It ain't easy being green...

Green tea, black tea, white tea -- I like them all.  Green tea specifically has become a staple in my fruit smoothies.  I knew that it had antioxidant and poly-phenol benefits, but exactly what am I gaining by consuming it?  There are a few large-scale human studies, most of which focus on the impact on heart disease and cancer.  Here are some benefits that you may or may not be aware of, of which many are still being debated.

1. Skincare. Green tea can apparently help with wrinkles and the signs of aging, because of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have indicated that green tea applied topically can reduce sun damage.
2. Mood Boosting. Theanine is an amino acid naturally found in tea leaves, which is thought to provide a relaxing and tranquilizing effect for tea drinkers.
3. Heart Disease. Scientists think green tea works on the lining of blood vessels, helping them stay relaxed and able to withstand changes in blood pressure. It may also protect against the formation of clots, which are the primary cause of heart attacks.
4. Weight Loss. The polyphenol found in green tea works to intensify levels of fat oxidation and the rate at which your body turns food into calories - increasing the metabolism.
5. Diabetes. Green tea may help regulate glucose levels by slowing the rise of blood sugar after eating. This can prevent high insulin spikes and resulting fat storage.
6. Cancer.  Green tea is widely thought to kill cancer cells in general without damaging healthy tissue.
7. Cholesterol. Green tea may lower bad cholesterol in the blood and improve the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol.
8. Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It is said to delay the deterioration caused by Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Studies showed that green tea protected brain cells from dying and restored damaged brain cells.
9. Tooth Decay. Studies suggests that the chemical antioxidant “catechin” in tea may destroy bacteria and viruses.
10. Blood Pressure. Regular consumption of green tea is thought to reduce the risk of high blood pressure.

I still don't know what antioxidants, free radicals and compounds ARE.  I envision punk-rocking anarchists fleeing a building terrified of...a bag of tea in boxing gear?  Humorous imagination aside, read on to learn more.  We've established that green tea is high in antioxidants, much like grapes and berries, red wine and dark chocolate (yum).  The job of antioxidants is to fight free radicals.  Put simply, these are bad guys that damage DNA, contribute to nasties like cancer, blood clots and hardening and narrowing of the heart's arteries.  Since green tea is minimally processed - the leaves are withered and steamed, not fermented like black or oolong teas - the antioxidants are more concentrated.  Aha.  Now we're getting somewhere.

How much is beneficial?  While studies show green tea is beneficial in many aspects, lifestyle and overall diet are still key factors in health.  The verdict for recommended amount of green tea is still out; some say as little as two cups a day while others five cups - and more still say you can drink up to ten cups a day.  Keep in mind there IS caffeine in green tea, so sensitive people should look for a decaf version or limit it to one cup.  So green tea isn't a prescription miracle cure for anything, but incorporating a few cups of this a day will certainly be a nice switch from straight water.