The Many Benefits Of Green Tea

For centuries, the drink that comes from the earth has only been available for esteemed emperors to drink. In some parts of ancient China, green tea was said to be “as emerald as the mountains rising in early morning mist.” The early Chinese were correct in their findings. Research has now discovered that the benefits of green tea contain antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, as well as other health promoting properties.

The Health Benefits

Some of the benefits of green tea include, preventing cancer, restricting blood cholesterol, lowering blood sugar, controlling high blood pressure, suppressing aging, preventing and treating skin disease, fighting viruses and stopping cavities. These are only a few of the health benefits of green tea. It’s amazing to think that one organic beverage can benefit the body in so many ways.

Green tea originally came from China around 800 A.D. The monks that went to China originally to study Buddhism, returned to Japan bringing the tea with them for medicinal purposes. The monks believed that the early benefits of green tea had a miraculous power to prolong life. It’s only recently that results have shown its power in preventing disease.

Preventing Cancer

The mortality rate from cancer is significantly lower for both men and women in Japan. The main beverage in Japan is green tea. Most Japanese consume between five and six cups of green tea daily. Research has shown that the benefits of green tea ingredients of tannin and catechin in significant amounts, lowers deaths due to stomach cancer. The National Cancer Institute in Tokyo has now stated that catechin lowers the incidence of cancer.

Of course science still does not understand the full mechanism which causes cancer, but in the “two-stage theory of cancer development,” where the “initiator” and “promoter” lead to the actual malignancy, frequent drinking of green tea reduces both the “initiator” and the “promoter.” With the prevention of cancer as only one of the major health benefits of green tea, it is completely understandable why this beverage is sold around the entire world.