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Benefits of "Green Tea"
Green tea: What are the benefits?
Green and black teas both seem to have health benefits. I am referring to the nonherbal black and green teas. These teas contain an potent antioxidant compound known as polyphenols. These polyphenols are being linked with anti-cancer and anti-heart disease effects. Studies are still incomplete and inconclusive, but are pointing strongly toward having a protective effect against these two deadly diseases.
Green and black teas are the same plant processed in a different way. This difference in processing results in more of the polyphenols being destroyed in the black teas. Green teas therefore seem to have more of the beneficial effects mentioned, but black teas still retain some of the benefits.
Laboratory studies are showing the polyphenols in tea can help prevent cancer from forming and may stabilize or shrink present cancers, keeping them from spreading. This effect seems to lie in polyphenol's ability to prevent the oxidation that causes damage to DNA, turning normal cells into cancer cells. It can also inhibit enzyme activity that potentiates the malignancy of carcinogenic compounds. Most studies are laboratory based, and results in humans are inconclusive, but observational evidence is beginning to prove a link.
There is also evidence suggesting that tea may protect against heart disease, although the link is not yet as strong as that for cancer. It may be that tea polyphenols reduce blood cholesterol and reduce blood pressure. It may also prevent the formation of clots that can lead to heart attack or stroke. Both regular and decaffeinated tea, as well as iced tea have comparable levels of polyphenols, so pick your favorite brew, and begin to enjoy your daily 'tea time'.
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