Green tea is a powerful source that has anticancer molecules, making it an essential element in any diet that aims to prevent cancer. And if that was not enough, it is a good remedy that extinguishes thirst.
A natural and revitalizing way to prevent cancer
Tea is – after the water, of course – the most popular drink in the world: every second, 15,000 cups are drunk around the world, which means 500 billion teacups per year. Nowadays, black tea is the favorite assortment, being consumed at a rate of 78%, and green tea is preferred by 20% of drinkers. Despite their common origin, green tea and black tea have totally different chemical compositions.
“During the fermentation process used to produce black tea, dramatic changes occur in the nature of polyphenols originally present in tea leaves: they are oxidized to produce black pigments called the flavones. This transformation has important consequences since oxidized polyphenols have very little or no anti-cancer activity. Because of this, green tea is by far the most important candidate in the race to prevent food-borne cancer. ”
Green tea contains the most potent anticancer molecules
Tea is a sophisticated drink containing hundreds of chemical compounds that give it a specific flavor and taste. All of them predominate in a particular class of compounds, which make up about one-third of the tea leaf mass: these are polyphenols called flavons, better known as catechins. Catechins are heavyweight fighters responsible for the anticancer activity of green tea.
Like all other polyphenols, catechins are complex molecules with a very important role in plant physiology. They have antifungal and antibacterial properties that allow the plant to withstand the invasion of a large number of pathogens successfully.
Green Japanese tea is the best
One should not forget that there is a large variation in the catechin content of green tea, depending on the area of cultivation, the diversity of the plants used, the period of harvesting, and, last but not least, the processing techniques. In other words, if the packaging says “green tea” does not mean that the product inside contains large amounts of anticancer compounds.
Green tea polyphenol treats warts
Daily green tea consumption prevents the spread of the human papilloma virus (HPV) which leads to the appearance of warts. Gallic Epigallocatechin (EGCG), one of the main components of green tea, stops the cell cycle that allows the spread of the virus.
Prevents Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
Polyphenols have the ability to fight free radicals, this natural drink helps prevent brain damage and the development of lethal diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Prevents kidney stones
A small amount of green tea per day can help prevent renal calcification (kidney stones).
The green tea extract reduces the production and size of calcium oxalate sediments. These are deposited in the kidneys and lead to the formation of stones.
Prevents cavities
Catechins, a type of chemical antioxidant present in green tea, destroy viruses and bacteria that cause infections in the throat, caries, and other mouth conditions.
In addition to polyphenols, green tea contains substances such as vitamins C and E, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which are absorbed in various ocular tissues. Among these tissues is the retina, which is protected to such an extent that by using this tea you can prevent the appearance of glaucoma and other diseases that affect vision.
These substances, along with antioxidants, help reduce oxidative stress, which is the main cause of vision problems.
Knowing the range of anti-cancer properties attributed to green tea, we can assume that cancer would have become a much easier burden for our society if our ancestors would continue drinking green tea instead of replacing it with black tea. But the situation is not irreversible. Tea lovers who have the curiosity to explore new possibilities will be pleasantly surprised by the look of green tea, its taste that calms thirst, and its reduced caffeine content (four times less caffeine than black tea).
So green tea is much more than a simple ingredient of a balanced diet designed to prevent disease: it can become the “soul” of such a diet, a symbol of the ease and pleasure of taking a daily dose of anticancer compounds, in a calm, simple and natural way.
