Green Tea and Health (the abbreviated version)

I am a very thirsty girl. No matter where or go or what I do I always have a beverage in my hand or a bottle of water in my purse (with the cap tightly screwed on so I do not spill it in my purse again simultaneously ruining my cell phone and ipod...again). My beverages of choice are tea and water and as of late have been enjoying green teas.

I was at Target today when I saw Crystal Light Metabolism+ On the Go Peach Mango Green Tea. I love green tea, I love peach tea and I love mango so I thought, why not give it a try. It only has 5 calroies a serving and boasts green tea antioxidants and caffeine to boost youe metabolism. Well I am not convinced this is some diet elixer, but green tea is shown to have several health benefits that I looked up when I got back to the office. Here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:

cancer
rheumatoid arthritis
high cholesterol levels
cariovascular disease
infection
impaired immune function

EGCG, a powerful anti-oxidant found in green tea, is twice as powerful as resveratrol (found in red wine which limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet), which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers. The research involved in the use of green tea and cancer has been somewhat inconsistent however.

For all of you IBD suffers out there, green tea may help reduce inflammation associated with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the two types of IBD. For centuries traditional uses of green tea include treating flatulence, regulating body temperature and blood sugar, promoting digestion, and improving mental processes.If green tea proves to be helpful for preventing colon cancer, this would be an added benefit for those with IBD because they are at risk for colon cancer.

More recently and more importantly for the diet industry, green tea has been found to help dieters. Clinical studies suggest that green tea extract may boost metabolism and help burn fat. One study confirmed that the combination of green tea and caffeine improved weight loss and maintenance in overweight and moderately obese individuals. Some researchers speculate that substances in green tea known as polyphenols, specifically the catechins, are responsible for the herb's fat-burning effect.

The good news is the only side effect of consuming green tea is insomnia due to the caffiene so just don't drink a lot at night.

The Crystal Light version is probably less effective than versions of green tea
in more pure forms, but it is convenient, it tastes good and it is low in calories. If you are looking for something to drink that is refreshing and you are tired of water you might want to pick some up. Otherwise get your green tea in some other form because it is definitely something that should be incorporated in your diet. This has been around for many centuries so the research is a lot more diverse and concrete than other diet fads that come and go.