Green Tea is a product obtained from the green leaves of the plant called Camellia Sinensis. The type of tea varies depending on how this plant is processed with different methods. 1/4 of the tea produced in the world is consumed as green tea. The main countries in green tea production are Japan, China and Indonesia.
If the leaves of Camellia Sinensis are collected immediately while they are young and dried, the product obtained is called Green Tea. Shock withering is applied to the tea leaf at high temperatures and in this way the enzymes cannot be activated. When enzymes are not active, fermentation cannot occur. As a result, the leaves remain green. If it is processed less and exposed to oxidation, the product called Oolong Tea (Ou-long: black dragon) is obtained. As a result of high oxidation, which is the most common processing method all over the world, the product we know as "Black Tea" emerges. All these types of tea are actually obtained from a single plant. Thanks to the diversity of processing techniques, tea types that appeal to the different tastes of many cultures around the world are created. While black tea undergoes withering, rolling, fermentation and drying processes, green tea only undergoes rolling and drying processes. Since it does not undergo fermentation, its antioxidant content is higher.
The composition of the tea varies depending on the processing technique. Tea plant (Camellia Sinensis) is a plant containing high amounts of antioxidants. Thanks to this feature, it is widely used in scientific research. The type that contains the most antioxidants in its composition is Green Tea.
The type of antioxidants in green tea are flavonols and catechins. There are many forms of catechin in the composition of green tea, but the most common is the epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) form (others: epicatechin, epicatechingallate, epigallocatechingallate, epigallocatechin, catechin, gallocatechin). The results of scientific studies on catechins have proven that green tea is a miraculous drink.
Thanks to the catechins in green tea, it reduces the risk of cancer. After catechin is absorbed, it reaches target tissues and shows anticancer activity. In all stages of cancer formation (proliferation, trans It fights against cancer cells by providing the opposite effect (formation, inflammation, apoptosis, metastasis and invasion stages). Shrinks the tumor.
Thanks to the catechins in green tea, it has potential benefits in preventing metabolic syndrome. It lowers cholesterol. It regulates blood pressure and blood sugar. Studies have shown that green tea or nutritional supplements containing catechin (EGCG) are beneficial in weight management, blood sugar control and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. It achieves this by increasing fat burning in the body. Increasing fat burning reduces fat tissue. Thanks to the decreased fat tissue, the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome is also reduced. Thanks to the flavonoids in green tea, it strengthens blood vessels. It prevents high blood pressure.
The fat burning effect of catechin has been proven in weight loss diets. It also provides appetite control by controlling blood sugar. Green tea caetechins have been found to increase leptin levels in the body. Leptin is a protein released from the hypothalamus that is involved in regulating body weight and initiates both food intake and energy expenditure. Increasing the level of leptin in the body is a mechanism that reduces appetite.
Thanks to the caffeine in green tea, it affects performance, gives dynamism, and eliminates fatigue and sleepiness. For this reason, it is recommended for those who have sleep problems to drink green tea during the day. It is diuretic due to caffeine activity. In this way, it eliminates edema in the body. Due to its diuretic properties, it prevents edema problems in slimming diets. It is beneficial for kidney health as it facilitates urination. Green tea reduces stress thanks to the vitamin C it contains. It increases resistance to influenza infections. Vitamin C is important to fight against the negative effects of smoking.
To benefit from all these effects, it is necessary to drink at least 3 cups of green tea a day. When you drink 3 cups of green tea a day, you get 200-300 mg of catechin. The amount of catechin in the green tea we drink depends on the quality of the tea, the brewing time, and the technique. It varies depending on. The antioxidant effect of 1 cup of green tea is even greater than that of 1 serving of spinach, broccoli, carrots or strawberries. Those who cannot consume green tea because they do not like its taste may also be advised to use special nutritional supplements containing catechin in order not to miss out on the benefits of catechin. Since these nutritional supplements do not contain caffeine, they can be used safely.
Read: 0
