What is Green Tea - All about Green Tea
It is a common type of tea made with the leaves of Camellia sinensis, and have undergone minimal oxidation during its processing. It originated in China and is more common in the Asian region, however, now it is becoming popular in the west also. Green tea is very common in Japan where it is simply known as "tea". Sometimes this tea is referred to as the Japanese tea despite the fact that it originated in China. This tea has also been used as a part of traditional medicine in many parts of Asia.
It is important to note that the green tea contains caffeine unless specifically decaffeinated. However, it is estimated that the average amount of caffeine in green tea is less than that of coffee or the traditional black tea.
Health Benefits
A lot of health benefits are associated with green tea. Here are a few of the green tea benefits.
Firstly, it is considered a very effective way of losing weight.
Green tea has been found effective in controlling certain types of cancers, including the breast cancer, during various tests and observations.
The tea can also help people with skin damaged from radiation therapy according to a German study.
It is claimed that the green tea helps in preventing the degradation of cell membranes by neutralizing the spread of free radicals which occur during oxidation process. However, this has not been proved.
Anti-stress affects of this tea have also been observed.
It also helps in the reduction of the buildup of plaque in arteries and improves cardiovascular health. Green tea also prevents blood platelets from sticking together
Finally, green tea reduces the risk of heart disease according to a study conducted at Yale University School of Medicine in May 2006.
Caution: It can harm your health when taken on empty stomach, so care must be taken.