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7 Reasons to Drink Green Tea

Posted Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 10:30 am PST
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The steady stream of good news about green tea is getting so hard to ignore that even java junkies are beginning to sip mugs of the deceptively delicate brew. You'd think the daily dose of disease-fighting, inflammation-squelching antioxidants--long linked with heart protection--would be enough incentive, but wait, there's more! Lots more.

CUT YOUR CANCER RISK
Several polyphenols - the potent antioxidants green tea's famous for - seem to help keep cancer cells from gaining a foothold in the body, by discouraging their growth and then squelching the creation of new blood vessels that tumors need to thrive. Study after study has found that people who regularly drink green tea reduce their risk of breast, stomach, esophagus, colon, and/or prostate cancer.

SOOTHE YOUR SKIN
Got a cut, scrape, or bite, and a little leftover green tea? Soak a cotton pad in it. The tea is a natural antiseptic that relieves itching and swelling. Try it on inflamed breakouts and blemishes, sunburns, even puffy eyelids.

PROTECT YOUR SKIN
In the lab, green tea applied directly to the skin (or consumed) helps block sun-triggered skin cancer, which is why you're seeing green tea in more and more sunscreens and moisturizers.

STEADY YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
Having healthy blood pressure - meaning below 120/80 - is one thing. Keeping it that way is quite another. But people who sip just half a cup a day are almost 50 percent less likely to wind up with hypertension than non-drinkers. Credit goes to the polyphenols again (especially one known as ECGC). They help keep blood vessels from contracting and raising blood pressure.

PROTECT YOUR MEMORY, OR YOUR MOM'S
Green tea may also keep the brain from turning fuzzy. Getting-up-there adults who drink at least two cups a day are half as likely to develop cognitive problems as those who drink less. Why? It appears that the tea's big dose of antioxidants fights the free-radical damage to brain nerves seen in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

STAY YOUNG
The younger and healthier your arteries are, the younger and healthier you are. So fight plaque build-up in your blood vessels, which ups the risk of heart disease and stroke, adds years to your biological age (or RealAge), and saps your energy too. How much green tea does this vital job take? About 10 ounces a day, which also deters your body from absorbing artery-clogging fat and cholesterol.

LOSE WEIGHT
Oh yeah, one more thing. Turns out that green tea speeds up your body's calorie-burning process. In the every-little-bit-counts department, this is good news!

  • 1. Posted by onya_cox on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 11:39 am PST

    iv been on the tea kick for yrs here is a lil tip dont know whwer i got it but im sure u can find it for the best brew i found a mug w a built in french press yes coffee drinkers swear by them but they make great teas too u can find loos tea at hippy stores or on line for added plesur get the jazmin green tea the perfume will put a smile on ur face w evry sip thanx the oc

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  • 2. Posted by PHILIP MARSOM J on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:09 pm PST

    I hardly think that all of that is true. Pretty soon doctors will be dipping people in rivers.

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  • 3. Posted by momof3girls on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:18 pm PST

    just wondering..does it lose it' effect if non-dairy creamer and brown sugar or honey is added? I'm sure it doesn't help any....

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  • 4. Posted by JOE R on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:42 pm PST

    Which brand is best??

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  • 5. Posted by Connie L on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 8:16 pm PST

    curbs my appetite, that's for sure!

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  • 6. Posted by Sallie on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 8:42 pm PST

    I prefer green tea alternate with an earl grey! probably shouldn't add honey.....

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  • 7. Posted by rose_art72 on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 9:01 pm PST

    bigelow and celestial seasonings with honey and lemon is good. i drink it twice a day. and it does cut your appetite and you lose weight without even dieting or exercising. pounds and inches. roeroe.

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  • 8. Posted by dvdangus on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 9:07 pm PST

    hi, i am 55 years old. we drank iced tea all my life. brown tea in my youth, green tea always in the last 10 years. my blood work is right in the middle of the "specs" i'm not a gym fananitic, but try to work out, or walk 2 times a week. LIMIT THE CHEESE, AND FRIED FOOD! [

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  • 9. Posted by dvdangus on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 9:08 pm PST

    hi, i am 55 years old. we drank iced tea all my life. brown tea in my youth, green tea always in the last 10 years. my blood work is right in the middle of the "specs" i'm not a gym fananitic, but try to work out, or walk 2 times a week. LIMIT THE CHEESE, AND FRIED FOOD! [

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  • 10. Posted by angelinaconstantin@att.net on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 10:22 pm PST

    i always read about it but not tryit yet

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  • 11. Posted by Hearnese A on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 10:29 pm PST

    does it matter if its hot or cold i drinks diet green tea

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  • 12. Posted by Lara V on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 10:54 pm PST

    which is best hot or cold and does it hurt to add equal

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  • 13. Posted by laneyblu on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 11:44 pm PST

    You cannot use milk with tea, it alters all the healthy benefits for your body. Any brand is good, we use Lipton from our local grocer & keep a gallon made up in the fridge at all times. 1 tea bag per cup of water. You need to really drink no less than 6 cups a day to get all the health benefits from it. You really don't need to drink anything else. Check out Dr.Oz & Dr. Mike Roizen realage.com & on Oprah.com Staying Young. Lots of super info there.

