Lutz (309) 17 Jan 2007 02:43 PM

This was very informative!