The Complete Guide to Green Tea
What are the benefits of Green Tea?
Green Tea has gained popularity over the last couple of years with tea drinkers because of the many health benefits associated with drinking it. Green tea has been used in China for over 4,000 years as medicinal tea.
Green tea contains the chemical epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a compound that is said to be responsible for all the health benefits of green tea. EGCG is a strong anti-oxidant that is said to be capable of strengthening the immune system and killing cancer cells without destroying healthy tissues. The EGCG is present in green tea because of the process that it undergoes. Unlike Oolong and black teas which are made from fermented leaves, the green tea is steamed. This process prevents the EGCG from being converted into other types of compounds.
According to some, green tea can even be used to treat headaches and mild depression. There are even studies that reveal that Green Tea lowers the risk of getting cancer because the chemical composition of green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. Green tea also has lower caffeine than coffee but contains effective anti-oxidants that help the body rid of free-radicals. Because of this, green tea helps in the regeneration of cells and can result to better digestion and good-looking skin.
Green teas are said to induce healthy weight loss so more and more dieters are drinking teas with or after their meals. Green teas increases the body’s metabolism or capacity to burn more calories which results in weight loss. Green tea also sweeps out the cholesterol in the digestive system, effectively helping clean the blood and keeping the circulatory system healthy. Green tea is also said to prevent the following ailments: rheumatoid arthritis, infections, cardiovascular systems and weak immune defense. Green tea also has anti-bacterial properties that help prevent food poisoning, dental plaque, bad breath and other such ailments. Because of this anti-bacterial properties the green tea is also now being used in skin and beauty products.
Green tea has a shorter life than other types of tea because of the process that they undergo. It is very important to find fresh, high quality green tea to get the best tea drinking experience and to maximize the health benefits that you can get from it. There are many types of loose leaf green tees and there is surely a kind of tea that will match your taste. You can start drinking loose leaf green tea by buying a starter set or a cup with infuser so you can try the different types of green tea in the market. You can try premium, first harvest teas or you can also try the more affordable second-harvest teas. Sencha, contains high level of vitamin C is a good everyday tea and is the most popular green tea in Japan.
Other Green Tea varieties include: Gyokuro, Genmaicha, Hojicha, Kukicha, Bancha, Konacha, and more.