Green Tea Health Benefits

• Cancer (of all kinds)
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Cholesterol levels
• Cardiovascular disease
• Impaired immune function
• Minimizes Damage to the Brain after Stroke
• Lowers Blood Pressure
• Helps Build Bone & Prevents Osteoporosis
• Infections
• The Common Cold
• Weight loss

Green Tea Facts from Japan

• In Shizuoka, Japan, where green tea is grown and drunk (usually 2-3 cups a day), cancer rates are the lowest in all of Japan.
• In Japanese studies, people drinking 5 or more cups of green tea each day were found to be 16% less likely to suffer from coronary artery disease. Researchers concluded, "The more green tea patients consume the less likely they are to have coronary artery disease."
• When Japanese have a cold/flu, they gargle with green tea. Green tea is known to have anti-bacterial qualities
• In Japan, people tend to drink green tea (or oolong/barley tea) instead of water with and between meals)
• Even babies and children drink green tea (usually decaf green tea) on a daily basis.

Green Tea Antioxidants

The evidence is clear: you can`t get a more potent health drink that prevents so many sicknesses and diseases than green tea. Study after study confirm what people in the East have know for centuries: Drinking ample amounts of green tea (at least 3 cups per day) significantly lowers the risk of death due to all sicknesses. This sounds a bit dramatic but take a look at the list of studies that confirm green tea health benefits.

Why? The biggest reason is that green tea is rich in catechin polyphenols antioxidants, especially, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG has been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells and even to fight cancer. It also helps lower cholesterol levels and inhibit abnormal blood clots - which are linked to higher incidences of stroke and ardiovascular disease.
Catechin polyphenois have also been linked to the bone building benefits of green tea.

Dr. Weil and my cousin got me started with Green Tea back when I was a high school student in Canada. I read Dr. Weil's book, 8 Weeks to Optimum Health , and was hooked on green tea health benefits. Check out what Dr. Weil has to say about green tea, click here. The similarities and differences of green tea to black tea has been getting alot of attention lately. Interestingly, black tea is starting to gain some respect as a healthy drink. (when drunk without loads of sugar!) Compare black tea vs green tea

Of course, nothing is peferct. Green tea side effects you should be aware of.

Click here for a delicious Green Tea Ice Cream Recipe.

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