Green Tea has been consumed by many people all over the world for thousands of years because of its medicinal properties. It is considered as one of the healthiest drinks of all time. It has properties that contribute highly to curing many diseases although such claims are yet to be proven by science. There are already studies being conducted that provide proofs that green tea can aid in lowering the occurrences of such diseases as cancer and circulatory system disorders (stroke and hypertension).
This healthy drink is derived from steaming the leaves of Camellia sinensis. Other types of tea such as oolong tea and black tea are also derived from this plant but the process of obtaining them is through fermentation.
There are so many health benefits that one can get when consuming green tea. It is because of the chemical properties that are found in the drink.
There are abundant EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) antioxidants which help one stay fit, healthy and young. These antioxidants are very important on the cellular level of the body. It helps get rid of free radicals that damage healthy cells and it also helps in the production of new cells to make the organs and other body systems fully functional and healthy. It has also been found out that EGCG antioxidants help lower down blood clot formation thereby lowering incidences of stroke and other ischemic diseases.
Aside from antioxidants, green tea also contains caffeine. The caffeine content of green tea is lower than that of coffee and so it is healthier. One will stay alert and active but not too much that it can cause insomnia to the drinker. Caffeine helps to increase the body's metabolism so that more fat is burned when one is doing active work. Studies have been conducted on the ability of green tea to help in lowering the weight of some obese individuals. It has been proven that those who consumed the tea regularly have lowered their weight as well as their cholesterol level.
Green tea also helps flush away toxins in the body. Drinking it regularly helps cleanse the digestive system to prevent stomach diseases. Since metabolism is increased and flushing out of toxins happens regularly when one is consuming the tea, weight loss is easy to achieve as well as lowering saturated body fat.
There are still many studies being conducted in determining what other properties of green tea make it a very healthy drink for all. It being a medicinal and healthy drink is seen on the rate of morbidity and mortality among the Chinese and Japanese men. They are the known top consumers of this drink and statistics show that although they have unhealthy vices, they remain strong and healthy because of their regular consumption of green tea.
Taste and Shelf Life
Many people do not like this drink because of its very bitter taste. What they do not know is that this tea can actually taste good and not bitter. The delicious taste will be achieved according to how it is made and brewed. It also depends on the age of the tea.
This tea has very short shelf life and so if consumed many months after its manufacturing date, it is not green anymore nor does it taste good. The shelf life of tea is usually 6 months and consuming the commercial teabags you get from stores that is already beyond 6 months from the date it was produced will surely give you the bitter old tea.