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For over 5,000 years, various cultures have been drinking tea, with the Eastern world partial to the effects of green tea. Historically, India and China are the first areas of the world to use tea as part of a daily diet, and the health benefits of green tea found in these Eastern cultures have made the Western world finally wake up and take notice.
Especially since green tea has no negative side effects beyond potential insomnia (only if consumed in quantities that are practically humanly impossible), it has been advocated as one of the leading all natural products to assist in curing or relieving many ailments. |
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Green Tea Health Benefits.
While some claims remain unproven (there is no actually proof that green tea can treat cancer or reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease), there are many health benefits of green tea as a whole. In China, Japan, Thailand, and other Asian countries, green tea has been used for centuries to help heal wounds, regulate body temperature, control bleeding, promote digestion, and even to regulate blood glucose levels.
As a stimulant with a small amount of caffeine, green tea does slightly increase metabolic rate, especially if consumed in large quantities. Because of this property of the tea, weight loss has recently been added to the list of possible benefits.
As far back as 1191, the book of Tea (Kissa Yojoki) was written by a Zen priest to explain the health benefits of all tea, especially focusing on the health benefits of green tea and its positive effect on the five vital organs. Green tea is most especially supposed to be good for the heart. The book details various functions used, specifically as a medicinal supplement, including improving urinary function, increasing brain function, eliminating indigestion, quenching thirst, preventing fatigue, and curing blotchiness. It is even spoken of as a cure for a hangover, in that it can help to ease the side effects of alcohol (like nausea and vomiting).
One of the biggest claims made about green tea, weight loss, is under scrutiny. According to some Japanese research, a dosage of five cups of this tea a day will cause you to burn an extra 70-80 calories. According to one specialist, replacing coffee with weight loss green tea for six weeks can add up to a loss of ten pounds.
Of course, these two numbers contradict each other, since a mere 75 calories a day in savings would mean it would take 40 weeks to lose just six pounds. However, if you add creamer and sugar to your coffee but not your tea, these would be additional caloric savings that could add up to more significant weight loss but have nothing to do with the tea consumption.
In recent research, drinkers of green tea have shown improved mental functionality on tests and other diagnostics, and some Japanese studies on the herbal supplement have shown a significant reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality rate for those who drink at least five cups a day (16 percent and 26 percent less risk of cardiovascular disease overall).
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