Green Tea - Part One

green tea

For over thirty years, western researchers have been aware that solid tumor cancers occur is far, far less often in countries where a large portion of the population drinks green tea regularly. As such, cultures with a long tradition of tea preparation and drinking have much to contribute to global health, western health, and probably even your health. But this only applies to green tea -- regular black tea, which is fairly popular everywhere, is lacking in the concentration of beneficial compounds. Green tea comes from the tea plant: Thea sinensis or Thea asoncica, which is not to be confused with herbal teas like peppermint, chamomile or fennel. Herbal teas can also have some beneficial effects, but these are different from real tea.


Green and black tea both come from the same kind of tea plant, but the are processed differently. Black tea is produced by harvesting and breaking the leaves of the plants and exposing them to the oxygen in the surrounding air. The resulting natural oxidization and fermentation process damages destroys most of the beneficial biological compounds in the tea - the polyphenol known as catechin. However, during production of green tea the leaves are exposed to both humid and dry heat. This halts the fermentation process and preserves the beneficial nutrients.

Because of this fermentation, black tea gains drug-like qualities. Polyphenols and other flavonoids in the tea are removed during the drying process, which allows the caffeine already present to appear in free and unbound form. The properties of this higher amount of absorbable caffeine make black tea an effective stimulant, as well as mildly addictive. The stimulant triggers the well known 'fight or flight' response from the drinker. When the body begins to absorb the caffeine (which happens quickly as the compound is free from stabilizing polyphenols) it treats it as a nerve toxin, causing the adrenal glands to respond by secreting the body's natural defensive neurotransmitter, epinephrine (adrenaline). This defensive response by the body manifests itself as stimulation and enlivenment, the energy you feel when you drink a caffeinated beverage. However, as the body's response to the chemical diminishes, adrenaline levels drop and you end up feeling tired, even exhausted.

Green tea has a completely different effect on the body. The polyphenols (chiefly catechin) in green tea remain bound to the caffeine and make it far less reactive. These less reactive compounds break down and release the stimulant to the brain in small amounts, which serves to safely energize the body without spiking adrenaline levels. Unlike black tea, green tea helps to make your body's energy-use more efficient. This helps the drinker to improve his vitality and stamina without the undesirable 'up and down' effect caused by the large amounts of caffeine found in black tea, coffee, or energy drinks.

The positive values of catechin (often referred to ambiguously as a tannin) have been studied for hundreds of years all over the world. Besides its ability to bind to and render caffeine inert, it has some healing properties. Green tea is particularly beneficial for treating intestinal disorders for treating high blood pressure. Compounds within green tea have been shown to be 20 times more effective in slowing down the aging process than vitamin E supplements. Multiple studies have demonstrated that green tea is highly successful in reducing oxidants in the body -- reducing their concentration by 76 percent compared to only 4 percent with vitamin E. (This is because of green tea's catechin and other polyphenols, flavonoids, and vitamins all generally known as "Antioxidants") Green tea contains four times more vitamin C than the same quantity of lemon juice, and it contains a greater concentration of B-vitamins than any other natural food. This presence of vitamin C and B-vitamins (well known antioxidants) makes green tea helpful for facial skin conditions such as rosacea or acne. In fact, beyond drinking green tea, you can apply it directly to the face after washing to help reduce redness and the appearance of blemishes.

Tomorrow I will continue on the uses of green tea, and the best methods of preparation for drinking as well as for topical application.