Chinese Green Tea For Weight Loss
Posted under FOODS & BEVERAGES, Green Tea on Jan 4, 2008
For most people, the Chinese green tea is a stuff of legends. It has been known to be very beneficial to human health.
For thousands of years, Chinese green tea has been talked about and written about because of its countless positive effects.
According to legend, the first person to ever taste it was the Emperor Shen Nung in 2737 B.C. It was said that while boiling some water for drinking, some leaves fell into his pot from a tree nearby.
Chinese green tea leaves when boiled smelled and tasted so wonderful that Shen Nung even urged his people to drink it. The fame of it did not stay at one place for long. It is believed that in A.D. 800, Chinese green tea was brought to Japanby monks who studied Buddhism in China.
What makes Chinese green tea different from all other teas?
Chinese green tea is produced from Camellia sinensis, the same plant where the oolong and black tea are derived. Yet, even though they all come from the same herb, this is truly stands out as an exceptional health drink. So what makes Chinese green tea different?
The difference lies in the method by which Chinese green tea is produced. Oolong and black tea leaves are traditionally oxidized and then dried while this leaves are steamed and then dried.
This method of producing it actually preserves most of the beneficial antioxidants present in it.
Chinese Green Tea for Health
While it is already common knowledge that it has several health benefits, modern scientists were able to provide several concrete proofs of the positive effects of Chinese green tea.
These antioxidants are said to be the ones responsible for making the Chinese green tea very beneficial. Recent findings show that the antioxidants in Chinese green tea can reduce cholesterol levels in a person; can improve how blood vessels function; and can reduce blood lipids.
It was also discovered that it can have an anti-inflammatory effects and may provide protection against cardiovascular diseases.
Chinese Green Tea for Weight Loss
Significant findings were made that pointed to the benefits of Chinese green tea in weight loss. According to the researchers of the University of Geneva, it has thermogenic properties which aid much in weight loss.
In their study, they investigated the weight loss benefits of Chinese green tea by observing the interaction between the caffeine in this green tea and a compound called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).
When these two substances in this react, thermogenesis of the body increases by four percent. The tendency of Chinese green tea to enhance metabolic rates has given people reason to believe that it has weight loss benefits as well.
Another study concerning the weight loss benefits of it was also conducted. The results of the research showed that it drinkers have a better propensity for weight loss.
Drinking it allows the body to burn an additional 70 calories a day, a feat that weight loss enthusiasts would relish. Today, Chinese green tea is widely available as a beverage and as an ingredient for weight loss products.
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