Known in Japan as "cha," green tea is a beneficial tea made solely with the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. While there are a wide variety of green teas grown throughout the different provinces of Japan, the most common variations are Sencha, Gyokuro, Kabusecha, Bancha and Tencha. In recent decades, Japanese green tea has gradually become a popular beverage in the West and is renowned for its health benefits, including fighting cancer and heart disease, reducing cholesterol and diabetes and promoting overall health.
Cancer-fighting
Perhaps the most immediate benefit of green tea consumption is the intake of antioxidant compounds called polyphenols. These antioxidants, when consumed in appropriate quantities, actively eliminate free radicals in the body that may otherwise cause damage to cell membranes, promote cancer symptoms and eventually cause death. According a study from the University of Maryland Medical Center, the primary polyphenol compound epigallocatechin gallate found in green tea has been linked to preventing and eliminating skin tumors. Considering the natural anti-aging qualities of antioxidants, a cup of green tea a day may be an effective method for preventing and fighting cancer cells in the body.
Weight Loss
According to studies reported by the Mayo Clinic, the use of Japanese green tea extract capsules in reducing weight has been only partially conclusive. While there's no definite scientific evidence that consuming green tea can produce weight loss, the combination of antioxidant polyphenols and caffeine have been shown useful in obesity management, according to studies performed by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The chemical makeup of the Camellia sinensis leaves cause a reaction called thermogenesis in the body, stimulating fat oxidation, and, when combined with proper hydration and a regular exercise schedule, may increase the efficiency with which the body removes fat. For individuals who intend to consume their Japanese green tea servings in an extract capsule, make sure it includes both the caffeine and polyphenols that occur in the tea leaves.
Reducing Cholesterol
While many of the cholesterol-fighting properties of green tea are closely linked with its ability to reduce weight and increase fat oxidation, Japanese green tea has the unique ability to both lower total cholesterol levels and increase the HDL, or good, cholesterol levels in both animals and people. According to a clinical study reported by the University of Maryland Medical Center, men who drink green tea are more likely to have lower total cholesterol than those who do not. This is an effect that may be related to the ability of polyphenols to block the intestinal absorption of cholesterol while promoting its excretion. To add to the impressive cholesterol-fighting properties of green tea, a similar study from the same report showed that a group of male smokers who regularly consumed green tea showed a significant drop in harmful LDL cholesterol levels.
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