Walax Green Tea Resource

Right now, tea in its various forms (black, and most popularly, green tea) is the most widely consumed beverage (next to water) in the entire world.

According to Chinese folklore, tea was first discovered by Emperor Shen Nong in 2700 BC, as a puff of wind blew some tea leaves into a pot of boiling water. Based on the many recent studies touting the advantages of drinking green tea, we’ve compiled a list of the tea’s biggest benefits:

• Weight Loss – A wide variety of individuals use green tea as a means for losing weight. Research shows that green tea helps to regulart hormones, amp up metabolism levels and promote fat oxidation. Combining this with an easy to follow diet can do wonders for almost anyone.

• Longevity – Green tea might prevent premature death from a variety of causes, the biggest of which is cardiovascular disease. Japanese researchers used data from a national study of over 40,000 participants followed over the course of 11 years. Those who drank more than five cups of green tea per day had a lower risk of death from heart disease and stroke. This might explain why the Japanese have the longest lifespans of any people on Earth.

• Improved memory & cognitive function – Another Japanese study reveals that drinking copious amounts of green tea can improve memory and cognitive function. It may also enhance learning and memory abilities. The main compounds that are thought to be responsible are EGCG, and other polyphenols. The use of oxygen during the metabolic process leads to the making of free radicals, which can damage the brain over time. The antioxidants in green tea neutralize these free radicals and inhibit that damage.

• Green tea can also lower total cholesterol levels, and can also improve the ration of HDL to LDL. Studies show that green tea drinkers have much lower cholesterol levels than those who don’t drink green tea daily. It is thought that green tea lowers cholesterol by inhibiting the absorption of lipids by the digestive system, allowing them to be flushed from the body.

• Green tea is also used to control blood sugar. Research evidence suggests that green tea can reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes. Those who drink more than six cups per day are less likely to develop diabetes than those who do not drink green tea. It’s possible that the caffeine content of the tea is responsible for this benefit, but no one knows for sure. Green tea extract lowers A1c levels also.

• Green tea can also lower blood pressure – Tea increases the body’s production of nitric oxide, which opens up the arteries and thus reduces blood pressure. A study found that regular green tea drinkers had a 46% lower likelihood of developing high blood pressure, and that percentage went up to 65% for those who drank more than 2 1/2 cups of green tea per day.

As we mentioned, green tea contains polyphenols that are potent antioxidants, and are part of many of the body’s biochemical activities. The polyphenols in green tea are mostly catechins, and EGCG is the most powerful of them all. For thousands of years, people have known of the many health benefits of green tea, and new discoveries are being made almost daily.