Wellbeing 48 | October 2011 | woman this month It’s time to put down the double espresso and think about the other hot drinks available to you — some of them have a multitude of health benefits, and they won’t keep you up all night. Natasha Bird The Chinese have known about the health benefits of green tea for centuries. It has been one of the most major components of their long list of herbal remedies. It has been used to treat everything from headaches to depression, obesity to cystitis. Although Chinese homeopathy has been around for such an incredibly long time, scientists have only recently decided to look for hard evidence to support the idea that herbal and green tea can lead to better health. For example, in 1994, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute of America published the results of a study that indicated that drinking green tea reduced the risk of oesophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent — which is a pretty astounding result! The University of Purdue recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also now research to show that drinking green tea lowers cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol. So, finally, the Chinese can feel vindicated, that up to 4,000 years of knowledge is now accepted as scientific truth. It seems that green tea is a real life philosopher’s stone! It might not be able to make you live forever, but it certainly can prolong the life that you do have. Why is green tea so special? The key to green tea is the fact that it is rich in catechin polyphenols. These are a powerful anti-oxidant (a molecule which is capable of preventing the oxidisation of other molecules) — and it is this property which kills and prevents the spread or growth of cancer cells. It is this same property which can also prevent the abnormal formation of blood clots. This is very important if you consider that the thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes. A study, conducted in 1997 by researchers from the University of Kansas, discovered that the anti-oxidants in green tea are twice as powerful as resveratrol; found in red wine (an ingredient which is famous for reducing the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet). It is this combination of red wine consumption and regular green tea drinking which has bolstered the French against the harmful effects of their rich cooking and daily cigarette habits. The thing that really sets green tea apart, though, is the way that it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound (the source of antioxidants) from being overoxidised. By contrast, black and oolong tea is made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that do not have nearly as many health benefits. Further Benefits There is a rich list of rumoured benefits of green tea and many of them have now been given a basis in scientific evidence: rheumatoid arthritis cardiovascular disease infection impaired immune system function For a few years now, green tea has been plugged as a dieting aid. Ok sure, so some companies will say anything to get you to buy their Elixir of Life The Herbal
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk0MTkxMQ==