In understanding the power of tea, we must first start with green tea.

Many historians believe that green tea was first cultivated in China and India before spreading to other Asian countries like Thailand and Japan.

Dried and cured leaves Camellia sinensis are used to make green tea beverages and although there are so many ways to include green tea in your diet, it is historically used by letting the unique healing properties seep out into the boiling water. These healing properties are widely known and some scientific studies are helping to get green tea to be used in medical treatments.

Green tea health benefits

The power of tea, especially green tea, is seen within the antioxidative properties. The word antioxidant is just jibber jabber for a nutrient or substance that cleans up the by-products our bloodstream creates. Historically, green tea is known to regulate body temperature, control blood sugar, help heal wounds, control bleeding, and promote good digestion. However, other green tea health claims include the prevention and treatment of cancer, multiple sclerosis, increasing levels of HDL (the healthy cholesterol in the blood), and promoting overall health of the cardiovascular system.

image by Kallepa

I call these claims because despite being used for thousands of years in traditional medicine, current science has been failing to meet the research guidelines necessary to prove the benefits are real. The Food Drug and Administration (FDA) of the US has officially said that there have not been enough studies done correctly to show that green tea has all of these benefits.

In other words, some studies show there are real benefits, but not “enough” for green tea to be backed by almighty science. In spite of this, the power of green tea is not limited to just a beverage. As of October 2006, the FDA approved an ointment now sold as Veregen to treat external genital and perianal warts. Woohoo! Another score for alternative medicine!

Green tea commercialized

The power of tea is evident in its’ popularity in the commercial market. While there are many kinds of green tea available on the market, green tea mixed with jasmine flower, seems to be the most popular and readily available at your local grocery store.

However, as mentioned before, the use of the leaves as part of a caffeinated morning tea ritual is not the only way companies have marketed the power of green tea.

These days you can find the plant leaves used as green tea gum, extracts, soaps, diet pills, breath mints, and many others! The Consumer demand continues to grow for green tea despite the lack of “scientific evidence.” Not that all the claims are true, but still one has to wonder why the consumer demand for such products. I think people want alternatives…and natural alternatives seem to just make sense!

So... should you drink green tea?

So when making the decision to include green tea in your life, think about this. For thousands of years people have used green tea for many different reasons. Modern science seems to be slowly agreeing with its use, but is still lagging behind in accepting the power of tea or alternative remedies in general. Despite this, it is certain that the more research is done, the more evidence seems to be in support of green tea promoting good health. With this, it might NOT be a good idea to wait until 2050 when the all the research is in and the powerful FDA says we should drink it. The evidence is already there, in our human history on this planet and co-existence with nature!

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Comments (7)

Herbal Green Tea
written by herbal green tea , March 25, 2008

Great info and well balanced article relating to tea. Canada has officially proclaimed it as a source of antioxidants.
http://neutral-izer.blogspot.com/2007/06/official-proclamation-ontea-as.html

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written by Garden Gnome , March 25, 2008

Excellent article with a lot of good information. Thanks. Not mentioned was green tea tastes great either hot or iced and it makes a very relaxing drink.

My tea never looked that green!
written by poetryman68 , March 28, 2008

but I do drink tea for good health

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written by Periapex , April 10, 2008

Excellent article. The benefits of green tea are reported in the news weekly these days. Just yesterday I heard that there's some evidence that GT might improve the action of regular antibiotics...

I'm obsessed with Green Tea
written by Michael Aulia , May 07, 2008

Hey I drank it so much that my friends know about it lol

Too bad the green tea that I drink is a sweet-sugary-unhealthy pokka green tea bottle! :D

Weight Loss and Obesity
written by Tonie , May 10, 2008

Excellent information, green tea and tea for that matter is extremely beneficial as a preventative drink because of the high levels of anti-oxidants.

How about...
written by Dave , November 29, 2008

...drink green tea if you like it and only because you like it? Seriously. Simplify your lives and stop over-thinking things. You like it? Drink it. Take it or leave it? Well, then take it or leave it. Don't start guzzling it as if it's somehow going to erase all those cigarettes you smoked when you were younger or whatever. Jeez.