Green tea is a very popular beverage extracted from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis tea variety. It has become extremely popular especially among those who want to lead a healthy lifestyle because of the much publicized benefits it provides to green tea drinkers.
Green tea has become an overnight sensation because of its ability to protect the body against cancer, inflammation, radiation, and free radicals. It contains more antioxidants than vitamin C because it contains the substance epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).
Green tea also contains three other important catechins, epicatechin (EC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), and epigallocatechin (EGC).
Green tea protects the body from cancer by inhibiting the release of urokinase, an enzyme that promotes the growth of cancer cells, invade healthy cells and promotes metastasis. Inhibiting the release of urokinase reduces the size of tumors and has in fact shown to completely remove tumors in laboratory animals.
The phenolic catechin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in green tea is responsible for protecting the body against oxidative stress by acting as a scavenger, completely removing toxins from the body.
Green tea extract protects the body from cancer and radiation. EGCG lowers down the production of reactive oxidation species (ROS), decreases the incidence of apoptosis due to ultra violet A (UVA) rays and protects the DNA against oxidative damage caused by UVA.
Green tea extract protects against inflammation by reducing fat peroxidization, reducing the amount of nitric acid and oxidative stress. EGCG prevents the invasion of leukocyctes and prevents the production of reactive oxidation species (ROS) in the skin.
