Green Tea Health Benefits

Polyphenols and Green Tea Health Benefits

Green tea health benefits are attributed to compounds called polyphenols, which are natural chemical agents with powerful antioxidant properties.

Research has shown the antioxidant effects of green tea polyphenols to be greater than vitamin C and linked to possible slowing or prevention of cancer, arthritis, heart disease, aging, and tooth decay. The slightly bitter taste of the brew is in part caused by these natural polyphenols.

Catechins, which are a subgroup of the Polyphenol family, are found in tea and fall into these six categories: catechin, gallaogatechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and apigallocatechin gallate (also referred to as EGCG).

Compared to other blends, green tea leaves have the highest percentage of polyphenol, making up 30% to 40% of the total composition of the leaf. This is quite a contrast to black teas that only contain 3% to 10% polyphenols.

The difference in the levels is attributed to differences in processing once the tea leaves and buds are harvested. Green teas are minimally oxidized, whereas black teas are fully oxidized.

Other ingredients present in green tea are alkaloids – caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline – that contribute to the beverage’s mild stimulating effect.

Fluoride, which also occurs naturally in green tea, has been known for decades to help prevent tooth decay. Yet, it has recently received attention in the media as a health risk when consumed in large doses. The consensus is that that the levels of fluoride are far too low in green tea to pose any serious health risk.

For centuries many people have been enjoying the brew, whether they drink it strictly for health reasons or because they enjoy its many unique tastes and aromas.

This article was written by Kerry Mott. For more tea articles by this author, click here: Green Tea.

Related Articles