Blood pressure is the force of your blood exerted upon the walls of arteries, which is created by the pumping action of the heart. About 1 out of 3 American adults has higher than normal blood pressure. High blood pressure, or HBP, is a silent disease because it typically does not produce any warning signs and you can have it for years without knowing it. During this time, your main bodily organs, including eyes, heart, kidneys and blood vessels can be harmed by too much pressure in your blood. Green tea proves to be useful in lowering blood pressure in your body. If you want to use green tea, talk to your doctor first.
Plant Description
Green tea is an herbal beverage that comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, an evergreen shrub of Asian origin. It is currently under extensive production in China, India, Thailand and Japan. The unfermented leaves and leaf buds of Camellia sinensis are infused into hot water to produce green tea. Usually, the youngest leaves of the plant are harvested for processing. Today, hundreds of millions of people consume green tea across the world on a regular basis to promote health and satisfy thirst.
Green Tea Composition
Green tea leaves are a rich source of antioxidant compounds called polyphenols, which are believed to be responsible for most of the healthful properties linked to green tea. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate is the most active polyphenol found in green tea and accounts for at least 40 percent of the total polyphenol content of the herb. Green tea also contains flavonoids, organic acids, volatile oils, alkaloids, caffeine, tannin, polysaccharides, vitamins and minerals.
Green Tea and Blood Pressure
Green tea is a natural cure for high blood pressure. It helps lower high blood pressure by suppressing angiotensin converting enzyme, or ACE, a proteolytic enzyme secreted by the kidneys. ACE leads to constriction of the tiny muscles surrounding the arteries, which causes arteries to narrow, reducing blood flow and driving up blood pressure, the University of California, Davis notes.
Dosage
Normally, a regular intake of 10 cups or more of green tea per day is necessary to improve your blood pressure. However, further studies are needed to determine the exact doses in order to obtain noticeable benefits from green tea ingestion. Decaffeinated tea products are available and recommended to reduce side effects associated with green tea consumption, such as nervousness, sleep deprivation and heart beat irregularities.
References
- Boston University: What Is High Blood Pressure? (PDF)
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center: Green Tea (PDF)
- University of California: Agriculture and Natural Resources: Catechins (PDF)
- Fairfax Country Public Schools: Herbal Supplements
- Colorado State University, Extension: Weight Loss Products and Programs; J. Anderson, L. Young and J Roach; December 2008
- Huntington College of Health Sciences: Hoodia, Coleus & Green Tea: Botanicals to Promote Weight Loss
