Tea is a beverage that has been used in China for 5000 years to boost health, both of the body and the mind. The tea is made with the young, tender leaves of the species Camellia sinensis L., from South China and Southeast Asia, although it is currently cultivated all over the world, both in tropical and subtropical regions. Depending on the degree of oxidation in the brewing process, different types of tea are obtained. The one with the lowest degree of oxidation and, therefore, the greatest health benefits, is green tea, since it maintains a large amount of the antioxidants that are lost in other varieties.
Green tea has great antioxidant potential due to its high polyphenol content: catechins. Within this group, the best known and most active are epigallocatechin (EGC) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)
.Green tea arouses great interest in the medical community. There are many clinical studies that have been published highlighting its benefits in different fields. The most numerous focus on weight control, where the catechins in green tea have been found to help control fat accumulation, maintain a healthy body mass index and normal glucose levels. Its benefits in protecting against oxidative damage have also been studied, where catechins help protect the breast, ovaries and prostate
.To get the benefits of green tea we would need to drink a large number of cups a day, to ensure the right amount of its active ingredients in our body, catechins. But, for people who dont like the bitter taste of tea, and given its caffeine and caffeine content, they can include in their diet a dietary supplement of green tea extract standardized in catechins and free of
caffeine.The process of manufacturing the extract is important to ensure the quality of the product. The leaves must be heated above 70ºC to inactivate the polyphenol oxidase enzyme and must be vacuum-packed to prevent the oxidation of catechins. This process must be guaranteed through quality analyses carried out by certified laboratories, before reaching the consumer.
Because catechins are difficult to absorb by our body, it may be advisable to associate these flavonoids with phospholipids to improve and increase their bioavailability in the body, and thus make the most of their properties.
If you want to know more about green tea, you can visit our website or contact me, Im Paula Saiz, biologist at 100% Natural.