Green Tea - What a way to start the day ☕

Here’s all the Scoop on Green Tea

Anyone who knows anything about herbal tea knows that green tea offers an abundance of benefits for your body and your mind. However, this notion seems to be taking its sweet time in sinking into those of the general medical world.

We’ve seen various studies over the years that have associated the consumption of green tea with the prevention of cancers by hindering the growth of the actual cancer cells and even possibly, getting rid of cancer all together. Green tea has also been factored into helping to combat heart disease, as well as lowering levels of cholesterol and reducing the risk of diabetes. Green tea has been linked with advantages for weight loss and preventing dementia.

What the medical world like to rival with these findings is that the majority of the studies were conducted on humans who reside in Asian countries and who regularly consume fish and soy protein. It is apparent to these medical misbelievers that the fish and soy could be what is the primary cause for the health benefits labelled as ‘green tea benefits’ instead of the green tea itself.

One such study that was carried out in Japan concluded that green tea taken pre-and post-surgery lowered the risk of the recurrence of cancer. This study examined almost 500 records of women who were diagnosed with stage one or stage two breast cancer. ^[1] There have been other studies in Asia that concluded green tea consumption reduced the risk of cancers including pancreatic, colorectal, stomach, oesophageal and prostate cancers, ^[2]and another lot of studies that showed drinking two cups of green tea a day could lower the risk of lung cancer by up to 18 percent.

The antioxidants, and more favourably catechins that are present in green tea are part of the reason why green tea gets its healthy reputation. Catechins fight off free radicals that can play havoc with your body over time; right up from increased signs of aging to the onset of cancer and the actual harming of our precious DNA. Green tea contains more catechins than the darker teas as the green tea leaves are steamed instead of being fermented. This means that there is less processing done and a greater number of antioxidants remain in the green tea product.

There seems to be an increased debate on our hands whether the actual health benefits of drinking green tea outweigh any side effects, particularly when consumed in excess. There have been some studies undertaken that link green tea consumption with liver damage. These links, however, have been rare and the National Institutes of Health have said that the evidence found in these studies is non-conclusive. Experts have, however recommended that green tea extract supplements be taken only with food and recommend that they are not consumed by anyone with liver disorders.

Green tea offers a plethora of potential health benefits and you would need to go to extreme measures to be consuming too much of it. With the number of independent studies done and the positive outcomes of those studies in respect to green tea benefits, it would be fair to assume that green tea is still good for you. Like with anything in life, however, moderation is the key.

If you wanted to try some green tea for yourself, Bondi Beach Tea Co. offers one of nature’s finest in the form of matcha green tea. Or for something a little less full-flavoured, try our new green tea blend - Australian spring harvest premium sencha green tea. Both are available to view in our online shop, along with our other premium blends of natural herbal teas. Give them a try for yourself.

Sources:

1. Nakachi, K.; Suemasu, K.; Suga, K.; et al: Influence of Drinking Green Tea on Breast Cancer Malignancy Among Japanese Patients. March 1998.  National Center for Biotechnology Information. 16 October 2011.
2. Ji, B.T.; Chow, W.H.; Hsing, A.W.; et al: Green Tea Consumption and the Risk of Pancreatic and Colorectal Cancers. 27 January 1997.  National Center for Biotechnology Information. 16 October 2011.