Green Tea May Boost Your Memory

Green tea is a very healthy beverage, with benefits for your heart, bones, weight, vision and even your brain.  It is the processing of tea that gives it its color and taste. For green tea, the leaves are not oxidized  and minimally processed.

In a new study of 12 healthy volunteers, those who drank a beverage containing 27.5 grams of green tea extract, showed increased connectivity between the parietal and frontal cortex of the brain, compared to those who consumed a non-green tea beverage. 

The increased activity was correlated with improved performance on working memory tasks.  Researchers believe the results suggest green tea may be useful for treating cognitive impairments, including dementia.

What else is green tea good for?

Drinking green tea is associated with reduced mortality due to all causes.  Research also shows holistic benefits to green tea consumption includes lower blood pressure, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation.

Green tea improves both blood flow and the ability of arteries to relax, with research suggesting a few cups of green tea each day may help prevent heart disease. 

One study found people who consume six or more cups of green tea daily had a 33% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who consumed less than one cup per week.

There is some evidence that long-term consumption of green tea catechins is beneficial for burning fat. 

Green tea could boost bone structure and strength and help to reverse damage to bones caused by chronic inflammation, which could in turn reduce the risk of osteoporosis. 

Green tea could help protect you against glaucoma and other eye diseases.

Green tea components have been shown to down-regulate the expression of proteins involved in inflammation, cell signalization, cell motility and angiogenesis, while an association between green tea intake and decreased risk of cancers.

If you're drinking green tea hoping to increase your antioxidant levels, you should know that some green tea brands contain very little antioxidants. An analysis of the strength and purity of more than 20 green tea products by ConsumerLab.com, found that EGCG levels in bottled green tea can range from just four milligrams (mg) per cup to 47 mg, while brewable green tea (from tea bags, loose tea or a K-cup) contained levels ranging from 25 mg to 86 mg per serving.  One variety, bottled Diet Snapple Green Tea, reportedly contained almost no EGCG, while Honest Tea Green Tea with Honey contained only about 60% of the 190 mg of catechins claimed on the label. 

Green tea brewed from loose tea leaves appeared to offer the most potent source of antioxidants like EGCG. One variety, Teavana, contained 250 mg of catechins per serving; green tea sold in bags from brands like Lipton and Bigelow contained lower levels, although represented a more cost-effective alternative. The different tea brands also varied significantly in the amount of caffeine the products contained. While some contained virtually none, others contained 86 mg per serving, which is similar to the amount of caffeine in a regular cup of coffee.

To The Buyer Beware:

Tea may also contain a huge amount of toxins. Green tea plants are known to be especially effective at absorbing lead from the soil, which is then taken up into the plant's leaves. Areas with excessive industrial pollution, such as China, where nearly 90% of the world's green tea is produced,  may contain substantial amounts of lead. 

According to the ConsumerLab.com analysis, tea from brands like Lipton and Bigelow contained up to 2.5 micrograms of lead per serving compared to no measurable amounts in Teavana brand, which gets its tea leaves from Japan.  I would opt  for the Japanese green tea.

Both black and green teas are naturally high in fluoride, even if organically grown without pesticides. This is because the plant readily absorbs fluoride thorough its root system, including naturally occurring fluoride in the soil.

According to fluoride expert Jeff Green, there are reports of people who have developed crippling skeletal fluorosis from drinking high amounts of iced tea alone.

The U.S. government should:

1.  Require lab testing to be done on teas for toxins

2.  Have safe limits that must be met in order to sell those teas in the United States. 

It is a shame to be drinking something for your health and find out you have been consuming a toxic brew!

For More Information:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/06/05/green-tea-health-benefits.aspx?x_cid=2...