Health Benefits of Green Tea

The health benefits of green tea make it a good beverage for treating cancer, heart problems, cardiovascular diseases, high cholesterol levels, rheumatoid arthritis, infection, tooth decay, etc. Green tea contains an antioxidant epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG) which is helpful in treating a variety of diseases.

Green tea acquires a prestigious place among soft beverages and it is one of the foremost things that come to the mind when the topic is anti oxidants. Within a short time, it has made billions of fans around the world and many lovers of normal tea have switched on to green tea, due to its health benefits. Those who are habituated to normal tea may not like its taste for the first time, but I am sure that it will be their favourite on very soon.

Green Tea

What is there in green tea that makes it so special and so healthy? How to use it? What are the products available in market that are based on green tea? There are many such questions which we have tried to answer below.

What is Green Tea:
Green tea comes from the same plant from which normal tea is obtained. Scientifically, it is known as Camellia Sinensis. In fact, it is the same tea but processed differently. The normal black tea is obtained by fermenting the tea leaves. This fermentation changes its colour, flavour and raises the level of caffeine and tannin in it. Whereas, in case of Green Tea, the tea leaves are dried or slightly steamed but not fermented. This makes it look green when brewed and otherwise.

Constituents:
Apart from caffeine, which gives tea its characteristic taste, bitterness and stimulating effect, Green Tea is rich in a group of chemicals, called Catechin Polyphenols (Commonly known as Tannins which contribute to bitter taste and astringency) like Catechin, Epicatechin, Epicatechin Gallate (ECG), Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), Pro-Anthocyanidins etc. They are also known as Flavonoids and are very powerful anti oxidants. Flavonoids, together with some amino acids like Thianine, are responsible for the flavour of green tea. Further, it also contains Amino Acids like Theanine, Butyric Acid & Liganin; Xanthine Alkaloids such as Adenine, Dimethylxanthine, Theobromine, Theophylline and Xanthine; Pectin (also found in fruits); saccharides (sugar), Chlorophyll and Triterpene Saponins. Some vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin C and vitamin E are found in green tea