I'm excited about green tea. Ever
since I read a research study about two years ago, showing how green tea could fight cancer, I started drinking it
every day. Apparently a major component of green tea,
epigallocatechin-3-gallate, has been shown to stop the invasion of cancer tumor
cells, also known as metastasis, into other parts of the body, and also
inhibits angiogenesis, or the production of blood cells by cancer tumors. Both
of these are essential to the spread and invasion of cancer, and green tea
helps stop this from happening (Khan & Mukhtar, 2010; Fujiki, Watanabe,
Sueoka, Rawangkan, & Suganuma, 2018). In one study, combining mushrooms,
also known for its cancer-fighting properties, and green tea was found to be
many times more potent than either ingredient alone in fighting breast cancer (Zhang, Huang, Xing, & Holman,
2009).
Green tea is considered by some to
be one of the healthiest drinks on the planet. Tea in general is rich in
polyphenols, which can reduce
inflammation. EGCG, a catechin, is a natural antioxidant, helping to
prevent cell damage and reduce the formation of free radicals which cause
disease and aging. Caffeine in green tea, a known stimulant, can help keep you
awake, but does not have the same quantity as coffee, so it can give the
benefits without the jittery effects. Caffeine can help block adenosine, and
stimulate dopamine and norepinephrine, making you feel more awake and alert. In general, small doses of caffeine can
be beneficial to improve brain function,
memory, reaction time, mood, and vigilance. Along those same lines, green
tea has been shown to possibly protect the neurons in your brain as you age
from developing Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s
diseases (Healthline, 2018).
Green tea also has the amino acid
L-theanine, which can reduce anxiety,
and works with the lower doses of caffeine to improve brain function, provide
stable energy, and increase productivity better than
coffee. The increased energy is also associated with an increased metabolism,
which helps improve physical performance and activity, helping to burn more fat
(Healthline, 2018).
Additional benefits of green tea
include improved dental health due to the reduction
of bacteria in the mouth, and inhibiting
the flu virus and strep infection. In addition to this, green tea has been
shown improve the sensitivity of insulin in cells, thus making it more
effective in reducing your blood sugar
levels and lower your risk of
diabetes. Green tea also lowers LDL, or bad
cholesterol, and keeps LDL from oxidizing, thus reducing the risk of heart disease. Overall, drinking 5 or more
cups of green tea a day may be a key link to longevity in Japanese individuals, as demonstrated in several
scientific studies (Healthline, 2018).
Last but not least, studies have
shown that ECGC in green tea can also help promote hair regrowth (Esfandiari
& Kelly, 2005; Kwon, et al., 2007).
With all of these health benefits,
green tea seems to be one of God’s gifts to us, one of those natural healing
remedies that really work to help our bodies. One note of caution: taking
supplemental forms of green tea in high concentrations may be harmful. There is
evidence that too much green tea as a supplement, as with any supplement, can
harm the liver. In addition to this, too much green tea may boost the immune
system in a negative way to those who have auto-immune disorders. Thus,
drinking a cup or two a day is likely a safer way to consume green tea, and
avoiding too much of it for those with auto-immune diseases (Fortune, 2018;
Walsh, 2018).
Esfandiari,
A., & Kelly, A. P. (2005). The effects of tea polyphenolic compounds on
hair loss among rodents. Journal of the National Medical Association, 97(8),
1165-9.
Fortune.
(2018). Green tea supplements could be hurting your liver, researchers say. Fortune. Retrieved from http://fortune.com/2018/04/18/are-green-tea-supplements-safe-liver/
Fujiki, H., Watanabe, T., Sueoka,
E., Rawangkan, A., & Suganuma, M. (2018). Cancer Prevention with Green Tea
and Its Principal Constituent, EGCG: from Early Investigations to Current Focus
on Human Cancer Stem Cells. Molecules and cells, 41(2),
73-82.
Healthline. (2018). 10 proven
benefits of green tea. Healthline. Retrieved
on 11/23/18 from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-green-tea
Khan, N., & Mukhtar, H. (2010).
Cancer and metastasis: prevention and treatment by green tea. Cancer
metastasis reviews, 29(3), 435-45.
Kwon, O., Han, Jl, Yoo, H., Chung,
J., Cho, K., Eun, H., & Kim, K. (2007). Human hair growth enhancement in
vitro by green tea epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Phytomedicine.14(7-8), 551-555. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17092697
Walsh, B. (2018). Green tea health
risks. Precision Nutrition. Retrieved
from https://www.precisionnutrition.com/rr-green-tea-hazards
Zhang, M., Huang, J., Xing, X.,
& Holman, C. (2009). Dietary intakes of mushrooms and green tea combine to
reduce the risk of breast cancer in Chinese women. International Journal of
Cancer, 124(6),1404-1408.
