GREEN TEA is VERY SPECIAL
31 January 2012 at 17:19
By Dr. Tony Vendryes
A
tea lover, once wrote: "There is no trouble so great or grave that
cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea." Today medical research
clearly highlights the special health benefits of a specific tea -
green tea, a drink made from the leaves of the tea plant (
Camellia sinensis).
The same plant produces green tea, black tea and oolong team, but
because of the way it is processed, green tea is truly unique.
Tea
is the most consumed beverage in the world besides water and has been
used by man for millennia. Much of its benefits have been attributed to
potent antioxidants found in the tea leaves called polyphenols. These
substances are also found in smaller amounts in other plant foods like
cocoa.
Recently however researchers have identified another
substance that is found only in the tea plant. It is a special amino
acid called theanine that accounts for the ability of tea to create
relaxation while energising the drinker. Theanine is the predominant
amino acid in green tea leaves and gives tea its characteristic taste
while contributing to many of its other medicinal benefits.
Theanine combats Stress
When
someone suggests that you to have a cup of tea and relax, they are
really asking you to have a cup of theanine. Although green tea contains
small quantities of natural caffeine, the calming effect of the
theanine in it balances the stimulating effects of caffeine on the
nervous system. Researchers have demonstrated that theanine creates this
sense of relaxation about half an hour after ingestion by two separate
actions:
First, it stimulates the electrical activity of the brain
to produce a state of relaxation and mental alertness similar to that
achieved through meditation. Second, theanine causes the brain to
increase its levels of two neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin.
These important brain chemicals produce feelings of wellbeing and
relaxation. Theanine is particularly useful for people under stress as
it helps to alleviate its negative effects without producing sedation or
drowsiness.
Theanine promotes Learning
Theanine
enhances your ability to learn, remember and concentrate, a reason why
monks and scholars have historically used drinking green tea as an aid
to meditation and study. It is particularly useful when you are
multi-tasking as it helps you to focus more effectively.
Researchers
found that it even synergises with caffeine to boost the activity of
brain cells. They found that 100 milligrams of theanine when consumed
with 60 milligrams of caffeine enabled people to focus better on
complicated tasks, a combination found in roughly 4 cups of green tea.
Theanine and Cancer
A
study published by Sadzuka et al. in 2002 found that theanine might
help cancer patients by improving the efficacy of cancer drugs, and
through its relaxing effects. Theanine increased the concentration of
anti-cancer drugs in tumors while lowering the levels of anti-cancer
drugs in the healthy tissues where they are not needed. This improved
the effectiveness of the therapy while decreasing its side effect. In
addition theanine itself also inhibited the growth of cancerous tumors.
In
Japan, where green tea is very popular, surveys showed that regular
green tea drinkers had a much lower incidence of breast, prostate,
liver, pancreatic, lung, esophageal and stomach cancers.
Theanine for Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
Individuals
with high blood pressure can benefit from drinking green tea. Japanese
researchers report that theanine lowers high blood pressure, but has no
effect on normal blood pressure.
Studies have shown
that theanine is particularly useful in ‘spontaneous hypertension’ which
is high blood pressure resulting from stress, excitement, or shock. The
soothing, calming effects of theanine appear to offset this dangerous
condition.
Theanine
was
also
found to reduce total cholesterol levels in humans, while
preventing good cholesterol from being converted into bad cholesterol by
oxidation.
Theanineimproves immune function
Studies
at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital demonstrated
that theanine increased the body’s immunity against colds and flu and
promotes a strong immune response to infections. Theanine also aids in
preventing abnormal immune system reactions as occur in allergies and
autoimmune diseases.
Theanine for Weight Loss
Green
tea is well known to help with weight loss, and according to a 2004
Japanese study, theanine contributes to this fat burning effect. In this
research using animals, theanine lowered body weight, body fat and
triglycerides (blood fat) levels. Beside the fact that tea contains zero
calories, green tea helps to curb food cravings. The social habit of
"Afternoon tea" was supposedly started by the 7th Duchess of Bedford in
England to quiet her hunger pangs between lunch and dinner.
Side Effects
Theanine
is safe and non-toxic and drinking green tea is associated with very
few side effects. Staining of the teeth is probably the commonest
problem and using a toothpaste containing bicarbonate and hydrogen
peroxide can prevent this. By the way, green tea prevents halitosis
(bad breath). Researchers at the University of Illinois found that some
of the polyphenols in tea inhibit the growth of bacteria in the mouth
that can cause this unpleasant odor. Theanine reduces caffeine
sensitivity. You can overcome this problem by starting with small
amounts of green tea while supplementing with magnesium and the B
vitamins.
Benefit fully from GREEN TEA
In
order to get all the benefits from green tea listed above, the research
suggest that one would have to drink several cups of green tea daily.
Modern technology has dealt with this problem by creating a patented
green tea concentrate in powder form. Half of a teaspoonful of the
powder (Herbal Tea Concentrate) makes a cup of tea (hot or cold) that
provides the benefits of several cups made from regular green tea
leaves. I use this green tea concentrate myself and recommend it to all
my patients. It is an ideal healthy breakfast beverage.
By: Miranda J
