Obesity
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320. Or simply add a little honey instead of sugar in your morning coffee, lunchtime yoghurt or afternoon cup of green tea and reap many benefits of honey.
Caution – Honey should not be put in boiling or very hot liquids. It should not be given to children under one year because of a rare, but serious risk of botulism.
Green Tea
321. Both black and green teas are made from the same bush – “camellia sinensis”, discovered about 5000 years ago by a Chinese Emperor. Unlike black tea, which is fermented, green tea leaves are steamed soon after being picked. This steaming process destroys enzymes so that other healthy chemicals are not oxidised. Steaming preserves green tea antioxidants, called tannins and polyphenols. Like fruits and vegetables, green tea is a natural source of polyphenols called “catechins” which may help reduce body fat accummulation and cholesterol levels.
322. Scientists believe that green tea antioxidants are more powerful than those found in most fruits and vegetables – there is more than twice the antioxidant power in a cup of green tea than there is in an apple. Green tea contains B vitamins and vitamin C, potassium and manganese; is lower in caffeine than black tea and much lower than coffee – a cup of green tea contains one third the level of caffeine of a cup of coffee. Green tea is also a natural source of flouride which helps teeth health.
323. Because of powerful ability of green tea’s antioxidants to fight cell damaging free radicals, this natural drink is gaining a reputation as a warrior against diseases and ageing – a study in Japan found that those who drink a lot of green tea live longer. Drinking small amounts of tea throughout the day (4-6 times) might be the secret to keeping antioxidants circulating in the body.
324. As well as contributing towards your daily fluid requirements (2½ to 3 litres), drinking green tea can offer you protection against diseases like heart disease and strokes (amino acids, thiamine in green tea help keep blood less sticky, so it can move smoothly through the arteries); cancers of the breast, stomach, mouth, colon, prostrate, oesophagus and skin; osteoporosis; Alzheimer’s; rheumatoid arthritis; diabetes; liver damage; high levels of BP and cholesterol. Researchers have established that green tea contains a powerful antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG – 3-4 times more than black tea) that has the ability to neutralise free radicals causing cancers. This is hundred times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times better than vitamin E at protecting cells from damage related to cancers and other ailments. Besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, EGCG kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL bad cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots.
