May Enhance Health
The Japanese custom of drinking green tea came from China about
800 AD. Monks who went to China to study Buddhism, returned to Japan bringing tea
with them as a medicinal beverage. In the Kamakura era (1191-1333) the monk Eisai
stressed the beneficial effects of tea in his book Maintaining health by
drinking tea (1211).Tea has a miraculous power to prolong life. In recent research into green tea, results show its power in preventing disease.
May Prevent Cancer
The death rate from cancer is significantly lower for both women & men in Japan. In the Shizuoka region which accounts for 87% of Japanese green tea production, where green tea is the main beverage, people consume as much as 5-6 cups daily. This suggests that the main ingredients of green tea tannin, catechin, in sufficient amounts lowers the Standardized Mortality Rate for stomach cancer. The National Cancer Institute in Tokyo has demonstrated that catechin lowers the incidence of cancer. The research of Prof. Shu-Jun Cheng (Cancer Institute in Beijing), demonstrates that administration of green tea extract reduced the incidence of cancer to less than 50%. We do not yet fully understand the mechanism underlying the generation of cancer. But in the "two-stage theory of cancer development", activates cancer, it is argued that an "initiator" first damages DNA in the cell rendering it subject to cancer, until a "promoter" activates cancer, leading to the actual growth of malignancy. Frequent drinking of strong green tea reduces both "initiator" and "promoter".
May Restrict Blood Cholesterol
High cholesterol is associated with a wide range of diseases in
adults. But there
are two types of cholesterol, one is "bad" cholesterol (LDL
& VLDL),
and heavy accumulation of these in tissues can lead to
atherosclerosis which can
cause myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction, the other is
good cholesterol
(HDL) that prevents accumulation of excessive "bad"
cholesterol. Prof.
Muramatsu has demonstrated that green tea catechin restricts the
excessive buildup
of cholesterol. Dr. Goto reported a similar result: green tea
catechin acts to limit
excessive blood cholesterol.
K.Muramatsu and Y. Hara.
J.Nutation. Sci. Vitaminol
(1986). K.Gote, S. Kanaya and Y. Hara Prof. of the
International Sym. On Tea
Science. (Shizuoka, Japan; August, 1991)
@
May Control High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a serious burden on the vascular system. Atherosclerosis will precipitate heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. A chemical called angiotensin II plays a harmful role in high blood pressure and is connected to hypertension and to arterial stenosis of the kidneys. Another enzyme called Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) changes angiotensin II which is an extremely strong vascular constrictor and leads to high blood pressure. Dr. Hara has shown that green tea catechin impedes the action of "ACE" and suppresses production of angiotensin II. He has also demonstrated that the administration of catechin to mice with Spontaneously Hypertensive Rate (SHR) can reduce high blood pressure. Results of his experiments indicate that daily consumption of greentea catechin has the ability to prevent a rise in blood pressure. Y. Hara, T. Matsuzaki and T. Suzuki, Nippon Nogeikagaku Kaishi
May Lower Blood Sugar
About 60 years ago, Dr. Minowada of Kyoto University noticed that
sugar in the
urine of hospitalized diabetes patients fell markedly during periods
when they participated
in the Tea Ceremony. He reported that green tea had the capability of
lowering blood
sugar. Unfortunately this important report was ignored, but in recent
years Japan
once again has shown a heightened interest in diabetes and in the
ability of green
tea to reduce blood sugar. The sugars and carbohydrates in our food
are digested
mainly in the duodenum, where they are converted to glucose and then
absorbed into
the blood. The agent that regulates the intake of blood sugar into
tissues is insulin.
Diabetes is characterized by insufficient secretion or improper
functioning of insulin,
which hinders the proper absorption of glucose into tissues and leads
to a high concentration
of blood sugar that must eventually be excreted into urine. If this
high concentration
of blood sugar continues for a long period, it will affect the
vascular system and
cause serious diseases including arteriosclerosis and retinal
hemorrhages. Dr. Y.
Hara and Dr. M. Shimizu have demonstrated that green tea catechin has
an ability
to lower blood sugar, and polysaccharides in green tea possess the
same ability.
H. Asai, Y. Ogawa, Y. Hara and K. Nakamura, Kiso to Rinsshyo,
(1987).
