Recent research has shown that green tea is healthy and lowers the risk of many diseases. What does that really mean to you? Results of large analyses (up to 160,000+ subjects) show that green tea (five cups daily) reduces the mortality rate 11-18% for all causes of death compared to non-tea drinkers.
The more green tea you drink, the greater the risk is reduced. Does this mean if I drink twenty-five cups of green tea daily I will never die? No, it doesn’t.
Green tea attacks five biological processes resulting in reduced risk of various degenerative diseases. Those processes are oxidative stress, sugar-induced damage (glycation), inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction and disruptions of the intestinal microbiome. These processes are generally associated with almost every age-related disease.
Cardiovascular disease is still number one on the hit parade of causes of death in America. Many studies have shown a reduction of risk in cardiovascular disease. The largest consumers of green tea can expect a reduction of risk from 14% to as much as 76% reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease. It goes up to 82% for women.
Diabesity is a term used to describe the combination of type II diabetes and obesity. One recent human study showed that 90 mg/day of EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) significant health results. Green tea is high in EGCG compared to black tea. Black tea’s primary antioxidant is theaflavin-3,3’-digallate or simply TF3.
The July 2017 edition of Life Extension magazine states that, “EGCG increases the body’s ability to burn fat, reduce fat uptake, reduce liver fat storage, reduce markers of fat-induced chemical stress, reduce fat-induced insulin production, reduce fat produced by fat cells, and prevents fat absorption by inhibiting the pancreatic enzymes required for digestion in the intestines.”
Green tea is effective in the treatment and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Recent studies with mice show amazing reductions in beta-amyloid plaque production in the brain as well as inflammation inside the blood brain barrier (inside the brain). Animal studies indicate EGCG also increases the production of new brain cells.
Cancer is always on the prowl in our world. People drinking five or more cups of green tea daily have a 38% lower risk of cancer developing in the liver compared to non-drinkers. Other cancers, especially breast cancer, show similar results. There are many causes of processes associated with cancer growth and development. Studies conclude that many pathways for cancer growth are halted, suppressed or blocked by daily consumption of green tea.
Oral health is not something we think of in terms of our mortality. However, gum disease is associated with cardiovascular disease. Reduce gum disease and you will likely see a reduction in cardiovascular disease. The risk of death in older adults with tooth loss can be as high as 36%. Green tea drinkers can see that risk reduced by up to 46%. Green tea inhibits tooth decay and loss as well as reducing wear and roughness of the teeth.
I drink a mixture of green tea, oolong tea, puehr tea and gynostemma daily. I take a glass of this tea when I leave the house to drink enroute to my next destination. Tea does a body good.
Those are some great stats, Red. I’m sold.
I love this article! Thank you Red for your insight! I love tea but usually drink black tea. I might start combining the two. Mornings black. Evenings green.
I also drink one stiff coffee in the wee hours of morning.
You are a treasure trove of information. Thank you again.
Yes I have found this out also. I really love black tea which also has many of the same benefits as green tea. It is strange though when I have asked for black tea in some restaurants, the waitresses sometimes are clueless. Many have it, but are not aware that they do.