Green Tea Health Benefits

June 24th, 2014 by Loretta Lanphier, NP, BCTN, CN, CH, HHP

Green Tea Health Benefits

Green tea. If you haven’t had a least one cup, you are missing the experience of a great tasting tea as well as some very important health benefits.  In fact, green tea is so well researched that over the last 20 years thousands of studies have shown many green tea health benefits.

“It’s the healthiest thing I can think of to drink. Green tea is beyond a super food. There could not be a more simple way to improve your health.”

Christopher Ochner, PhD

From healthy cells to stress management and heart health, green tea comes out as a real winner. For example, research shows that organic green tea improves blood flow and supports healthy cholesterol levels. A 2013 review of many studies found green tea helped prevent a range of heart-related issues, from high blood pressure to congestive heart failure.

Interesting Facts about Green Tea

  • In the United States, approximately one-half of all Americans drink tea.
  • On any given day over 127 million Americans drink tea.
  • In 2007, Americans drank over 55 billion gallons of tea.
  • Approximately 85 percent of tea consumed in the U.S. is iced tea.

Importance of Drinking Organic Green Tea

It is important to consume organic green tea that has been grown in a healthy environment. Organic tea is grown and processed without pesticides or artificial fertilizers and is also often Fair Trade. Fair Trade means that you can reap the organic green tea health benefits knowing that small farms are supported, workers on tea plantations are treated fairly, and that both the workers and our environment are not exposed to the harmful chemicals used in conventional tea production. Also, be mindful of lead and fluoride content in some teas. Both green and black teas are naturally high in fluoride because the plant absorbs naturally occurring fluoride from the soil through its root system.

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Green Tea Health Benefits: Thumbs Down to Stress

Many believe high-stress levels may be foundational to the beginning of many health concerns. Believe it or not but sipping green tea can help you slow down, relax, and de-stress. Green tea contains the amino acid, L-theanine, which provides a calming effect. L-theanine also enhances your GABA receptors, the calming neurotransmitter and this is why you get much less of a buzz drinking green tea versus coffee.

Green Tea Health Benefits

  • rich in health-promoting flavonoids
  • 1 cup of green tea supplies 20-35 mg of EGCG (pepper increases EGCG availability)
  • lowers the risk of cancer
  • protects against death from all causes, especially cardiovascular disease
  • rich supply of polyphenols
  • calming qualities
  • protects against coronary artery disease
  • lowers the risk of gallstones
  • protects the liver from harmful chemicals
  • lowers the risk of atherosclerosis by lowering LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, lipid peroxides & fibrinogen
  • thins blood & helps prevent blood clots
  • lowers blood pressure
  • minimizes damage to the brain after stroke
  • may help children with brain tumors
  • promotes fat loss and weight management
  • fights the flu
  • protects against cognitive decline

Organic Green Tea Contains Anti-fungal Properties

Fungal infections can be difficult to treat and debilitating at the same time. And, unfortunately, conventional antifungal treatments have their own concerning side effects, take a long time to work and aren’t always effective. A better solution is to try natural antifungal remedies that can help the body heal itself and help protect you from more fungal infections. Anti-fungal tea can be an effective way to rid your body of a fungus infection.

A compromised or weak immune system is one of the causes of yeast infections. Green Tea contains strong antioxidant properties which are very effective in boosting the immune system and guarding against yeast attacks. A key constituent of green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate aka EGCG, appears to disrupt folic acid metabolism in both bacteria and fungi. Green Tea is also a powerful antibacterial agent, which makes it an effective cure against yeast infections.

Other studies suggested that Green Tea can be used in neutralizing the excess yeast cells formation in the vaginal area, and thus, weakens the effect.

How Often Should Green Tea Be Consumed for a Yeast Infection?

Drinking Organic green Tea is greatly encouraged for combating yeast infections. Researchers at the University of Maryland recommend taking 250 – 500 mg daily. A daily dose of 50-150 mg of organic Green Tea can provide enough antioxidants to give a boost to your immune system as well as reducing the severity of a yeast infection.  You can prepare an organic Green Tea drink for oral consumption using either loose leaves or tea bags.

Caution: Green tea can cause some side effects. Some of the common side effects of green tea are nausea, headache, upset stomach, vomiting, and dizziness. Pregnant or Breastfeeding mothers should exercise caution while using Green Tea for a yeast infection and talk with their doctor before consuming green tea. People who use blood-thinning medications shouldn’t use Green Tea without medical consultation.

green tea health benefits

Suggestions for a Healthy Cup of Green Tea

  • Don’t add green tea to boiling water as it can kill helpful catechins. Instead, make sure the water is between 160-170 degrees.
  • Add organic lemon. Vitamin C makes the healthy compounds in green tea easier to absorb. Dairy, on the other hand, may make absorbing the catechins more difficult.
  • Levels of the healthful compounds in green tea can vary greatly from tea to tea. Organic teas usually have more of the beneficial compounds.
  • Choose a higher quality brand of green tea since some of the lower quality brands can contain excessive amounts of fluoride.

