Green Tea Properties:
What they mean to your healthy Lifestyle
All the Green Tea properties work together in a perfect symphony to bring you truly great health benefits.
Although Green Tea has many properties, only the major and
exciting properties will be mentioned here. Keep checking in, I am sure
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I have mentioned previously that loose leaf Green Tea gives you ALL the benefits that drinking Green Tea has to offer.
The compressed loose leaves are steeped in hot water. As the leaves expand, more of its surface area is exposed in the water, allowing for more of the beneficial properties to be extracted.
Of the few Green Tea properties mentioned here, the most exciting and highly studied property, the famous EGCG. Also known by its long, scientific name Epigallocatechin Gallate.
Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG)
As an anti-oxidant, EGCG is one of the most powerful discovered to
date. In fact, EGCG has 25 times the power of Vitamin E.
EGCG is mainly found in the camellia sinensis plant, better known to us as the common tea plant. The same plant that is used for Green Tea, is also used to produce the popular Black Tea.
The difference being that Black Teas are fermented. In the fermentation process, most of the ECGC is converted into theaflavin and thearubigens.
Anti-oxidants like EGCG are very useful at protecting our bodies against the dangerous effects of free-radicals. Free-Radicals are the major cause of most cancers, by stealing electrons from normal healthy cells, making them unstable and cancerous.
EGCG has been shown to protect human DNA from Ultraviolet and other radiation damage, while at the same time, plays a huge role in slowing down and sometimes even reversing the synthesization of fatty acids. Thereby aiding your metabolism, and indirectly, weight loss.
Caffeine
Yes, Green Tea does contain caffeine. Green Tea contains less than
half the amount of caffeine than Black Tea, which in turn is still less
than coffee.
In moderation, the caffeine contained in Green Tea can be good for you. Caffeine increases your blood circulation, which increases that amount of much needed oxygen that is delivered to your muscles.
Along with the list of good things caffeine can do for your body, it also stimulates your nervous system and respiration, making you feel more awake and alert. But be warned, an overdose of caffeine can make you all jittery and hypersensitive, with some other side effects not far behind.
Flavonoids
The Flavonoids found in Green Tea - like EGCG - have anti-oxidant properties, but are quite different in that the Flavonoids have more anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and anti-viral effects.
Flavonoids can be found in several foods, including red wine. The Flavonoids in Green Tea helps reduce blood cholesterol, relieves hay fever, eczema, sinusitis and asthma.
Flavonoids are partly responsible for the colouring in fruit, veggies and some herbs.
Fluoride
Yup, this is the same fluoride that has been forced into your mouths by your parents, dentists and teachers. Not much of an introduction needed here, so we will just recap what you already know.
Fluoride is good for preventing, and sometimes reversing early stages of tooth decay. This is achieved in two ways:
- Strengthening the hard enamel skin of your teeth and ...
- Repairing damaged enamel caused by plaque.
Tooth decay is caused by plaque build up on your teeth, which reacts with sugars in food creating a harmful acid that dissolves the protective enamel skin on your teeth.
Chlorophyll
Here’s another one we learned in school. The conversion of light to energy. And was it energy to oxygen at night?
Chlorophyll is responsible for the green pigmentation in the Green Tea leaves. It is vital for photosynthesis – which is what happens when the leaves convert light into energy or food for the tea plant.
Green Tea leaves are selective of the wavelength of light that it uses to convert to energy, which is what makes the molecules in the leaf turn green. There is a whole scientific reason behind this one.
Chlorophyll is an active deodorizer which helps fight bad breath, and it also helps neutralise some of the pollution that we breathe.
The bad news is that chlorophyll is reduced when your Green Tea is steeped. So to get the most chlorophyll, use the Japanese Gyokuro or Matcha types of Green Tea. These plants are covered in shade a couple of weeks before picking which concentrates the chlorophyll in the leaves.
L-Theanine
L-Theanine is a unique amino acid that is found only in the tea plant, and some types of mushroom. This is one of the properties of
Green Tea that provide the savoury taste.
Some cosmetics contain L-Theanine to provide an effective moisturiser and cleansing skin care products.
All in all, there is a magnificent bunch of properties in Green Tea. All working together to get, or keep, your body and mind in tip top shape.
Related Articles
- Loose Leaf Green Tea
- Green Tea Plant
- Anti-Oxidants in Green Tea
- Caffeine Content in Green Tea
- Green Tea Side Effects
- Types of Green Tea
- Green Tea Cleansing Skin Care