Health Benefits Of Green Tea - Sober Point Of View
Health benefits of Green Tea
Proponents of green tea note that its medicinal benefits have been described for over 1000 years. The Kissa Yojoki, or Book of Tea, written by Zen priest Eisai in 1191, describes how drinking green tea can have a positive effect on the five vital organs, especially the heart. The book discusses tea’s medicinal qualities which include easing the effects of alcohol, acting as a stimulant, curing blotchiness, quenching thirst, eliminating indigestion, curing beriberi disease, preventing fatigue, and improving urinary and brain function. Part One also explains the shapes of tea plants, tea flowers and tea leaves and covers how to grow tea plants and process tea leaves. In Part Two, the book discusses the specific dosage and method required for individual physical ailments.
In more recent times, many studies have investigated a link between the consumption of green tea and a lower incidence of a range of cancers in populations, with mixed results. Green tea lovers have claimed it to be useful for:
- Cognition
- Stopping certain neurodegenerative illnesses such as Alzheimers
- Preventing/treating cancer
- Treating arthritis
- Treating multiple sclerosis
- Preventing the degradation of cell membranes by neutralizing the spread of free radicals (which occurs during the process of oxidation)
- Increases fat oxidation (helps the body use fat as an energy source) and raises metabolism.
- Lowering LDL cholesterol (in high doses in lab tests)
- Preventing lowered T-Cells due to HIV - In lab tests, EGCG, found in green tea, was found to prevent HIV from attacking T-Cells. However, it is not known if this has any effect on humans yet.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rejected claims of health benefits for green tea. And more: in some circumstances the abnormal use of green tea may cause detrimental effect on health.
• “There is no credible scientific evidence that drinking green tea reduces the risk of heart disease”.
• “FDA concludes there is no credible evidence to support qualified health claims for green tea or green tea extract and a reduction of a number of risk factors associated with CVD” (cardiovascular disease).
• The FDA has said that green tea likely does not reduce breast, prostate or any other type of cancer risk.
But there is another point ov view:
Contradicting the FDA, A 2006 study published in the September 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that adults who consumed three or more cups of green tea per day had a lower risk of death due to cardiovascular disease. The study, conducted by the Tohoku University School of Public Policy in Japan, followed 40,530 Japanese adults, ages 40 to 79 years, with no history of stroke, coronary heart disease or cancer at baseline beginning in 1994. The study followed all participants for up to 11 years for death from all causes and for up to 7 years for death from a specific cause. Participants who consumed 5 or more cups of tea per day had a 16 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 26 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease than participants who consumed less than 1 cup of tea per day. The study also states, “If green tea does protect humans against CVD or cancer, it is expected that consumption of this beverage would substantially contribute to the prolonging of life expectancy, given that CVD and cancer are the two leading causes of death worldwide.”
A 2006 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Vol. 83, pp 355-361) showed that elderly Japanese people who drank more than 2 cups of green tea a day had a 50 percent lower chance of having cognitive impairment than those who drank less or who consumed other tested beverages. The high amount of catechins found in green tea is thought to be the reason.
In May 2006, researchers at Yale University School of Medicine weighed in on the issue with a review article that looked at more than 100 studies on the health benefits of green tea. They pointed to what they called an “Asian paradox,” which refers to lower rates of heart disease and cancer in Asia despite high rates of cigarette smoking. They theorized that the 1.2 liters of green tea that is consumed by many Asians each day provides high levels of polyphenols and other antioxidants. These compounds may work in several ways to improve cardiovascular health, including preventing blood platelets from sticking together and improving cholesterol levels, said the researchers, whose study appeared in the May issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Specifically, green tea may prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol (the “bad” type), which, in turn, can reduce the buildup of plaque in arteries, the researchers wrote.
Nevertheless you should be cautious consuming green tea in large quantities.
When a doctor should be contacted prior to consuming
• If someone is pregnant or are planning to become pregnant.
Green tea contains a compound — epigallocatechin gallate — that blocks the enzyme necessary for folic acid to be utilized in the cells. Folic acid is needed for cells to divide, which is especially important during the critical periods of growth and development during the first trimester of pregnancy. Without folic acid, cell division is slowed down. In fact, inadequate intakes of folic acid have been linked to an increased risk of giving birth to an infant with neural tube defects. To be safe, pregnant women should avoid green tea throughout their pregnancy.
Source: Wikipedia