GREEN TEA – EGCG
Green tea has gained great popularity in the past few years, for very healthy reasons. Unfortunately, many people, including me, do not like its flavor – just slightly less than weed tea. It does come with many possible flavorings, such as peach and mango, which make it quite delicious. On the other hand, it is the EGCG, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, which confers the major benefits of green tea. And, much of the health science is based upon EGCG extracts from green tea.
Among other benefits, EGCG:
- Is a major antioxidant
- Helps burn body fat. It is thermogenic – increases metabolism and helps weight loss
- Reduces blood pressure
- Improves insulin sensitivity – it is antidiabetic!
- Inhibits collagenase – thus helps joints by protecting cartilage
- Protects the heart against hypoxia
- Increases dopamine in the brain – may help Parkinsonism
- Inhibits many cancers-colon, prostate, breast, melanoma
- Reduces anxiety
- Promotes hair growth in human scalp cells
- May help prevent macular degeneration
- Inhibits absorption of cholesterol
- Is equal to the anticancer drug 5-FU in treating colon cancer cells in tissue cultures
- May help prevent sunburn
- Reduces malondialdehyde – the free radical by-product
- Decreases body fat, waist circumference, and BMI
- Is well tolerated up to 1600 mg per day
In summary, EGCG is a major health enhancer and may be one of the best and safest supplements to assist in weight control, diabetes, and overall immune and health enhancement.