Fruity Organic Green Tea Smoothie Recipe

Yield: Approximately 2 servings

Ingredients

5 green tea ice cubes (use purified water and organic green tea)
½ Cup organic kefir (non-dairy such as coconut)
½ Cup organic almond milk
½ organic banana
½ organic peach, sliced
½ Cup organic blueberries or strawberries

The day before make a batch of green tea ice cubes (use purified water and organic green tea) with your favorite green tea. Brew the tea a little stronger than normal. Blend the ingredients together in a blender, garnish with a few more berries and enjoy.

In Closing…

Green tea health benefits may help you to feel better, lose some weight, and lower your risk of chronic diseases. Green tea is also a good idea for those fighting yeast and fungus. For these specific reasons, it’s a good idea to make green tea a regular part of your everyday health protocol.

Resources & Research

Tea Fact Sheet.

In vivo antioxidant effect of green and black tea in man. http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/8617188.

L-theanine—a unique amino acid of green tea and its relaxation effect in humans. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000448.

Obesity and thermogenesis related to the consumption of caffeine, ephedrine, capsaicin, and green tea. http://ajpregu.physiology.org/content/292/1/R77.

Green tea: cancer preventive beverage and/or drug. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304383502003798.

Anticaries Effects of Polyphenolic Compounds from Japanese Green Tea. http://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/261407.

Combination effects of antibacterial compounds in green tea flavor against Streptococcus mutans. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf00031a017?journalCode=jafcau.

The Relation between Green Tea Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease as Evidenced by Epidemiological Studies. http://jn.nutrition.org/content/138/8/1548S.short.

A Green Tea Extract High in Catechins Reduces Body Fat and Cardiovascular Risks in Humans. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/oby.2007.176/full.

Green Tea Consumption and Mortality among Japanese Elderly People: The Prospective Shizuoka Elderly Cohort. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1047279709001653.

Molecular understanding of Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28864169.

Fluoride content in tea and its relationship with tea quality. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15237954.

Cooper R, Morré DJ, Morré DM. Medicinal benefits of green tea: Part I. Review of noncancer health benefits. 2005 Jun;11(3):521-8.

Cooper R, Morré DJ, Morré DM. Medicinal benefits of green tea: part II. review of anticancer properties.J Altern Complement Med. 2005 Aug; 11(4):639-52.

Yosi Farkash, Mark Feldman, Isaac Ginsburg, Doron Steinberg, and Miriam Shalish. Green Tea Polyphenols and Padma Hepaten Inhibit Candida albicans Biofilm Formation. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2018, Article ID 1690747, 8 pages, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/1690747.

Aladag H, Ercisli S, Yesil DZ, Gormez A, Yesil M. Antifungal activity of green tea leaves (Camellia sinensis L.) sampled in different harvest time. Phcog Mag [serial online] 2009 [cited 2019 Jul 30];5, Suppl S1:437-40. Available from: http://www.phcog.com/text.asp?2009/5/20/437/59772.

Anti-infective properties of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a component of green tea. Br J Pharmacol. 2013 Mar;168(5):1059-73. DOI: 10.1111/bph.12009.

Loretta Lanphier is a Naturopathic Practitioner, Board Certified Traditional Naturopath, Certified Clinical Nutritionist, Holistic Health Practitioner, and Certified Clinical Herbalist as well as the CEO / Founder of Oasis Advanced Wellness in The Woodlands TX. She has studied and performed extensive research in health science, natural hormone balancing, anti-aging techniques, nutrition, natural medicine, weight loss, herbal remedies, non-toxic cancer support, and is actively involved in researching new natural health protocols and products.  A 20-year stage 3 colon cancer survivor, Loretta is able to relate to both-sides-of-the-health-coin as patient and practitioner when it comes to health and wellness. “My passion is counseling others about what it takes to keep the whole body healthy using natural and non-toxic methods.” Read Loretta’s health testimony Cancer: The Path to Healing. Loretta is Contributor and Editor of the worldwide E-newsletter Advanced Health & Wellness
†Results may vary. Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. Oasis Advanced Wellness/OAWHealth does not dispense medical advice, prescribe, or diagnose illness. The views and nutritional advice expressed by Oasis Advanced Wellness/OAWHealth are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician of choice.

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