Through the process of oxidation, oxygen starts the process of burning glucose and fat to provide heat and energy in the body. Although this is an inevitable and naturally occurring process which gives our bodies the energy we need; the process of oxidation creates some by-products that have negative effects to our body.
During the process of oxidation, highly reactive by-products called free radicals are produced. These free radicals act on other molecules, turning them into free radicals like themselves, thus disrupting their normal functioning. This could eventually lead to massive cell destruction, tissue damage, and even cause degenerative diseases, like cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis among others.
Oxygen damage to your cells results when there are too many free radicals present inside the body. Researchers conclude that such damage may be partly responsible for the effects of aging and certain diseases.
There are certain substances in food which may play a role in protecting against this damage. Luckily, the human body comes prepared with natural defenses against these harmful free radicals.
Antioxidants are chemical substances found naturally in fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants act on free radicals, pursuing them and neutralizing them in order to stop their damage on healthy cells of the body.
What are the antioxidant effects of plants? Among the many plants that have disease-fighting antioxidants is the camellia sinensis, otherwise known as the tea plant. For centuries, tea has been served in Asian households as a healthy drink to promote health and general well-being. Green tea especially has been greatly favored due its many amazing health benefits.
For centuries, green tea has been consumed throughout the ages in Asia. In traditional Chinese and Indian medicine, green tea has been used as a stimulant, diuretic (to promote the excretion of urine), astringent (to control bleeding and help heal wounds), and to improve heart health.
The benefits of green tea have been largely attributed to the presence of polycatechins which have potent antioxidant effects. However, besides polycatechins, there are also other ingredients in green tea that contribute to its antioxidant effects.
What are the antioxidant effects found in green tea? Among all flavonoids, catechin is ranked high for its antioxidant effects and properties. Catechin is that substance in green tea which makes the beverage an excellent source of antioxidant effects. Besides tannin, vitamins such as vitamin A (carotene), C, and E, there are also other well-known substances in green tea that gives it its antioxidant effects.
Research aimed at finding the active compounds in green tea revealed that its defensive and antioxidant effects are mainly due to catechins which are powerful polyphenolic antioxidants.
Green tea also has antioxidant effects that make them powerful anti-carcinogenic, cardioprotective, nueroprotective, and anti-microbial actions. A mostly bioactive catechin called epigallocatechin gallate has been singled out by many researchers as very important because of its antioxidant effects leading to cancer prevention.
It is therefore a good idea to drink tea for its antioxidants effects. A constant intake of antioxidants from our diet can protect against damages to our body cells which occur following oxidation. Have more cups of green tea per day and benefit from its antioxidant effects.
More than four thousand years ago, green tea diet has become a staple beverage for most Asians because of its countless health and medicinal benefits. It is said that the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung was the first one to have discovered green tea diet. Emperor Shen Nung was reported to have been boiling water when some leaves of a nearby plant fell into his pot. The leaves actually came from Camellia sinensis, the herb from which green tea diet is extracted.
Having a green tea diet is associated with several health benefits. One of the benefits of having a green tea diet is providing a potential cure for cancer. According to some studies, certain substances in green tea diet can destroy cancer cells without harming any neighboring healthy tissues. This substance in green tea diets is called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).
The results of the study on the cancer benefit of green tea diets were astounding and it led to further more researches that investigate other aspects of green tea diet. In a study conducted by American and Swiss scientists in the University of Geneva, it has been found that the EGCG found in green tea diets can increase the 24-hour energy expenditure of the body. They concluded that this is due to the ability of antioxidants present in green tea diet to stimulate thermogenesis, otherwise known as fat metabolism. According to their findings, people who were on a green tea diet exhibited a significant four percent increase in their normal metabolic rates. This led the scientists to conclude that green tea diet has a major contributing factor in weight loss.
Another study conducted in China was designed to investigate further on green tea diet's weight loss benefit. They decided that since green tea diet can significantly increase fat metabolism, then green tea diet probably would help lowering down cholesterol levels as well. Their hypothesis was proven when they introduced green tea diet on 240 people with mild to extremely high cholesterol levels. After only twelve weeks, they observed that those on a green tea diet dropped sixteen percent in their cholesterol levels.
Based on the above study, it can also be hypothesized that green tea diet can cure obesity. Green tea diet's catechin polyphenols can delay the reaction of gastric and pancreatic lipases in the body. These enzymes are the ones responsible for storing calories into fats in the body. By delaying these enzymes, green tea diets can therefore lessen fat concentration and prevent obesity in people.
This being a truly remarkable nutritional supplement, green tea dieting is used to improve the body's health in many ways. Further studies were made on the benefits of green tea diets. The latest ones were able to prove that green tea diet can effectively protect the skin from damage due to ultraviolet light radiation. Green tea diet is also widely recognized as a substance that can protect against many different cancers such as stomach cancer, ovarian cancer, cancer of the colon, oral cancer, prostate cancer, and breast and cervical cancers.
Both Julie Health & Calvin Johnson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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