In the world teeming with supplemental diets and drinks, green tea is likely to be the
king of all the ingredients because of its appearance in many products in the market. Its
sudden popularity stemmed from the discovery of many health benefits of this particular
drink. What makes green tea so special, and are these benefits just hypes created by
companies?
Before gaining its present day popularity, green tea was part of ancient Chinese
medicine for the past 4,000 years. Because of the process of steaming the leaves after
harvesting, the beneficial ingredients in green tea leaves were preserved, while these same
ingredients were lost because of the oxidation that occurs during the fermentation process in
other kinds of tea, such as black tea and oolong tea. Among the countless beneficial vitamins
and mineral in green tea: its most sought-after ingredient is a substance known as
Epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, which is a very effective anti-oxidant that can stop the
growth and even kill off some cancer cells. Furthermore, several studies have also shown
that drinking green tea can lower cholesterol, speed up the fat burning process around the
abdominal area and help improve the immune system
Although the health benefits of green tea have been scientifically proven, its effective
dosage is still the subject of much debate. The recommended consumption ranges from 2 to
5 cups a day, depending on the source of the studies. So decide for yourself which dosage is
right for you, but beware that you may experience insomnia as a side effect of green tea
overdose, as caffeine is also one of the prominent ingredients in this popular drink.
Source: I Get English magazine I August- l5 September 2003