by : Jean Morgan

Green tea is a natural herb that provides many medicinal benefits. It is produced in China and Japan with about 90% coming from China. According to several sources, green tea has been used for medical reasons for at least 4,000 years, so it definitely isn't a secret.

When consumed often, it can provide many heath benefits, they are: reduces chance of developing various types of cancer,reduces spread of cancer,reduces damage of cigarette smoking,reduces cholesterol level,reduces spread of infection and various diseases and weight loss.

About 4 or 5 cups per day is recommended to gain the maximum heath benefits. It is unknown whether drinking a greater amount will benefit the person more. Not only can it be used as a beverage, the leaves can also be used for salads and also come in capsule form.

The herb is used either as a beverage or as a medicine recommended to patients. If a person wants to reduce their daily caffeine intake and want a much healthier alternative, green tea may be the best choice. It must be said that it does contain some caffeine; about 30mg per cup is the average amount.

Drinking green tea regularly can also help you reduce weight. Much study has been carried out in this area and there is definitely evidence to support the claim.
Green tea can help you burn fat and calories and also increase the bodies' metabolism.Taking it alone will not make a person lose a large amount of weight. However combined with a strict diet and regular exercise, it can definitely give the process a moderate boost.

So how can green tea actually provide all these marvellous heath benefits? The secret is that the leaves contains a great amount of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is a potent anti-oxidant.Even if you add extra flavours to your meal or beverage, you still won't lose any of the health benefits; it really is an incredible herb!

If you would like to know how you can prepare your own cup of green tea, please read the following steps:
Place one tea bag inside your cup or if using powder, place 2 to 4 grams
Boil some water and then place it in the cup
Allow the tea to settle for 2-3 minutes (Remove the tea bag if using one)
Allow the tea to cool down – wait a further 2-3 minutes

Unfortunately green tea isn't suitable for everyone. People who are fall under the following points should not consume it:
Pregnant (also women who are breastfeeding)
Heart problems
Stomach ulcers
Kidney disorders
Physiological problems
People who have problems drinking caffeine

Please consult your attending physician to get the final word as there are other circumstances where consuming green tea can be harmful to your health.
There aren't many health risks documented at this stage. The only known health risk is that the dietary iron level of a regular green tea drinker can reduce, this may be a problem for people who need a high level.
Overall it seems to be a miracle herb and provides multiple heath benefits. With little to no health risks, perhaps we should all be drinking green tea instead of coffee!