Green tea has been enjoyed by the Chinese and Japanese cultures for thousands of years, yet it has not been until relatively recently that the rest of the world has discovered the joys of green tea. It is considered to be one of the most popular herbal supplements in the world. Green tea offers many nutritional benefits; such as its ability to help loss weight, lower cholesterol, increase immune function, and improve the cardiovascular system. The reason for green tea being so incredibly beneficial lies in the fact that the green tea leaf is rich in healthy antioxidants called catechin polyphenols.

The most powerful of these catechins is EGCG and it accounts for 10% to 50% of the total catechin content of green tea. The EGCG in green tea is beneficial for the heart and circulatory health and support of the body's natural resistance to cancer of the bladder, breast, colon, esophagus, lung, pancreas, prostate, skin and stomach. It is anywhere from 25 to 100 times more potent than vitamins C and E.

Tea made from tea leaves (as opposed to herbal teas) are very good for you, since they are simply water plus phytochemicals (of which catechin polyphenols are a part of) and caffeine, and very little else, unless of course you add sugar or another substance to it before drinking. Green tea contains about half of the amount of caffeine found in black tea and about a quarter of the amount of caffeine that is found in one regular cup of coffee making it a healthy drink you can consume at just about any time of the day.

Both green and black tea are derived from the same plant, yet black tea is fermented and therefore contains more caffeine, and green tea leaves are not fermented. Green tea leaves are also rich in fluorine and help to prevent dental decay by inhibiting the enzyme that causes plaque formation. Another important factor is that people generally consider green tea to cause less nervousness and anxiety than that of black tea, probably due to the lower levels of caffeine.

Overall, it is not hard to see why green tea is so respected; its plentiful beneficial nutrients and other properties are nothing but positive, and can be beneficial to one's health in more than several ways. This article is just the tip of the iceberg of the many great qualities of green tea. You owe it to yourself to learn more about this tasty and healthy drink.

Daniel Lanicek is a health fanatic, weightlifter, and armchair nutritionist. He likes his green tea with jasmine and hint of honey. Learn more about the many benefits of green tea at www.greenteakettle.com.

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