Health Food Guide

 

Scientists now look at findings, which indicate 5 cups of green tea is the best cancer defense. The studies look at three different types of cancer and the reduction of the incidence of cancer in those that drank five or more cups of green tea every day.  They also believe the significantly lower rate has a logical scientific explanation.

 

Green tea comes from the same leaves as black or oolong tea. The difference between these three types of tea is the amount of processing the leaves experience before they are packaged and ready for you to dip, steep and dunk in your hot water. Green tea has the least amount of processing. It seems amazing that even this century old drink confirms the fact that less is more when it comes to human intervention and processing foods.

 

Instead of allowing the leaves to ferment and change color, they're immediately steamed, rolled, spread out and then either pan-fried in a wok or dried with a blast of hot air. This leaves the most anti-oxidants in the leaves. The most important of these is the polyphenol catechin, epigallocatechin 3-gallate. If the name is a lot harder to swallow than the green tea, just call it EGCG.

 

Two studies lead reveal a close relationship to the consumption of 5 or more cups of natures healing nectar and lower rates of blood cancer, lymph node cancer and bile duct cancer. One study from the Tohoku School of Medicine in Japan tracked the food and drink consumption of almost 42,000 men and women of that country.  While few things varied in eating pattern and liquid consumption of the participants over the nine-year study period, one difference was apparent when comparing those that eventually developed cancer and the cancer free population of the study. Since the study took place in Japan, where tea reigns over coffee, it was no surprise that all participants drank at least one cup of tea every day. Those cancer free participants went a step farther and drank at least five cups or more.

 

The second study followed 2623 participants consumption of tea. In the group, 627 of the participants had bile tract cancer, 959 were simply a control group and 1037 people were plagued with bile stones. Their findings were quite interesting. The female tea drinkers, ones that consumed at least a cup of tea each day in a six month period, had a 44 percent reduced risk of gallbladder cancer, a 35 percent reduction in bile duct cancer and a 27 percent reduced chance of bile stones. The male tea drinkers showed no significant difference from their tea-free counterparts.

 

These two studies are just a small amount of research showing the benefits of consuming green tea. Other studies on the benevolent beverage show that it protects the body in a myriad of other ways. It's particularly effective in preventing periodontal disease, increasing bone density thus preventing osteoporosis, decreases cardiovascular disease, prevents damage to brain cells from strokes of Parkinson's, prevents cognitive decline from diseases such as Alzheimer's, protects the body from both bacterial and viral infections, promotes improved cardiovascular health, promotes weight loss and even increases your exercise endurance. For those that imbibe in alcoholic beverages, green tea helped prevent liver damage in lab rats that scientists intentionally forced into a 4-week bender where they remained chronically intoxicated. Does this mean we'll soon be seeing alcoholic delights like green tea martini's or rum and green tea?

 

Through all the studies, one fact is clear, green tea is definitely good for your health. So, Starbucks, look out. The senior tea drinkers will be jogging their way to the Oriental Drink Emporium for their green tea while your customers are still trying to remember not only where they left their refillable cup but also where they left the car. Green tea is more than just a flavorful drink when you consider all its benefits and that 5 cups of green tea is the best cancer defense.