The benefits and properties of green tea for health They are numerous: it is antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, good for the heart, for the mouth and for the skin. If you are not yet a tea consumer, you will want to drink one when you read all the advantages that this concoction can bring to your health.
Green tea (camellia sinensis) is one of the most popular beverages in countries like China or Japan. However, this herbal juice is increasingly sought after for its abundant health benefits..
Its popularity is growing due to the fact that more and more studies demonstrate its effectiveness as a supplement in the treatment of diseases.
Green tea contains catechins, antioxidant substances among which epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG stands out. These catechins contain many medicinal properties.
A fundamental aspect to explain the benefits of green tea is its manufacturing process. Unlike other types of tea, to get green tea, the leaves of the tea plant must be heated freshly picked. In this way, the oxidation process is avoided. This explains the antioxidant properties of this drink..
If we numbered all the health benefits of green tea, this article would never end. However, these fifteen reasons will convince you to incorporate green tea into your diet.
Perhaps this is the most important property of this drink. When we say that a food is antioxidant, we mean that it helps prevent the aging of cells.
This generates a series of beneficial effects, among which are those listed below.
Various studies in animals have shown that the consumption of green tea protects cells against various types of cancer, pancreas, breast, colon, skin, etc..
Catechins, chemicals present in green tea, among which EGCG stands out, slow down the reproduction of cancer cells. These substances inhibit proteases in the processes of metastasis or spread of cancer. Proteases are enzymes that are responsible for breaking the bonds of the amino acids that make up proteins. Although their function, among others, is to facilitate digestion, in the face of a cancer process they can be dangerous due to their destructive potential.
In the case of prostate cancer, studies have been carried out in mice where the efficacy of this substance in dealing with malignant cells has been demonstrated.
It also prevents mouth cancer. Green tea protects healthy cells from those that are infected. In addition, in some areas, it can induce apoptosis or programmed death of cells to those that are carcinogenic..
A high consumption of green tea protects health against cardiovascular diseases.
The Department of Preventive Cardiology of the National Cardiovascular and Cerebral Center of Japan, carried out an investigation in 2013 in which it associated the moderate consumption of this drink with a lower risk of suffering cardiovascular diseases.
In addition, regular consumption of green tea lowers systolic blood pressure, that is, the one that occurs when the heart contracts. It also lowers the level of LDL Cholesterol, known as bad cholesterol, and the total cholesterol level in a moderate way.
On the other hand, the consumption of green tea is related to a lower risk of hypertension.
The study carried out in 2013 by the National Cardiovascular and Cerebral Center of Japan, concludes that moderate or high consumption of green tea (2, 3, 4 or more than four cups a day) also reduces the risk of suffering a stroke or any type of stroke.
The polyphenols or antioxidant substances present in green tea protect the skin from ultraviolet rays.
For this reason, more and more cosmetic products include green tea in their composition..
Among the beneficial effects that this plant has on the skin are:
A 2014 study, conducted among people over 55 in Singapore, shows that tea consumption promotes better physical fitness.
2398 adults participated in this research. Those who consumed green tea obtained a more positive balance in terms of performance in daily physical activities, both basic and instrumental.
Other research shows that the catechins in green tea improve aerobic capacity in adult men. As long as it is combined with weekly physical exercise.
The catechins in green tea, and especially the one predominantly EGCG, helps destroy viruses with mechanisms that attack infected cells in all their aspects, from outside and inside.
When we talk about the effect of green tea when it comes to fighting viruses, we are referring to those of the adenovirus type. These are those that cause respiratory infections, conjunctivitis, urinary tract infections and gastroenteritis.
Green tea is also beneficial in fighting the Human Immune Deficiency Virus or AIDS (HIV). However, it is not effective in anti-adenovirus therapies..
Green tea is very beneficial for oral health. Its polyphenols o inhibit the odor of the particles that cause bad breath.
In addition, the consumption of this drink helps to eliminate the bacteria that induce the appearance of cavities..
And if you are a smoker, you should know that green tea alleviates inflammation of the oral cavity and rust caused by nicotine.
