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Chinese legend says that over four thousand years ago, green tea was
accidentally discovered. Today green tea is used to treat problems
including depression, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, aches, and
pains. It is also used to boost the immune system, to prolong life, to
detoxify, and to provide energy.
Green Tea for Health and Long Life
Teas generally all come from the tea plant; what causes each tea to
differ is how it is prepared. Green tea differs from oolong and blank
tea because the active components stay unchanged because it is not
fermented. In addition to various vitamins, nutrients, and minerals,
green tea contains organic chemicals called polyphenols, or
epigallocatechin gallate, that produce its medicinal properties.
Health Benefits of Green Tea
Early scientific studies are showing that green tea may be able to
lower cholesterol, especially the dangerous LDL cholesterol. They also
suggest that this tea might improve cardiovascular health by causing
blood platelets to be less sticky.
Green tea is known to be a detoxifier and an antioxidant and can help prevent atherosclerosis.
Other studies show the possibility of green tea having the ability to
restrain cancer. The polyphenols in green tea stopped the spreading of
melanoma cells in scientific experiments on animals and may also be
able to lower the risk of certain cancers in humans.
Green tea also has the ability to reduce bacteria causing dental cavities and harmful bacteria found in the stomach.
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