M. Shimizu et al, Yakugaku Zatshi, (1988)
May Suppress Aging
Oxygen has two aspects, one beneficial and one harmful. It plays a key role in metabolism, but can also be an unhealthful agent. As a free radical, oxygen in the body can oxidize cell membranes, which will damage DNA and the lipids (fats). This can lead to diseases like cancer, cardio-vascular disease and diabetes. Lipid peroxide created by lipids ( fats) combined with oxygen tends to accumulate in the body and create aging pigmentation. One way to slow aging is to prevent the production of active oxygen and lipid peroxide in the body. Consumption of antioxidants such as vitamins E and C promises longer life. We already know that green tea is rich in vitamins E and C. In addition, Prof. Okuda has demonstrated that catechin in green tea is a far stronger antioxidant than vitamin E (about 20 times stronger) Prof. T. Okada et al., Chem. Pharm. Bull (1983)
Refreshes The Body
Green tea caffeine taken in proper quantity stimulates every organ in the body. A cup of green tea will help clear a dull mind in the morning. It is also thought that small amount of caffeine present in a normal serving of green tea (9 mg of caffeine) can stimulate the skeletal muscles and facilitate muscular contraction. It is quite refreshing to have a cup of green tea in the middle of work, and we find it noteworthy that there is new scientific support for such old customs as the afternoon tea ritual. The caffeine in green tea is mostly extracted in the process of drying leaves. Green tea caffein combines with catechin in the brewing water, and is rather milder than other caffeine-containing beverages. Even so, for those people who are sensitive to caffeine, it is safer for to drink weak green tea.
May Deter Food Poisoning
It has long been known that green tea deters food poisoning and has the ability to kill bacteria. Consumption of strong green tea is often recommended as a treatment for diarrhea. Dr. Y. Hara has shown in his research that green tea catechin is a powerful sterilizing agent for many types of bacteria that cause food poisoning. He found that a Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC ppm) of catechin, able to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, clostridium peifringens, Bacillus cereus, Plesiomonas shigelloides, Aeromonas sobria and Clostridium botulimum, is present in green tea. In addition to this evidence, Prof. Shimamura has reported that green tea is a strong sterilizer for cholera Vibrio and has a strong anti toxic effect on toxins produced by bacteria other than cholera. These results, indicating the antibacterial function of green tea catechin, suggest its effectiveness in preventing food poisoning. Y. Hara and T. Ishibami, Nippon Shokuhin Kogyo Gakkaishi, (1989). Shimamura et al., Japan f Bacteriol. (1989).
May Prevent And Treat Skin Disease
As a treatment for athlete's foot, soaking in green tea has been successful. In hospital experiments using a green tea bath shows promising results in treating bed sores and skin disease.
May Stop Cavities
Dentistry has improved greatly in the past few years. By the end
of the 19th century,
it was determined that cavities are caused by cariogenic bacteria.
Briefly, the mechanism
of cavity production is as follows: cariogenic bacteria create glucan
and glucan
create plaque. Next, they feed on sugar to generate acids such as
lactic acid in
the plaque. Experiments of Dr. Hattori show that green tea catechin
can suppress
the process of glucosyl transferase by cariogenic bacteria to produce
glucan. Other
experiments by Dr. Sakanaka have verified that green tea catechin can
destroy cariogenic
bacteria. It has been known for some time that small amounts of
fluorine can strengthen
teeth and help prevent cavities. For this reason, many cities add
fluorine to their
drinking water. Green tea contains natural fluorine and is thought to
aid in the
reduction of cavities in school children.
Dr. M Hattori et
al., Chem. Bull.,
(1990). Dr. S. Sakanaka et al., Agrec. Biol. Chem.,
(1989).
May Fight Viruses
Dr. Okada has noted that tobacco growers use an exudate of green tea to prevent crop damage by the tobacco mosaic virus, and verified that green tea catechin suppresses the growth of this virus. In addition, Prof. Shimamura has determined that green tea catechin and theaflavin (an oxidized from of catechin) present in black tea, have a strong effect on the influenza virus. It is also thought that the anti viral capability of green tea catechin may have some beneficial effect on the AIDS virus, which is now the world's most feared infectious disease. Dr. Nakane and Dr. Ono at Aichi Cancer Institute have suggested the green tea catechin can inhibit the activity of the AIDS virus in laboratory tests, although this research is just in its nascent stage. Dr. Okada, Chagyo Kenkyu Hokoku, (1978). Prof. T. Shimamura et al., Lett. APPI. Microbial., (1990). Dr. H. Nakane and Dr. K. Ono, Biochemistry, (1990).
May Act As A Bio-Regulatory Food
Discussions of food normally focus on nutrition and flavor.
However, recently
more attention is being paid to the role of food in bio-regulating
functions. Foods
that possess this regulatory function are called " bio-
regulatory functional
food ". According to Dr. Inaba, who classifies food by his
" bio-regulatory
functional food table ", green tea possesses the following
functions : it has
a bio-defensive function by preventing cancer through strengthing the
immune system,
it has a disease-preventing function, by preventing high blood
pressure or diabetes,
a disease-recovery function by inhibiting the rise of cholesterol, a
physical rhythm-controlling
function by stimulating the central nervous system with caffeine, and
an aging-suppressing
function by providing the body with antioxidants. Therefore, green
tea is rich as
a bio-regulatory food and has become a popular beverage among the new
health conscious
generation. It has been in use since its introduction to Japan
centuries ago, now
modern research has finally started to remove the veil concerning its
many positive
qualities. Green tea is truly a" miraculous
medicine " with an extraordinary
power to prolong life. Dr. H. Inaba, Food Chemicals. ( No 11) 32
(1988).
E-Mail Us