Fall In Love with Green Tea

Health Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea has been enjoyed by multitudes of people for many centuries, beginning over 4,000 years ago in China and later spreading to most of the Eastern countries. It was used as a medicine to help healing, level body temperature, aid digestion and control bleeding.

Many ancient writings touted the health benefits of drinking green tea, and also explained how to grow and brew the leaves. Green tea has now become a staple in many pantries around the world.

Its benefits are numerous and scientists are still finding more about the health advantages that green tea can bring into our lives. Among these health benefits are:

• Diabetes prevention and control – Green tea has long been linked to diabetes as a way to reduce insulin levels and blood glucose. Catechins, found in green tea are said to block sucrose and starch in the digestive system.

• Weight loss – Green tea’s ability to block starch may help to rid our bodies of excess fat.

• Lower blood pressure – Those who suffer from high blood pressure can benefit from the effects of drinking green tea.

• Lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) – Green tea’s antioxidants help improve the flexibility of our body’s blood vessels.

• Heart disease – Antioxidants in green tea help to dilate the blood vessels and other components help to strengthen cell walls.

• Cancer – Many cancers are caused by “free radicals,” which feed on the body’s pollution and poor health conditions. The catechins found in green tea can have a profound effect on promoting a health immune system, which in turn gets rid of free radicals.

There are many other benefits to drinking green tea, a fact that the Eastern hemisphere has known for millenniums. Those who have enjoyed green tea for years report that they have more energy, lost weight and that many health maladies have lessened as a result.

Green tea has been the focus of many scientific studies that helped to determine the short and long-term effect of consuming this beneficial substance.

Types of Green Tea

Green tea isn’t as popular in the West as in the East, but it’s fast replacing black tea as the tea of choice, mainly due to its proven health benefits. The green tea leaves are processed by heating before they oxidize, which means that they must be steam or dry heated immediately after they’re harvested.

There are so many great green teas to choose from. Online stores have an amazing collection of many Japanese and Chinese teas, but you can also find them in specialty stores. Beware of supermarket green teas – they tend to be of lower quality and can taste bitter.

You may want to try several types before deciding on a particular one. There are flavored green teas as well as roasted and steamed. Some online tea stores have specialty packages, which offer a sampling of teas that you can try and order more of when you decide on one that you like. Be sure to purchase high quality green teas to reap the full health benefits.