Mother Nature’s Apothecary - Green Tea
Historical evidence has revealed that the origin of tea dates back more than 4000 years, with its early beginnings in China. From that time forward, tea has been a popular drink noted as a beverage and as a traditional medicine, first in Asian countries and then much later in Europe and North America, beginning in the 1600’s, when the Qing Dynasty established trade between China and the rest of the world.
In modern times, tea is now the second most commonly enjoyed beverage in the world, water being the first. All around the world there are hundreds of millions of people who drink tea daily for thirst and for medicinal purposes. Green tea in particular is known to have significant health benefits, especially in regards to digestive and heart health.
Green tea is made up of unfermented leaves of the Camellia sinesis plant, and is noted for having the most powerful antioxidant properties of any Chinese tea. Of the four main types of tea that are produced from camellia sinesis – white, green, black, and oolong, green tea is the least processed of all, creating a fresh, drinkable flavor, and retaining the polyphenols that make its medicinal properties so strong.
It’s common knowledge that antioxidants are wonderful for overall body health and maintenance, but few know the physiological science behind them. Antioxidants are substances that neutralize, and in some cases, actually repair the damage done by free radicals within the human body. Free radical compounds are formed naturally and through exposure to outside toxins such as cigarette smoke, and they have the ability to change DNA and cause damaging alterations to cells.
Recent studies show that those who drink four cups of green tea a day will reduce their risk of certain types of cancer, including lung, stomach and breast cancers, as well as stave off heart disease. The catechin polyphenol antioxidants in green tea, particularly the epigallocatechin gallate variety, also known as ECGC, are the key to many of green tea’s health benefits. ECGC is a far more powerful antioxidant than both vitamin C and vitamin E, and is not only a known cancer fighter, but also has properties that stimulates the body’s metabolism and help to achieve accelerated and lasting weight loss.
Green tea does contain a small amount of naturally occurring caffeine, approximately 1/5 the amount existing in brewed coffee. The EGCG antioxidants in green tea, partnered with the caffeine, can stimulate the process of thermogenesis, which begins in the body’s central nervous system, telling it to release fats into the bloodstream for the body to burn immediately and efficiently, even without additional exercise.
It seems the medical and health benefits of green tea are limitless. In addition to those noted above, green tea is also regularly utilized as a stimulant, an astringent for first aid purposes, a treatment for excessive body gas, a diuretic, an aid in improving attention span and overall mental processes and as a blood sugar and temperature regulator.
While scientific studies are still in process in regards to the benefits of green tea, there is no denying thousands of years of dedicated use and enjoyment by millions of people all around the world.
