Ingredients and Benefits of Drinking Green Tea
Ingredients
Green tea contains a large number of ingredients.
Tannins (Catechins)
Tannins give green tea its astringent flavour. They have antioxidant and antibacterial properties, and also act as detoxicants.
Caffeine
A bitter ingredient. While a stimulant, the caffeine in green tea also acts to relieve stress.
B Vitamins
Green tea contains B1, B2, niacin and pantothenic acid.
B vitamins aid carbohydrate metabolism. They also promote secretion of digestive fluids and protect the mucous membranes.
Vitamin C
Green tea contains large amounts of vitamin C, which is resistant to heat. Five or six cups of green tea a day provides the body with all the vitamin C it needs. Vitamin C also prevents the formation of melanin, inhibits oxidation, and increases the body's resistance to disease.
Vitamin E
Green tea contains chemical compounds called tocopherols (more commonly known as Vitamin E), which are thought to have anti-aging properties.
Theanine
An amino acid that produces an umami taste. The better the tea, the more theanine it contains.
Plant pigments
Among others, green tea contains green chlorophyll and yellow flavone compounds.
Alkalinity
Green tea contains potassium, calcium, zinc, nickel, and molybdenum.
Fluorine
Green tea contains the most fluorine of any food or drink.
Saponins
A special ingredient in green tea that has anti-inflammatory properties.
Benefits
Health maintenance
When the body is healthy, blood is mildly alkaline. Drinking green tea as part of a daily diet of meat, fish, rice, and other acidic foods, can balance diet, maintain health and keep the body functioning smoothly.
Hangovers
The caffeine in green tea stimulates the central nervous system, improving alertness and also acting as a cardiotonic diuretic, which quickly expels alcohol from the body. Green tea can mitigate the affects of a hangover, with vitamin C working to strengthen the liver, which facilitates the breakdown of alcohol.
Prevention of lifestyle diseases
Eating excessive amounts of animal fats causes blood cholesterol levels to rise, which can lead to high blood pressure and other lifestyle diseases. The tannins in green tea suppress increases in bad cholesterol and are effective in preventing these kinds of diseases.
Relieving constipation
Drinking green tea on a daily basis can help to relieve chronic and habitual constipation, by activating the small intestine, encouraging regular bowel movements.
Relieving fatigue
The caffeine in green tea acts on the central nervous system to improve cognitive ability, and relieve nervous tension and stress. It also stimulates cardiac action, improving cardiac function, and increasing blood in the kidneys, which promotes urination.
Relieving bad breath and preventing cavities
Tannins in green tea help to prevent germs from multiplying and prevent bad odors. Fluorine has been proven to create teeth that are resistant to cavities.
Preventing cancer
There is a great number of research which suggests that the combined effects of Tannins, saponins, and other mutation suppressants may prevent cancer. It is also known that incidence of death from stomach cancer is lower in green tea producing areas.
Reducing the affects of smoking
Cigarette smoke lowers the amount of vitamin C in the blood and the nicotine it contains adversely affects circulation. The Tannins and vitamin C in green tea reduce these harmful effects.
*1 The majority of these benefits are not immediately effective. Consuming large amounts of green tea at one time in the expectation of receiving these benefits is not recommended. Catechins, for example, irritate the stomach in the same way as caffeine. It is recommended that green tea is consumed on a daily basis while bearing these benefits in mind.
*2 These effects are medically and nutritionally supported, but are only provided for informational purposes. Consult your doctor if you have health problems.