New Delhi: Tea cultivation and its systematic consumption for both, refreshment as well as medicinal purposes, has its legendary origin way back in the 3rd century A.D in China.
Tea has been an integral part of Indian culture even before the British started commercial production of the beverage as late as the 16th century. The earliest recorded physical evidence of tea consumption in China is said to have come from the period of Emperor Jing of Han dynasty as early as 2nd century B.C. Documented evidence suggests it may have been consumed for its restorative benefits even earlier.
The origin of green tea holds quite a history. Unbelievably green tea first came into existence from 805, when Buddhist monks Saicho and Kukai returned to Japan with young tea trees. Then later on in 1191, another Buddhist monk who had studied in China, Eisai, popularized the idea of drinking tea for good health. Around the same time, Japanese farmers began growing green tea in Uji, Kyoto.
In recent years, the health benefits of consuming green tea, including the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, the anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, antibacterial, antiangiogenic, anti-oxidative, antiviral, neuroprotective, and cholesterol-lowering effects of green tea and isolated green tea constituents are under investigation.
The leaves are supposedly richer in antioxidants than other types of tea because of the way they are processed.
Green tea contains B vitamins, folate (naturally occurring folic acid), manganese, potassium, magnesium, caffeine and other antioxidants, notably catechins.
All types of tea – green, black and oolong – are produced from the Camellia sinensis plant using different methods. Fresh leaves from the plant are steamed to produce green tea, while the leaves of black tea and oolong involve fermentation.
Green tea is said to boost weight loss, reduce cholesterol, combat cardiovascular disease, and prevent cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
Green tea includes many other health benefits. These include:
1. Green tea has bioactive compounds that can improve health.
2. Green tea can lower your risk for type 2 diabetes.
3. Green tea can help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
4. Green tea increases fat burning and improves physical performance.
5. It can improve brain functioning, some of the antioxidants in green tea can lower your cancer risk.
6. Green tea can protect your brain in old age, green tea can kill bacteria.
7. Green tea can help you lose weight and lower your risk of becoming obese.
8. Green tea increases fat burning and improves physical performance.
Consumed for thousands of years, green tea has provided delicious medicinal benefits – weight management, disease fighting, energy boosting and stress reducing – to many cultures around the globe. Studies too show that the components found in such a small little teabag can do wonders for your health. If you look at the ingredients list for any fat burning supplement, chances are that green tea will be on there too. However, adding green tea to the diet may cause other serious health concerns for a few people.
Green tea is mostly safe for adults when consumed in moderation. Green tea extract is also considered to be generally safe for most people when taken orally or applied topically on the skin for a short period of time. However, drinking too much green tea (more than 5 cups a day) is considered to be unsafe. When consumed in excess, green tea side effects include stomach problems, heartburn, diarrhea, headache, palpitation and arrhythmia, anemia, tremors and muscle contractions, diabetes, glaucoma, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis.
People with stomach problems, iron deficiency, people with low tolerance to caffeine, pregnant or nursing women, people with anaemia, anxiety disorders, bleeding disorders, heart conditions, diabetic, liver disease and osteoporosis should not consume green tea as it may have side-effects.
How to Consume Green Tea?
The United Kingdom Tea Council recommends drinking not more than 6 cups of tea a day. For the best health benefits, 3 to 4 cups is recommended. However, doses of green tea vary significantly, but usually range between 1-5 cups daily is considered safe. The commonly used dose of green tea is based on the amount typically consumed in Asian countries, which is about 3 cups per day, providing 240-320 mg of the active ingredients, polyphenols. To make tea, people typically use 1 tsp of tea leaves in 8 ounces of boiling water.
Drink green tea when it’s freshly made but slightly cooled. Scalding tea can damage your digestive system. Moreover, recent studies suggest that too much hot tea can promote throat cancer. Compounds in tea like catechins, theanine, and vitamins C and B diminish over time through oxidation, so the health benefits are strongest with fresh tea.
So don’t worry you need not have to quit drinking your favourite cup of green tea, but if you have any of the above mentioned medical conditions or taking prescription drugs, exercise caution and consult your doctor about how many cups you can have per day. Moderation is the key to enjoying the full benefits of green tea.