Green Tea: The Best Medicine for High Cholesterol?

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Article Title:

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Green Tea: The Best Medicine for High Cholesterol?

Article Description:

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It was reportedly discovered by a Chinese emperor some 40

centuries ago. And, legend has it, the discovery was purely by

accident. But that coincidental discovery has improved the health

of people around the world, who have turned to green tea in

particular to help soothe their pains, improve their digestion,

alleviate their depression, boost their immune system, and

perhaps even lengthen their lives. But what is it that makes

green tea so beneficial to human health?

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999 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line

Distribution Date and Time: 2006-12-08 10:00:00

Written By: Jon M. Stout

Copyright: 2006

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Green Tea: The Best Medicine for High Cholesterol?

Copyright © 2006 Jon M. Stout

Golden Moon Tea

http://www.GoldenMoonTea.com

It was reportedly discovered by a Chinese emperor some 40

centuries ago. And, legend has it, the discovery was purely by

paccident. But that coincidental discovery has improved the

health of people around the world, who have turned to green tea

in articular to help soothe their pains, improve their digestion,

alleviate their depression, boost their immune system, and

perhaps even lengthen their lives. But what is it that makes

green tea so beneficial to human health?

The Ingredients of Success

Green tea is actually made up of a variety of ingredients. These

include caffeine, vitamins, minerals, and oils. However, the

most important ingredients are the polyphenols, especially one

called EGCG, which is believed to improve health. In fact, it is

the polyphenols which make green tea so much more effective than

other beverages in fighting disease and illness.

Green Tea and Cholesterol

There have been some intriguing studies indicating that green tea

can be effective in the fight against high cholesterol.

Specifically, the beverage reduces " bad " cholesterol and boosts

" good " cholesterol, improving an individual " s overall

cholesterol profile.

In addition, green tea appears to lower overall cholesterol

levels, helping to reduce one " s risk of developing heart

disease. Similarly, green tea enhances cardiovascular health by

improving the consistency of platelets in the blood.

Researchers have also found that green tea appears to protect

against oxygen-induced damage to bad cholesterol. Drinking green

tea also seems to enhance antioxidant processes in the

bloodstream.

Effect of Green Tea on Blood Fats

In recent years, much attention has been focused on blood fats

and the effects of diet and exercise on their consistency. In an

interesting study conducted at the Department of Public Health at

the National Defense Medical College in Saitama, Japan,

researchers S. Kono, K. Shinchi, N. Ikeda, F. Yanai, and K.

Imanishi investigated the impact of green tea consumption on

blood fats, also known as serum lipids.

The study was published in an article entitled, " Tea Consumption

and Serum Lipid Profiles: a Cross-Sectional Study in Northern

Kyushu, Japan. "

Specifically, the researchers examined the correlation between

green tea use and the serum lipid concentrations of more than

1300 men who underwent retirement health exams at the

Self-Defense Forces Fukuoka Hospital between 1986 and 1988.

The researchers factored out variables such as alcohol use, use

of tobacco, exercise levels, body mass index, and rank. They

then discovered that the more green tea a patient drank, the

lower his serum cholesterol levels. Men who drank nine or more

cups of tea each day had total cholesterol levels that were eight

mg/dl lower than those who drank two or fewer cups a day.

The serum cholesterol levels seemed to also decrease for men who

ate a great deal of rice and soy beans, and increase for those

who ate more Western foods. However, adjusting for these

additional diet variables did not seem to affect the correlation

between green tea use and total cholesterol levels.

Additional Evidence from the Animal Kingdom

It " s been said that there is a definite link between diet and

exercise and coronary heart disease. Therefore, anything in the

diet that improves serum lipid profiles should reduce the

incidence of heart problems. It " s also known that green tea

contains phytochemicals that work to decrease serum cholesterol

as well as triglycerides.

In one animal study, 45 rats were subjected to a variety of

treatments, including green tea. The study showed that consuming

green tea improved the serum lipid profile by reducing total

cholesterol, bad cholesterol, and trans fats. In addition, liver

fat content decreased in rats that received a large amount of

green tea.

Other Positive Effects of Green Tea Drinking

The polyphenols found in green tea may have some additional

positive health effects. For instance, a number of animal and

test tube studies indicate that these chemicals may have a

substantial anti-cancer effect, especially in inhibiting the

spread of melanoma, or skin cancer cells. Green tea has also

been linked to a reduction in oral cancers and dental cavities.

In addition, green tea may stimulate the production of immune

system cells. As a result, it can help the body fight bacteria,

leading to improved overall health. In fact, one study showed

that drinking ten or more cups of green tea each day could

improve blood test results, protecting the body against liver

damage.

How Much Green Tea is Enough?

Of course, you might be wondering how much green tea must be

consumed in order to have a positive impact on health. In Asian

nations, the typical tea drinker consumes about three cups each

day " " enough to provide as much as 320 mg of polyphenols.

Nevertheless, some studies indicate as many as ten cups each day

are needed in order to really make a difference in cholesterol

levels and overall health.

Possible Side Effects

It should be noted that there can be some negative side effects

associated with green tea consumption. While green tea is a

relatively healthy drink, those who consume several cups of it

each day may experience anxiety and insomnia brought on by the

caffeine found in the beverage. Drinking green tea may also lead

to iron deficiencies, since iron absorption in women may be

reduced as much as 26 percent when green tea is consumed with a

meal.

In addition, some drugs can interfere with green tea " s

positive effects. Therefore, before switching to a diet rich in

green tea, it may be best to check with a physician to determine

if such a diet is right for you.

Looking to the Future

The forecast for green tea appears to be bright " " as far as public

health is concerned. Study after study seems to indicate that

green tea can reduce cholesterol levels, combat cardiac disease,

boost the immune system, and reduce the risk of cancer.

While additional study is needed in order to effectively harness

all the benefits of green tea, it appears, for the moment, that

simply adding a few cups of the brew to your daily diet can yield

impressive health benefits.

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Jon M. Stout is the Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company.

Golden Moon Tea carefully selects the finest rare and orthodox

teas, which are processed slowly and handcrafted with extreme

care. At their website, you can learn more about their current

tea offerings, including their exceptional green tea

(http://www.goldenmoontea.com/greentea), white tea, black

tea, oolong tea (also known as wu-long and wu long tea -

http://www.goldenmoontea.com/wu-long) and chai. Visit

http://www.goldenmoontea.com for all details concerning

the Golden Moon Tea Company's fine line of teas.