Do green tea and health benefits go hand in hand? The answer depends on how much caffeine you are getting, total every day. If increased consumption pushes you over the 500mg per day mark, then you may expect to experience insomnia, rapid heart beat, nervousness, anxiety, high blood pressure and other health problems.
A little caffeine is okay. Moderation is the basic key to drinking or eating anything. I’m not particularly a fan of the beverage, but I do want the benefit, so I choose to take a multi-nutritional supplement that contains it. That might be the best choice for you, too.
Studies concerning green tea and health benefits that may accompany it were mostly conducted using the extract. Found within the leaves are unique antioxidants called catechins and polyphenols, such as Gallic acid. Gallic acid is abundant in various medicinal plants, including witch hazel and oak bark.
Catechins are abundant in teas derived from camellia plants and are present to a lesser extent in some cocoas and chocolates. It is because of the catechin-content that some dark chocolates are advertised as “healthy”.
The antioxidant content found in plants varies depending on their age and where they are grown. The better supplement manufacturers test the raw ingredients for catechin-potency and list the amount of catechins that are present in the extracts that they use.
The bottled beverages that you see in stores contain few, if any catechins. The amount that can be found in home-brewed teas will depend on the steep time, the longer the better. But, the only way to get a reasonable standardized amount every day is through supplementation.
The results concerning green tea and health benefits have all been very promising. Here’s a quick look at some of them.
Inhibits growth of cancerous tumors
Reduces risk of certain types of cancer
Reduces risk of heart disease
Increases fat oxidation and insulin sensitivity during exercise
Improves cognitive function, may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
Beneficial in treating Crohn’s disease
Reduces DNA damage from free radicals
Reduces inflammation, relieves arthritis
If memory serves me, those are the primary benefits. Other antioxidants, such as resveratrol, have similar affects. Other natural anti-inflammatories, such as alpha lipoic acid, carnosine and turmeric are also valuable.
Judging by all of this research, it appears that green tea and health benefits do go hand in hand. But, if we want to live long healthy lives, we need to focus on “optimal” nutrition. Despite what some people in the health industry may say, there is no way to get all of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that you need every day, without supplementation.
Vitamin D deficiencies are on the rise and play a role in osteoporosis and other age-related diseases. Doctors aren’t likely to check for nutritional deficiencies, unless someone has acute symptoms. They ignore the chronic symptoms, such as fatigue and depression. Now that you know a little more about green tea and health benefits that accompany it, you might want to learn more about how you can protect your long-term health. If you have a few minutes to spare, please feel free to take a look at my website now.
By: Gordon Hall
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Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
December 16th, 2009The fat soluble Vitamin E is actually a combination of chemical compounds that include alpha-tocopherol. All tissues in the body contain Vitamin E, but the largest quantities are located in the pituitary glands and the suprarenal glands. Since the body does not produce this vitamin, it must rely on the diet or supplementation for its recommended daily requirements.
Vitamin E is another of the important vitamins that benefit the body in many different ways. First and foremost, it has antioxidant properties which neutralize free radicals and protect the body against the damaging effects they can cause. Along with Vitamins C and Vitamin A, these antioxidants help slow the aging process and can help prevent prostate and other types of cancer.
Another important benefit of Vitamin E is that it helps keep LDL levels low. LDL is the bad form of cholesterol that over time can build up within the walls of the arteries and lead to heart disease and blood clotting.
Vitamin E encourages the proper development of muscles. It can help boost the effectiveness of the immune system, primarily by making it more resistant to bacterial and viral infections. Working together with Vitamin C and beta carotenes, Vitamin E can help prevent the development of cataracts.
Sources of Vitamin E
Vitamin E is abundant in many different types of food. Sweet potatoes and mangoes are rich in Vitamin E. Several oils including sesame, sunflower, peanut, safflower, olive, soybean and corn are good sources of Vitamin E. Nuts also contain sufficient levels of Vitamin E making walnuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds and almonds excellent snack foods. Butter, margarine, eggs, wheat germ, wheat germ oil, soya, yams, spinach, broccoli, corn, avocados, fortified cereals and liver are other good sources. Green vegetables, however, contain small amounts of Vitamin E.
Note that food storage and preparation can significantly deplete the Vitamin E content of these foods. Freezing, processing, preserving and exposing these foods to air are the biggest Vitamin E degraders.
The recommended daily intake of Vitamin E is 12 milligrams. However, people who smoke cigarettes are advised to increase Vitamin E levels to counteract the increased stress on the lungs that is caused by cigarette smoke. Interestingly, air pollution can cause the same type of lung stress so those living in areas frequently subjected to air pollution should also increase their daily intake.
Symptoms of a Vitamin E Deficiency
Since Vitamin E is contained in so many different foods and because the body is capable of storing this fat soluble vitamin, Vitamin E deficiencies are very rare. However they do occur and the symptoms can be severe. Gradual degradation of the kidneys is one notable risk associated with this type of deficiency. Reproductive problems including infertility as well as an increase in the risk of a miscarriage are also potential problems.
Lethargy, anemia and an overall loss of balance are other symptoms adults with a Vitamin E deficiency may experience. And if not addressed, over time, the body will simply begin to waste away.
By: John Spencer Ellis
