Green Tea: The Healthy Drink

A book on the health benefits of green tea was written in the year 1211 by a monk named Eisai. In his book, he stated that "tea is a miraculous medicine for the maintenance of health." For over 4,000 years green tea has been considered a "medicine" in China.

Tea is produced by the Camellia sinensis plant, an evergreen shrub. When left to grow in the wild, it produces white blossoms in the spring which produce a fruit containing one to three small seeds. To reproduce, the tea plant must be cross-pollinated with another tea plant.

From the uppermost sections of the shoots, where the young and tender new leaves are found, tea is picked by hand. Machines are not used because they tend to rip off and crush the bud and top two leaves. This causes the onset of fermentation. The processing of the leaves determines the type of tea that is being manufactured.

Scientists have been studying the medicinal effects of green tea for a number of years. One study conducted in Tokyo found that after studying 3,000 women over the age of fifty, those who drank green tea lived longer than those who did not.

Studies in the 1970s found that people who drink moderate amounts of green tea seemed to have greater protection against heart attacks, strokes, infections, and a number of other ailments. Research continues on this remarkable substance.

Scientists have found that green tea guards against the oxidants and free radicals that weaken the body's immune system. It can also prevent the formation and growth of cancerous tumors.

Other health benefits attributed to green tea are the reduction in cholesterol levels, control of high blood pressure, and weight loss.

Green tea is inexpensive. It is available at health food stores, grocery stores, and online.