Strengthen Your Heart with Green Tea

Here is good news for those who have cardiovascular disease. A research conducted at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center has shown that the phytochemicals in green tea prevent the formation of plaque in the arteries. The results of the research substantiate the claims that the tea is a powerful herb against heart disease. It was also noted that the protective properties of green tea were more evident in women than in men.

Green tea is loaded with catechin polyphenols and eipigallocatechin or EGCG. The latter is a powerful antioxidant that lowers LDL cholesterol levels. By doing so, EGCG inhibits the uncommon formation of blood clots that lead to heart attacks and stroke. EGCG is doubly potent than resveratrol, a kind of anti-oxidant that restricts the bad effects of smoking and unhealthy diet of fatty food. This clearly explains why Japanese men are less prone to heart disease.

Aside from lowering LDL cholesterol and serum triglyceride levels, the antioxidant properties of green tea prevents the hardening of the LDL cholesterol along the arteries, and inhibits the collection and adhesion of platelets. It also removes plaque from arterial walls, and lowers blood pressure as evidenced in published studies. If you are thinking of treating hypertension with green tea, do so with the supervision of a medical professional.

The benefit of green tea is not limited to lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Green tea can help dieters lose pounds safely. Falvanol, an active antioxidant slows down carbohydrate absorption and doubles the rate of fat burning thereby improving the function of insulin. People who drank regular teas fortified with the extract of green tea daily for a period of three months got rid of more body fat compared to those who took regular teas alone. It is believed by researchers that cathechins present in green tea induces weight loss by triggering the body to use up more calories, thereby decreasing body fat.

Of the other teas coming from the same Camellia Sinensis shrub, green tea is not fermented before it goes through the steaming and drying process. All teas have large amounts of antioxidant ingredients but green tea is particularly noted for its abundance of polyphenols or cathechines. Cathechins have anti-inflammatory properties.

There is growing evidence that green tree can fight cancer. Observations of the effect of green tea on cancer cells detect the capability of green to localized cancer cells thus making treatment easier. For cervical lesions, green tea is said to be an effective cure for cervical lesions since it is effective against abrasions caused by Papilloma virus that causes cervical cancer. The tea kills bacteria along the intestines and inhibits the growth of harmful intestinal bacteria such as clostridia and E. coli.

On the lighter side of things, green tea can give one a sweet smelling breath after eating some food. It also prevents plaque formulation along on the teeth. Green has also been used extensively as an ingredient in anti-aging cosmetic creams and cosmetics. So what is stopping us from imbibing green tea?