Green Tea herbal

Green Tea

Chinese legend says that over four thousand years ago, green tea was accidentally discovered. Today green tea is used to treat problems including depression, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, aches, and pains. It is also used to boost the immune system, to prolong life, to detoxify, and to provide energy.

Green Tea for Health and Long Life

Teas generally all come from the tea plant; what causes each tea to differ is how it is prepared. Green tea differs from oolong and blank tea because the active components stay unchanged because it is not fermented. In addition to various vitamins, nutrients, and minerals, green tea contains organic chemicals called polyphenols, or epigallocatechin gallate, that produce its medicinal properties.

Health Benefits of Green Tea

Early scientific studies are showing that green tea may be able to lower cholesterol, especially the dangerous LDL cholesterol. They also suggest that this tea might improve cardiovascular health by causing blood platelets to be less sticky.

Green tea is known to be a detoxifier and an antioxidant and can help prevent atherosclerosis.

Other studies show the possibility of green tea having the ability to restrain cancer. The polyphenols in green tea stopped the spreading of melanoma cells in scientific experiments on animals and may also be able to lower the risk of certain cancers in humans.

Green tea also has the ability to reduce bacteria causing dental cavities and harmful bacteria found in the stomach.

Dosage and Administration

No specific recommendations are currently given for green tea; however, most people drink around 3 cups of tea each day. Some research indicates that as many as 10 cups of green tea may be needed each day to make a noticeable difference in health.

Green tea is made by adding 1 teaspoon of green tea leaves to 1 cup of hot (not boiling) water. Steep for 3 minutes.