Green tea activates the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain in charge of ordering our thoughts and making us act appropriately at all times. When activating, the so-called “executive function” of the brain, it is deduced that green tea increases our capacity for attention and to focus on what we are doing at the moment.
Green tea extract is rich in flavonoids, particles found in plants, including catechins. These small antioxidant substances help prevent the aging of cells. In this case, drinking green tea prevents the aging of neurons, thus increasing our ability to concentrate..
In addition, this neuroprotective function is also good for your memory. So if you don't like coffee very much, a cup of green tea is your best option to accompany your study afternoons..
The antioxidant capacity of the polyphenols present in green tea also the neurodegenerative disorders associated with old age.
Both Parkinson's and Alzheimer's belong to neurodegenerative diseases.
An experiment with mice in 2005 demonstrated the efficacy of green tea in treating Alzheimer's. The main antioxidant in green tea, epigallocatechin gallate reduces the production of beta-amyloid. This molecule that is the most important component of senile plaques that cause Alzheimer's disease. The study concludes that green tea can be used as a preventive treatment for this disease.
As for Parkinson's, the second most important neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's, there is a 2016 study that corroborates the ability of green tea to prevent this disease. However, the appropriate dose has not yet been established..
Green tea, among other elements, contains an amino acid called theanine or L-theanine. This ingredient produces a feeling of relaxation.
An analysis on theanine and green tea, states that since ancient times, this drink was associated with relaxation. In this study, it is scientifically proven with volunteers, how the consumption of green tea modifies brain waves, generating many waves of the alpha type, which are those that occur when we are at rest.
According to the scientists in this experiment, theanine promotes relaxation without causing drowsiness..
According to this same research, the theanine present in green tea, in addition to helping to reduce stress and promote relaxation, is responsible for its exotic and peculiar flavor.
A green tea extract supplement helps you self-regulate the level of glucose and insulin in the blood.
This reduction has been shown in blood sugar two hours after eating. That is, postprandial glucose.
While a green tea supplement helps balance blood sugar levels, it is only effective when combined with exercise. In studies on green tea and glucose, there has been no improvement in the absorption of sugar in those who are sedentary.
An experiment with rodents showed in 2005 that the polyphenols present in green tea increased hair growth after a six-month treatment.
Two years later, another study demonstrated the stimulating effect of the most important catechin present in green tea, epigallocatechin gallate, on human hair growth..
An experiment published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention In 2003, he demonstrated the efficacy of green tea extract to combat Human Papillomavirus or other lesions of the cervix, such as cervicitis or cervical dysplasia.
Green tea extract should be applied to patients in the form of an ointment or capsule.
Of the fifty-one patients who participated in the experiment, 69% responded to the treatment. This shows that green tea can be very useful and effective in the treatment of this sexually transmitted disease..
A pilot study among women with difficulty getting pregnant demonstrated the efficacy of a green tea supplement as an alternative or a complement to fertility-promoting treatments. Green tea increases the levels of progesterone, the hormone responsible for preparing the uterus to receive the egg once fertilized.
Thirty women underwent the test, in which fifteen of them took the green tea supplement. After several months of treatment, five of the participating women became pregnant.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in 2014, the world production of green tea was 1,567,092 tons.
China is the largest producer of green tea, followed by Japan, Vietnam and Indonesia.
| Country | Production (tons) |
| China | 1,315,230 |
| Vietnam | 95,502 |
| Japan | 83,297 |
| Indonesia | 37,300 |
* Production data for 2014. Source: FAO
There are different types of green tea depending on the country where it is produced.
The main producer is China where there are different types of tea, depending on the province where it is consumed. The most famous green tea is Xihu Longjing tea, which comes from Zhejiang province.
Green tea is also very popular in Japan. The best known is Sencha tea, which is obtained through direct drying of the leaves in the sun.
To prepare an infusion of green tea, the water should be heated to a temperature of approximately 80ºC and do not leave the leaves or tea bags for more than 2 minutes, as their taste becomes bitter.
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