Free Radicals and Cell Damage:
Oxygen is essential for all human beings. Once taken into the body, oxygen triggers the burning of glucose and fat. Humans live on the energy produced through this oxidation process. However, stress, ultraviolet rays, cigarette smoke, and vigorous workouts tend to cause oxygen to change into free radicals.
Free radical atoms or groups of atoms can kill germs once they enter the body. However, they can also join readily with other compounds to attack cells and cause a great deal of damage to the body. An overabundance of free radicals in the body can lead to infections and various degenerative diseases such as heart disease and cancer. It alters the way cells code genetic material, and speeds up the aging process as well. If this occurs in one’s body, SOD (Superoxide Dismutase), a defending enzyme, removes oxygenic poison.
Free radicals can cause the following damage:
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Damage to genes leading to cancer.
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Oxidation of cholesterol, changing it into “bad” cholesterol which causes arterial sclerosis and high blood pressure.
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Narrowing of blood vessels which may cause thrombosis such as cerebral infarction (stroke) and cardiac infarction (heart attack), and deteriorates functions of tissues due to blockage of blood flow.
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Oxidation of cell walls deteriorating functions of organs and causing aging effects such as wrinkling.
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Ultraviolet rays also produce free radicals which create melanin, causing skin blotches and freckles.
Green Tea The Antioxidant
A number of green tea’s ingredients fight the damage caused to cells by free radicals in the body when oxidation occurs. Many substances that eliminate free radicals exist in nature, particularly tannin and flavonoids in plants. Among all flavonoids, catechin is ranked high for its antioxidant properties.
Besides tannin, vitamins such as vitamin A (carotene), C, and E are well known for their antioxidant qualities. Green tea contains all of these in significant amounts and is the most powerful antioxidant beverage known today. Green tea is extremely beneficial in the elimination of free radicals.
Research aimed at finding the active compounds in green tea revealed that its protective effects are due chiefly to catechins. Powerful polyphenolic antioxidants, catechins are astringent, water-soluble compounds that can be easily oxidized. Numerous recent studies continue to confirm that green tea polyphenols have powerful anti-carcinogenic, cardioprotective, neuroprotective and anti-microbial actions. A particularly bioactive catechincalled epigallocatechin gallate has been singled out by many researchers as very important for cancer prevention.
Try our catechins green tea which is specifically grown and produced to maximize green tea the antioxidant effect due to the high level of catechin this tea contains. For those specifically interested in maximizing green teas health benefits.
Green Tea and Catechin :
Research aimed at finding the active compounds in green tea revealed that its protective effects are due chiefly to catechins. Tea contains four main catechin substances: EC, ECg, EGC and EGCg, all of which are inclusively called catechin. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the most powerful of these catechins. EGCG as an antioxidant is about 25-100 times more potent than vitamins C and E. One cup of green tea provides 10-40 mg of polyphenols and has antioxidant effects greater than a serving of broccoli, spinach, carrots, or strawberries.
The high antioxidant activity of green tea makes it beneficial for protecting the body from oxidative damage due to free radicals. Research shows that green tea may help the arterial wall by reducing lipids. Green tea can protect against experimentally induced DNA damage, and slow or halt the initiation and progression of undesirable cell colonies. Studies show evidence that green tea provides immunoprotective qualities, particularly in the case of patients undergoing radiation or chemotherapy. White blood cell count appear to be maintained more effectively in patients consuming green tea compared to non-supplemented patients.
Green tea is manufactured from fresh, unfermented tea leaves; the oxidation of catechins is minimal, and hence they are able to serve as antioxidants. Researchers believe that catechin is effective because it easily sticks to proteins, blocking bacteria from adhering to cell walls and disrupting their ability to destroy them. Viruses have ‘hooks’ on their surfaces and can attach to cell walls. The catechin in green tea prevents viruses from adhering and causing harm. Catechin reacts with toxins created by harmful bacteria (many of which belong to the protein family) and harmful metals such as lead, mercury, chrome, and cadmium.
Tannin in green tea is mostly catechin and is a key component in its taste providing the astringency.
