This is how healthy green tea is

It's impossible to imagine a household without this drink: tea. Black tea, green tea, peppermint tea, fruit tea - the list of teas available in Germany is long. And tea consumption is high: around 129 million cups of tea are drunk in Germany every day [1]. And because tea is so popular, a lot of research is being carried out into its effects on the body and mind. Black tea is considered invigorating due to its caffeine content, camomile tea is said to be calming and caraway-aniseed-fennel tea is said to help with stomach upsets.
However, one tea in particular has been in the spotlight in recent years: green tea. This type of tea is considered particularly healthy. Here we explain what is behind it and what the nutritional supplement green tea capsules actually are.

What is green tea - and why is it considered so healthy?

Green tea is not only valued worldwide as a beneficial stimulant, but also because of the effects it is said to have on health and well-being. For thousands of years, green tea has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to help detoxify the body. Among other things, TCM uses green tea to treat stomach and intestinal complaints, skin problems and much more.

Green tea is now also a popular drink in Europe. It is said to have an invigorating effect thanks to the caffeine. In addition, the tannins in the tea can have a calming effect on the gastrointestinal tract and thus aid digestion [2,6]. The antioxidants in green tea leaves combat free radicals and can also have a positive effect on skin damage caused by UV radiation [3].

Green tea is also said to have positive effects on other organs: For example, one study shows that green tea can help protect against various degenerative diseases, such as cancer or cardiovascular disease [4,7]. Other studies suggest that the active ingredients in green tea can also lower cholesterol levels [5].

What active ingredients does green tea contain?

Green tea is made from the leaves of the same tea plants as black tea. The difference between green and black tea lies in the processing. Unlike black tea, the leaves are not fermented, but simply heated briefly. In this way, the leaves retain their green colour as well as their original flavour and ingredients. Green tea contains the active ingredients caffeine, tannins, catechins, various amino acids such as theanine, as well as numerous vitamins such as vitamin C, A and B and the minerals calcium, potassium, magnesium, copper and zinc. Here is a brief overview of some of the effects of the ingredients:

Caffeine has an invigorating and stimulating effect.

Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function.

Calcium contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

Potassium supports the normal function of the nervous system and muscles. The mineral also contributes to the maintenance of normal blood pressure.

Theanine has a calming and relaxing effect.

Vitamin A contributes to the formation and development of new cells.

Vitamin B is a whole group of vitamins that are involved in various functions in the body. We have summarised more about the B vitamins in this article.

Vitamin C supports the normal function of the immune system.

Zinc also supports the normal function of the immune system.

Fluoride hardens tooth enamel and prevents tooth decay [6].

What special role do the catechins contained in green tea play?

Catechins, which belong to the group of polyphenols, play a special role among the ingredients. Catechins protect plants from harmful external influences such as pathogens, viruses and bacteria. They can therefore be said to support the "immune system" of plants. They make up a large proportion of the dry mass of green tea: around 30 to 40 per cent. This high concentration of catechins in a food is rather rare.

Among the catechins, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a particular scientific focus. Many of the positive effects of green tea mentioned above are attributed to EGCG. Various studies are investigating how EGCG affects diseases and organs - the catechin is even said to be able to help prevent cancer [7].

In addition to catechins, green tea leaves also contain other polyphenols, namely tannic acids - also known as tannins. Tannins give green tea its bitter flavour.

Polyphenols can also help with gastrointestinal disorders, as they have a calming effect on the intestines and stomach [2,6].

What is green tea extract?

Green tea extract is a dietary supplement obtained from the leaves of green tea. Green tea extract is usually offered as capsules. For the production of green tea capsules, the active ingredients are extracted and then pressed into the capsules as a powder.

One capsule of green tea extract from vitaworld contains 500 mg of extract from green tea (Camellia sinensis tea plant), around 50 per cent of which are polyphenols. The coating agent consists of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, a vegetable capsule shell. The extract contains 500 mg polyphenols, 75 mg EGCG and 70 mg caffeine per daily intake, which is recommended at two capsules per day.

Can you lose weight with green tea and capsules with green tea extract?

Whether green tea can actually help you lose weight has not yet been conclusively established - however, there are numerous studies that suggest that green tea can help you lose weight or at least keep it off. More specifically, it is the catechin EGCG, which is found in green tea, that is said to have this effect [8].

A study by the German Institute of Human Nutrition concludes that the polyphenol actually reduces body fat gain in mice. This is not because EGCG inhibits appetite, but rather because the absorption of food in the intestine is reduced and at the same time the body's fat burning is increased [9].

How should you take green tea extract capsules?

The consumption recommendation for green tea extract is: take two capsules daily with sufficient water. It is best not to take the green tea capsules during a meal, but between meals. The tin containing the capsules should be kept closed, dry and stored in a cool place below 25 degrees. Due to the caffeine content, consumption is not recommended for pregnant women, children and adolescents.

Where can you buy green tea extract?

There are many different suppliers of green tea extract with different dosages of EGCG. These can contain between five and one thousand milligrams per dosage. This depends on the manufacturer. Green tea capsules are available in many drugstores and health food shops, but can also be bought online. For example in the vitaworld online shop.

Sources:

[1] https://www.teeverband.de/files/bilder/Presse/Marktzahlen/TeeReport_2020_ES.pdf

[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/15464031/

[3] https://www.sciencedirect. com/science/article/pii/S0022202X15308368

[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15570050/

[5] https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10. 1186/s12937-020-00557-5

[6] https://www.bzfe.de/lebensmittel/vom-acker-bis-zum-teller/tee/tee-gesund-trinken/

[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5824026/

[8] https://pubmed. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19597519/

[9] https://idw-online.de/de/news?print=1&id=102323