Regular tea, as most people know it, is from the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant. There are three primary varieties of tea: green tea, oolong tea, and black tea, sorted according to their oxidation levels (known as the fermentation activity). Green tea is steamed, baked, or pan heated to prevent oxidation for that reason the leaves remain green. Not like green tea, oolong tea is partially fermented, and black tea is fully fermented.
So why is green tea getting all the attention in the science world? It's generally because of the antioxidant epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG), the important substance considered beneficial for one's health that is preserved in green tea but lost in oolong and black varieties when fermented. Antioxidants are considered to protect against free radicals.
A scientific explanation: Basically, a free radical is any molecular groups capable of independent existence, which includes one or more unpaired electrons not contributing to intermolecular bonding, and is, in that way, "free". They are caused by oxidation/reduction reactions, in which there is a transfer of only one electron at a time, or when a covalent bond is damaged and one electron from every pair persists with each atom. Consequently, a free radical carries an unpaired electron.
Plenty of free radicals are quite reactive, due to the bias of electrons to couple; that is, to couple by the delivery of an electron from a proper donor or to give an electron to the right acceptor. Once a free radical reacts with a non-radical, a chain reaction is initiated until two free radicals interact and after that stop the distribution with a 2-electron bond, with every single radical giving its single unpaired electron. The free radicals of definite focus in aging are the oxygen free radicals. These free radicals regularly carry an electron apart from a "target" molecule to pair with their single free electron; this is what is generally known as oxidation. The term reactive oxygen species is used to refer to these oxidants and the oxygen free radicals.
Inside the human body, oxidized free radicals are considered to stimulate tissue damage at the cellular level, initiating damage to our DNA, mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell), and cell membrane, and have commonly been mentioned as one of the causal agents attributed to aging, cancer, heart disease, and other human disorders dangerous to one's health. While the green tea ion of free radicals is a normal part of metabolism at the cellular level, things such as extreme alcohol intake, cigarette smoking, and many chemical exposures only serve to gain the number of free radicals existent in the body. To evade free radical damage the body has a immune system of antioxidants.
Antioxidants are molecules which can safely interact with free radicals and stop the chain reaction before crucial molecules are harmed (as in Vitamin C), or seek out and scavenge free radicals (as in Vitamin E). This is where it can be pointed out that study has stated that one of the great antioxidants found in green tea (EGCG) has been shown to be much more powerful than both Vitamins C and E. In comparison to other popular antioxidants, EGCG was proven to be 100 times more strong than vitamin C, 25 times more effective than Vitamin E and twice as powerful as resveratrol in neutralizing free radicals.
About Green Tea Extract: Green tea is rich in fluoride and therefore can help reduce tooth decay. Green tea extract has also been successfully used in the relief of respiratory and digestive related conditions and to boost immune system function. Green tea extract helps decrease hormone activity and is an effective treatment for acne. Green tea extract also protects against liver damage. Green tea helps promote healthy gastrointestinal tract (stomach, small intestine, pancreas, and colon) and lungs.
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