Regular tea drinking is a very positive thing for the health of individuals, as many studies have shown in recent years. This practice literally goes skin deep, helping people improve their metabolism and their body’s overall health. A recent study conducted at the University of Manchester found that green tea extracts, when taken regularly, actually helps protect the skin of those individuals against UV damage as well. This is a fairly unexpected byproduct of treatment with this simple ingredient.
In this particular study as published, a team of researchers tested fourteen healthy subjects to see what happened if they were given a low dosage of green tea “catechins”. They were also given a combination of Vitamin C as part of this trial. It was found that those who had green tea extract had a much higher level of metabolites in their skin. Researchers observed additional benefits that reduced the inflammation of skin markets, such as PGE2 and 12-HETE. The researchers as part of this study believed these effects were caused by green tea through the production of skin cells that offered protection against long term damage from UV rays. These catechin metabolites were linked directly to protection against sunburn inflammation and even longer UVR style damage modes.
There are other studies which have found some significant benefits to regular green tea supplementation, such as significant metabolism increases and appetite control due to several things found in green tea called polyphenols. Green tea in another study was found to provide supplement takers with increased blood flow and oxygen delivery to the cells in their body. Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants, to they are also thought to improve a person’s risk of cancers. There’s some support for this in several life long trials, with regular consumption of green tea significantly reducing a person’s risk of cancer development later in life.
Green Tea Weight Loss Benefits – How it Works and Possible Substitutes
Green tea is from the plant family known as Camellia sinensis. This is a common variety of tea that comes in many colors and varieties, but most of these plants have a high level of polyphenolic content naturally. An alternative to green tea today is known as black tea, which is a fermented form of green tea. This actually removes some of the polyphenols during this process, but also adds some good things as well (such as unique metabolism boosting agents). Green tea contains up to 40 percent of polyphenols that are water soluable, and black tea only up to around 10 percent. This is one of the reason doctors recommend drinking green tea, or taking supplements of the extract.
There are many other benefits to regular green tea supplementation. Weight loss benefits for green tea are well established. In a recent US based study it was found that people who took green tea supplements, at least 250mg per day, lost at least 10 pounds a month of use, even without changing diets. This is caused by unique compounds in green tea that boost hypothalamus activity boosting metabolism and decreasing appetite. In addition, green tea is acidic, so your stomach will more quickly process food you eat.
There are other benefits to these polyphenols in our body, such as boosting cardiovascular health, bone health, and even glucose related diseases like diabetes. Scientists are just now starting to understand how green tea works, but each time they look at different areas it could influence, they quickly discover that there are even more benefits to this food. There are many compounds found in green tea, like with wine, that help increase heart health and cut the risk of heart disease. Green tea offers users a lot, from weight loss, to reduced risk of diabetes, to increased colon health. It’s definitely something to consider adding to your daily routine.
