"Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one.”- a Chinese proverb
The Chinese are known for their longevity and the alternative medicines that make this possible. While the pill-popping trend of the Western world is only resorting to Oriental medicine now, the Chinese seem to have unlocked the gateways to immortality more than 4,000 years ago.
East meets West in praise of green tea. In 1994, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published a study on epidemiological cancer suggesting that green tea lowers risk of esophageal cancer by 60 percent in Chinese men and women. Until recently, researchers at the University of Purdue concluded that green tea actually inhibits the growth of certain cancer cells, while keeping the balance of good and bad cholesterol.
The secret is in green tea's richness in catechin polyphenols, specifically epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). A potent antioxidant, it destroys cancer cells without harming healthy tissue because it prevents abnormal blood clotting. Blood clots, or thromboses, are the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.
Apart from preventing cancer and high cholesterol, green tea is also good for rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, infection, impaired immune function and even tooth decay.
The only known negative effect of tea is insomnia, because it also has caffeine. But:
6 ounces to 8 ounces of tea = 30 milligrams to 60 milligrams of caffeine
8 ounces of coffee = 100 milligrams of caffeine.
So the next time you think of coffee, drink green tea instead.
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