Green tea originated in China tracing its roots back to 2737 BC when an emperor mistakenly drank boiled water with a dead tea leaf and found the flavour refreshing. The Chinese over hundreds of years have been aware of green tea’s health and mind benefits. Green tea is the beverage of choice in China, Japan and Korea. Today green tea is widely consumed around the world by millions of people who enjoy it for its various health benefits. Thousands of clinical studies and published research indicate that green tea helps vitality, mental focus and aids detoxification. Green tea is also recommended as a supportive aid in diabetes, heart disease and weight management.

What does green tea contain?

Green tea contains naturally occurring compounds called polyphenols. Within this group of polyphenols are flavonoids called catechins. The most powerful catechin is epigallocatechin-3-gallate, EGCG, which is a powerful antioxidant, more powerful than vitamins C and E. EGCG has been shown to have a highly protective role within the body. This specific catechin is usually found in therapeutic amounts in standardised extracts of capsules and tablets.

• Anti-inflammatory properties – catechins in green tea target the multiple pathways of inflammation.
• EGCG has been shown in studies to decrease the master switch of the inflammation.
• Neuro-protective properties – the myriad of antioxidants may offer protection against nerve degeneration.
• Heart health – green tea appears to improve blood flow by widening the brachial artery which runs from the shoulder to the elbow and is used as an indicator of blood flow around the body.
• Blood sugar control – this has been shown in several studies to reduce blood sugar levels. EGCG is thought to have an effect on the way sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream even after a starchy meal.
• Detoxification – green tea itself does not neutralise toxins. What it does is protect the liver and kidneys and since these are the primary glands of detoxification, improving liver and kidney function helps the elimination of toxins.
• Protecting our genetic material – the powerful array of antioxidant compounds in green tea may help prevent gene mutation which can lead to a host of problems.

Is drinking green tea beneficial?

Several studies indicate that people who drink six or more cups of this tea on a daily basis have a better quality of life due to lower levels of damage to the body. This is because green tea helps lower inflammation within the body.

The problem with drinking tea is that there are too many varieties of this tea. There are teas which contain very little green tea leaves and more of the fillers for flavour. Then there is the question on the quality of tea leaves; when it was harvested; how much processing has been undertaken; at what temperature should the tea be steeped; should one use dried leaves or powdered tea and other variables such as how much to use per cup and so on. One of the best green teas on the market is PerfectTed Matcha Green Tea Powder.

Matcha tea is the actual leaves which are ground down to a powder with very small particle size. This has been found to provide more of the EGCG than loose leaf or green tea bags. PerfectTed Matcha powder is sourced from one region in Japan.

Are green tea supplements worth taking?

For all the variables that exist as mentioned above, using tea bags and powdered tea is not an option for many. These people choose to use green tea capsules, tablets or tinctures. These usually contain much higher concentrations of EGCG. Important as it may be, EGCG is just one catechin and green tea actually contains eight catechins which you need for overall health benefits with most of the supplements providing just EGCG.

Origine 8 is a new green tea supplement which provides all the eight catechins in capsule form. Since catechins are water soluble, in order to gain the benefits of green tea, we would have to be drinking quality green tea all day, every day. Using a supplement such as Origine 8 will provide you with all the health benefits including anti-ageing, disease fighting and vitalising properties of green tea in a one-a-day supplement. One capsule of Origine 8 supplement provides the health benefits of 25 cups of green tea. Can you imagine drinking 25 cups of tea every day?

Blood samples from people taking Origine 8 were measured for catechin levels and indicated:

• Catechins were active for over 24 hours after taking the supplement, which effectively offers your body 24 hour antioxidant protection.
• There were 12 times more catechins in the blood stream in comparison to other green tea supplements.
• All eight catechins were delivered and absorbed by the body, while standard supplements tend to offer good levels of EGCG but insufficient amounts of the other seven catechins.
• EGCG is still regarded as the key catechin and Origine 8 left 10 times more in the bloodstream than standard supplements.

The only harmful effect of green tea that has been noted to date is insomnia, due to the caffeine it contains. However, to put this into context this tea has 30 to 60 mg of caffeine per six to eight ounces, compared to over 100 mg in the same amount of coffee.

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