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GREEN TEA EXTRACT - For Antioxidant Support |
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GREEN TEA EXTRACT - For Antioxidant Support
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Darrell Miller | 06/29/05 |
Date:
June 29, 2005 01:16 PM
Author: Darrell Miller
(dm@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: GREEN TEA EXTRACT - For Antioxidant Support
For centuries the art of drinking and serving tea has played a major cultural role in many Asian countries. Americans are now discovering this healthful brew. Studies have shown that green tea is a powerful antioxidant that supports cardiovascular health and promotes dental health and glucose metabolism. The polyphenols are the most beneficial components in green tea, especially the catechin EGCG. Source Naturals offers two convenient ways to get the benefits of green tea: a highly concentrated, 100 mg GREEN TEA EXTRACT or the higher potency 500 mg GREEN TEA EXTRACT. Both extracts are standardized for polyphenols, particularly EGCG.
The Tale of Tea
Green, black and oolong teas are all processed from the young leaves of Camellia sinensis, a white-flowered evergreen that originated in southeastern Asia. Monks brought it to Japan and from there it spread around the world. The three basic types of tea are classified by processing method. Black tea is made by fermenting and roasting the leaves, giving it a dark color and rich taste. Oolong is partially fermented. Green tea is lightly steamed so it retains the chlorophyll of the leaf and its green color, along with high concentrations of polyphenol compounds.
The Science of Green Tea
All teas contain polyphenols, which are chemical compounds that act as antioxidants. In green tea the main polyphenols are the catechins, including gallocatechin (GC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin (EC), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Studies have shown that these catechins are the beneficial, health-promoting components of green tea, especially EGCG, a proven powerful antioxidant.
Health Benefits
Catechins have significant antioxidant power and may prove to be heart healthy agents in combating lipid peroxidation within the cell membranes that line arterial walls. Antioxidants neutralize destructive free radicals and support cardiovascular health by preventing the oxidation of cholesterol. Oxidized cholesterol is an unstable molecule that damages the integrity of arteries. Research shows that EGCG is a much more potent antioxidant than vitamin C or vitamin E. The catechins in green tea have been shown to fight foreign organisms and help prevent the plaque buildup that leads to poor dental health. Research shows that green tea also promotes healthy glucose levels in the blood stream by enhancing the action of insulin.
Natural Wellness
Nature provides us with special compounds that allow us to explore safe alternatives to support our health. Your local health food outlet is a great resource for nutritional education and effective, advanced natural products. Source Naturals is pleased to partner with these outlets to bring you innovative products like GREEN TEA EXTRACT. There is a wealth of research supporting the benefits of green tea. If drinking it isn’t your cup of tea, try Source Naturals concentrated GREEN TEA EXTRACTS - standardized for polyphenol content. Standardization provides you with the assurance that you are getting a consistent concentration of these compounds in each dose.
References:
Sakanaka S, Aizawa M, Kim M, Yamamoto T.1996. Inhibitory effects of green tea polyphenols on growth and cellular adherence of an oral bacterium, Porphyromonas gigivalis. Bioscience and Biotechnology of Biochemistry. (May) 60(5):745-749. Hodgson JM, Puddey IB, Croft KD, Burke V, Mori TA, Caccetta RAA, Beilin LJ. 2000. Acute effects of ingestion of black and green tea on lipoprotein oxidation. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, (May) 71(5):1103-1107. Tsuneki H, Ishizukza M, Terasawa M, Wu JB, Sasaoka T, Kimura I. 2004. Effect of green tea on blood glucose levels and serum proteomic patterns in diabetic (db/db) mice and on glucose metabolism in healthy humans. BMC Pharmacology 4:18.
