In ancient Japan, green tea was considered a medicine due to its known health benefits at the time. It was also something Buddhism monks used during their meditation for its calming effects. Modern science has confirmed these Japanese beliefs in green tea. Many scholars around the world have studied the health benefits of green tea and found the following:
Green tea has many amazing nutrients and substances and the following will be some of the major substances/compounds:
1. Catechin. This substance is type of polyphenol that is said to have powerful antioxidant effect. It has four type of Catechin: EC, EGC, ECG, and EGCG. The EGCGs are considered the most powerful antioxidant within the four types.
2. Vitamins. Green tea is especially abundant in Vitamin C. If you take the green tea in powder type, three servings will be equivalent to one apple. Also the organic compound beta-carotene (vitamin A precursor) is also abundant close to one serving of orange juice.
3. Theanine. It is an unique amino acid that is said to have potential ability to reduce mental and physical stress and provides a calm alertness.
There are many scholars around the world who are experimenting the health benefits of green tea. Some of these benefits are still being debated, so if you plan to use for medical purpose please consult your physician.
1. Prevents Cancer. The powerful antioxidant substance, the EGCGs, are said to prevent the development of cancer cells. There are many experiment that shows that the people who takes green tea has a low possibility of getting cancer.
2. Lowers Blood Sugar, Blood Pressure, and Cholesterol. There is an enzyme that triggers the high blood pressure called the enzyme renin. Catechin has the effect to prevent this enzyme renin to raise the blood pressure. It will also lower bad cholesterol, which makes the ratio of good and bad cholesterol more favorable for the health.
3. Boosts Metabolism. Catechin also is said to have the effect to boost metabolism and reduce the absorption of fat.
4. Relaxation. The combination of theanine and caffeine has the effect to give alert calmness.
5. Natural Deodorizer. The Catechin is said to provide antibacterial effect and eliminates odor. In Japan, used tea leaves are recommended to use as a natural air refresher.
6. Aids Fight for Dementia. Catechin protects from nerves system which leads to aids for dementia.
7. Tooth Decay. The antibacterial effect will protects from cavities and other dental issues.
8. Skin Care. The antioxidant effect from Catechin and vitamin C will protect you from aging skin. In Japan, some beauty magazines recommend to drink green tea for its skin care benefits and health benefits.
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*DISCLAIMER. We are not recommending green tea as a cure or remedy for any health ailments. Please consult your physician for any medical problems you may be experiencing. We seek to source current and accurate information for your general knowledge. If you know of any additional informative resources, please contact us.
Today we would like to talk about the weight loss effect of green tea. We will go down into simple facts and go over experiments that are done in Japan. At last, we would like to mention about how you can brew or how you may choose your tea to take full advantage of the green tea health benefits.
Green tea contains a health substance called the catechin. This catechin is a type of poly-phenol that contains in green tea and is known for its powerful antioxidant affect. Within this catechin there are 4 types: EC, EGC, ECG, and EGCG. The EGCG is considered the most powerful antioxidant within the four types.
In the liver, there is an enzyme (beta-oxidation) that burns fat, which accelerates fat metabolism, and that enzyme is vitalized by the green tea substance, catechin. It is said that catechin increases the enzyme activity close to 40%. For that reason, catechin leads to accelerating the fat metabolism, which leads to weight loss.
One of the famous experiments done in Japan is called the Kakegawa study. This experiment was conducted by Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture, which involved more than 1,500 males and females over 30 years old, consuming 1 green tea capsule per day (an equivalent of 600ml of brewed green) lowered the bad cholesterol level by an average of 9.02 mg/dL (0.50 mmol/L) and shrunk their waist size by an average of 1.86 cm (3/4 inch) during the study period. The reason why that the waist size shrunk is said to be the effect of the catechin boosting metabolism.
Also a study conducted by Kao Corporation of 240 people showed that people who consumed beverages rich in “catechin” saw their blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and visceral fat drop, compared with those who consume beverages containing little “catechin.”
There are many ways to take in catechin right now: green tea capsules, instant tea powder, etc. Of course, we are a tea store that sells organic and additives/preservatives -free teas so we believe that taking in the catechin the natural way is the best (simply by brewing loose leaf or mixing pure powder). In that case, we recommend two of the following:
You will be able to take in the catechin the most by brewing 2-3rd pick/harvest teas. First harvest will be the best as in taste, but there will be more catechin in second pick/harvest.
Hotter the water temperature, it is said to liquate out catechin more than standard 176F (80C) water.
On the 3rd round it is said the most catechin are taken out from the tea leaves.
Please remember taste of catechin is very bitter, so if you brew it as mentioned above you will get a very bitter tea. However, it will sure keep you healthy. It is said that you will be able to get more than 1.2 to 1.5 times the catechin compared to the standard recommended way.
Powdered green tea that is additives-free is basically simply ground tea leaf (please remember instant tea and powdered green tea are different!). If you consume it by powder you will be able to take in the full tea leaf, and this will be the best way to consume the health benefits compared to any other type of teas. Within the powdered teas, sencha powder (2-3rd pick) will be the best for health wise, it will contain the most catechin compared to other powdered teas such as matcha. Matcha is abundant in Theanine, the umami substance, but it contains less catechin compared to Sencha.
So the very best to take in the health substance of green tea for weight loss it will definitely be sencha powder. However, if you are into loose leaf also 2-3rd pick sencha brewing with hot water will definitely work too.
Hope you enjoyed and if there are any questions please feel free to ask anytime.
Thank you.
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Yosuke Aso
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