(31-07-14) Top 5 health benefits of green tea

by Aurora Geib 

(NaturalNews) Get the most health benefits out of your cup by filling it with green tea. People have been enjoying the benefits of green tea for centuries. Scientists are just now discovering what people all over the world have known for centuries -- drinking green tea has many health benefits. Now you can learn the top 5 health benefits of green tea too.

#1 Reduces the risk for hypertension
A Chinese study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (1) shows that regular consumption of green tea lowers blood pressure. In that study, participants who drank 120 milliliters per day (mL/d) of green tea, or more, for at least one year decreased their risk for high blood pressure by 46 percent. Drinking more than 600 mL/d reduced their risk by as much as 65 percent.

#2 Lowers cholesterol
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2) shows that green tea consumption causes significant reductions in total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, which are associated with higher risk for heart disease. The study also showed that green tea consumption does not affect levels of HDL cholesterol, which doctors consider to be "good" cholesterol because of the way it lowers LDL cholesterol.

#3 Reduces risk for heart attacks
Green tea lowers your risk for a heart attack, according to a study published in the April 2014 issue of Angiology. In that study (3), people who drank green tea regularly had a significantly reduced risk of heart attacks compared to those who did not drink the beverage. In fact, the amount of tea consumed was directly related to the protection from heart attack -- the protective value of green tea increases with consumption. The researchers found that the cardiovascular protection from green tea was greater for female consumers.

#4 Decreases cancer risk
The University of Maryland Medical Center (4) cites several studies which show that drinking green tea may help protect you from cancer. Population-based studies show that cancer rates are low in countries where people regularly drink green tea, such as Japan. Scientists are not exactly sure how green tea protects against cancer, but many researchers think that the polyphenols in tea help kill cancerous cells and prevent them from growing.

The U of M discusses several studies investigating the relationship between drinking green tea and specific types of cancer. One group of researchers looked at bladder cancer and found that women who drink powdered green tea were less likely to develop the disease. A follow-up study by the same group of researchers found that people with bladder cancer who drank green tea -- especially men -- had a better 5-year survival rate than those who did not consume the beverage.

The polyphenols in green tea may protect against breast cancer too. One study of 472 women with breast cancer in various stages found that cancer spread the least in women who drank the most green tea. This was especially true for premenopausal women whose breast cancer was in the early stages. Additionally, women with early-stage breast cancer who drank more than five cups of tea every day before receiving their diagnosis were less likely to have the cancer return after the women finished treatment.

Green tea may protect against other cancers as well. One clinical study in China showed that female tea drinkers with ovarian cancer lived longer than those who did not consume the beverage. Some studies suggest that green tea may reduce the risk for colorectal, skin and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that green tea can stop the growth of many types of cancers in a test tubes or laboratory animals, and researchers are working toward understanding the benefits of green tea among people with cancer of the lung, stomach, esophagus and prostate.

#5 Weight loss
Clinical studies show that drinking green tea can help consumers lose weight. Some researchers believe that catechins in green tea help the body burn fat. Combining green tea and caffeine enhances the fat-burning and weight-loss effects of green tea.

Drink at least one cup of green tea each day and reap all the health benefits of this powerful little herb. The more you drink, the better you can feel!

Sources:

1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

4. http://umm.edu

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