Living Touch

In Asia green tea has been enjoyed and drunk for its health benefits for centuries. Now, with the progress of science, the western medical community is beginning to see why. Green tea is said to be helpful in preventing cancer, reducing high blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular diseases, fighting viral diseases, slowing down arthritis, and boosting the immune system. Lately, numerous scientific studies conducted both in Asia and the west have provided evidence for this.

Green Tea Scientific Research

In a longitudinal study conducted on more than 40,000 adults in Japan it was shown that participants who consumed 5 or more cups of tea a day had a 26 percent lower risk of developing a cardiovascular disease than particpants who consumed less than 1 cup a day. In another study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, it was shown that the regular consumption of green tea reduced the risk of developing esophageal cancer by nearly sixty percent. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2006 claimed that elderly people who consumed more than 2 cups of green tea per day had a 50 percent lower risk of cognitive impairment than a comparison group who consumed other beverages. Researchers at Purdue University assume that the high levels of polyphenols and other antioxidants contained in green tea may inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Further research indicates that drinking green tea may lower cholesterol levels as well as prevent the oxidation of the harmful LDL cholesterol.

Green Tea vs Black Tea

All teas come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, they differ only in the way they are processed. While the leaves for black tea are fully fermented during processing, the leaves for green tea are not fermented at all. The processing of green tea is similar to that of white tea. After the leaves are plucked, they are laid out to wither for up to 24 hours with the result that most of the water evaporates. Afterwards the leaves are steamed or pan fried to neutralize the enzymes and prevent oxidation. Then the leaves are rolled up for their final drying. As no oxidation took place, the leaves keep most of their green appearance.