Nature’s Gift - Green Tea, The Miracle Beverage

Tea or “Chai” is one of the most popular beverages consumed worldwide. Tea is consumed in different parts of the world as green, black, or Oolong tea. Tea has a very prominent place in our culture and has been so for a long time.

Green tea is made from Camellia sinensis leaves and buds that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process used to make Oolong teas and black teas. Green tea originated in China, but its production and consumption has spread to many other countries in Asia.

Green tea is being used as a medicine since ancient times. It has been receiving enormous attention in recent times. Green tea has been endowed with a large number of health benefits, ranging from lowering blood pressure to reducing cancer risk.

Why is green tea so special?                       

Green tea is minimally processed and has been a popular beverage in the East for a long time. Green tea is minimally oxidized and, therefore, largely retains the original color of the tea leaf, while oolong and black teas have undergone significant fermentation and through oxidation have darkened in colour.

As a result, green tea retains maximum quantity of antioxidants and poly-phenols. These substances in green tea are responsible for its many health benefits. The presence of these phytochemicals makes green tea so special!

Components of interest in green tea

The chemical composition of green tea varies depending on the environmental changes. The major components of interest are the polyphenols. The major polyphenols in green tea are flavonoids.

The four major flavonoids in green tea

1. catechins, epicatechin (EC)
2. epigallocatechin (EGC)
3. epicatechin gallate (ECG)
4. epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)

What are the health benefits obtained by consuming green tea?

1. EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant. Besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. An epidemiological study indicated that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women.
2. Drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improves the ratio of good cholesterol (HDL) to bad cholesterol (LDL).
3. The polyphenol catechins are strong antibacterial and antiviral agents.
4. Green tea catechins have been found to have antioxidant activity because of which they have free radical scavenging property.
5. Flavonoids and caffeine in green tea can help elevate metabolic rate, increase fat oxidation and even improve insulin activity. These properties may have direct positive effect on weight loss.

The green tea catechins possess various biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-angiogenesis, antiproliferative, increasing metabolic rate etc.

Here we have a beverage which is loaded with health-promoting properties at our disposal and it can be a perfect alternative to our sugar-laden chai which we drink several times a day. Then why not go for it!