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  • 14. Posted by Ginger S. on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 12:19 am PST

    WHO CARES ANYMORE? PROBABLY A HEALTH CRAZE OR FAD.

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  • 15. Posted by on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 6:27 am PST

    GREEN TEA HAS HELP ME KEEP OFF THE WEIGHT ...

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  • 16. Posted by nope on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 9:36 am PST

    Try brewing green tea with licorice root. Licorice adds a natural sweetness to the green tea, a delicious flavor, and tons of added health benefits. it has anti-inflammatory effects, and soothes stomach problems including ulcers. It's also good for the lungs and respiratory system and soothes throats. Best of all, it's natural, so no sugar substitutes are going into your blood stream. I brew 2 to 1....two bags of green tea to one bag of licorice root tea. Try tazo teas. They have an egyptian licorice tea that is to die for! You can also get it in bulk at your local health food/grocery store.

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  • 17. Posted by Anita V on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 11:25 am PST

    Does it matter whether you drink cold or hot tea? What about decaf green tea? Sure would be nice to know.

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  • 18. Posted by ladychild07@att.net on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 11:38 am PST

    Yes green tea is very good. it help me in more way so drink about two glass a day.It does the boby good becase i know i was at 205 and now im at 180.And that is in three week.I feel good about myself.

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  • 19. Posted by jomarie1006 on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 12:26 pm PST

    If you dont drink alot of water and like tea, it is a way to get your fluid content up, it will be a healthy, beneficial way to help get the amount of liquids that your body needs, there are so many flavors that you are bound to find some that you like and the fat burning benefits are a major plus!

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  • 20. Posted by Sonflower on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 12:52 pm PST

    Wow! That's way kool to know. I love the Lizard Green T, but hey, the first ingredient on the label is sugar, no wonder I love it :). But I also like just plain Good Earth Herb Tea. Never put sugar in anything I make for myself. It's a killer.

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  • 21. Posted by pingwin22 on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 12:54 pm PST

    Another article had said that adding honey (darker the better) will also fight off the flu or a cold...I doubt that it will hurt you in any way. Go ahead and add it. It tastes great!

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  • 22. Posted by Blissblue on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 12:55 pm PST

    With so many people dying younger of cancer , anything is wortha try.

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  • 23. Posted by on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 1:06 pm PST

    replying to comment #18, ladychild07@att.net ... First of all, yes..green tea is great for your health, i too drink a lot of green tea, different types, jasmin tea at night to get a better rest but to loose 25 lbs in 3weeks, you must be drinking some different type of tea, that sounds more like a "crack" diet..

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  • 24. Posted by vuittonet2143 on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 1:09 pm PST

    I drink green tea brewed with mint leaves, mmmmm delicious

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  • 25. Posted by Deb on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 1:12 pm PST

    When I make green tea, I also add a bag of peppermint tea to my mug for a much better flavor.

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  • 26. Posted by paul d on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 1:18 pm PST

    at age 58 i need all the help i can get but my question is if you boil the bags in water for a long period til tea seeps from bags does it kill the antioxidents from working

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  • 27. Posted by Brandi87 on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 1:18 pm PST

    I drink honey in my green tea. I really don't think it can do any thing bad, unless you're adding green tea to your cup of honey. Plus, honey is a natural sweetener and considering that my other choice would be sweet n' low, I think honey is a good choice.

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  • 28. Posted by Rufus Y on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 1:26 pm PST

    green tea is good very good but not as good as mangosteen juice it has 45 xanthones in it see { xango} www.alternativemedicineinabottle.net or e-mail at www.myxango.com/connieyates a.s.a.p.

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  • 29. Posted by god_reigns@sbcglobal.net on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 1:26 pm PST

    Green tea is great and now Bigelow makes it with pomegranite, so YES I highly recommend drinking it. I love it with a teaspoon of honey. Honey is a great, the darker the better. It has lots of antioxidants.

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  • 30. Posted by aballas on Thu, Feb 21, 2008, 1:30 pm PST

    my husband and I love green tea, I finally got my husband to drink it instaead of pop

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