For years, green tea has been touted as a healthy beverage with anti-oxidant and anti-aging qualities. Studies in China and Japan have fully or partially confirmed many of the touted benefits of long term green tea consumption, including the prevention of age-related diseases. Green tea now belongs to the host of health products whose proponents claim to deliver multiple health benefits that include some that are yet to be conclusively proven by extensive medical data. Some claims, in fact, appear to be just overblown hypes and tall promises established on very shaky scientific basis.

There are, however, a number of researches on the benefits of green tea that warrant attention. In particular, the groups of substances collectively called catechins that are present in green tea have been studied and may actually possess some impressive health benefits. Some of these studies indicate that catechins may aid in maintaining cardiovascular health, prevention of certain cancers, and fatigue of the adrenal glands.

A study conducted in China demonstrated how green tea helped maintain the telomere length of men who regularly consume green tea. Telomeres are compound structures that are found at the end of a chromosome (chromosomes are a strand of DNA). Telomeres aid in cell division, help protect chromosomes, and restrict them from fusing into rings or combining with other DNA. Because telomeres naturally become shorter as a result of cellular wear and tear, they are used by scientists as indicators of cellular age.

A similar study of over 40,000 test subjects in Japan who were free from heart disease and cancer indicate that people who drank more green tea have lower risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and cancer. While research data remains inconclusive, the findings strongly imply that an increased consumption of green tea triggered beneficial effects that tend to increase the subject's life expectancy.

As most of the test subjects in the study have been drinking substantial daily amounts (five glasses at least) of green tea for up to 11 years, it is difficult to accurately determine the recommended amount for non-tea drinkers who wish to gain the demonstrated health benefits. Some nutritionists suggest incorporating green tea in your daily diet to help fortify your body against heart disease and cancer. In addition to these two benefits, green tea may also be used in weight loss programs, as powerful antioxidants, and as a means to prevent chronic inflammation. Remember that green tea may be consumed also in the form of health supplement pills in addition to being served as a refreshing beverage.

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One pound of fat equals 3,500 calories. This means, in order to lose one pound you must cut back, burn or use a combination of both techniques to lose weight faster. Whether it's using green tea for weight loss, or any other method, in order to lose weight, your body needs to be deficient in this amount of calories.

You can accomplish losing a pound a week when you cut back at least 500 calories a day. This is often the healthiest and most efficient way for people to cut calories and stay on their diets.

A Japanese study suggests that if a person drinks up to five cups of green tea a day they will burn an added 70-80 calories. Why does this happen? Well, the researchers believe that the green tea produces an affect known as thermogenesis, which means it elevates the body's temperature.

This happens because they believe it is the caffeine within the green tea that causes this. Other researchers believe that another chemical called EGCG, which stands for epigallocatechin gallate, is what causes the rise in temperature within the body.

Even if a person uses green tea for weight loss and drinks the recommended amount, they still would not lose one pound a week. According to the research, even if a person were to follow the suggestions, they would lose a pound every 43 days.

It would actually be easier to drop weight by cutting back and losing weight the natural way; even it takes a little more work. If a person did continue drinking green tea for weight loss, they would lose 8 lbs a year.

Although there have been many discussions that talk about the benefits of green tea for weight loss, the results from the studies conducted are not very convincing. The 80 calories it burns per day could actually be replaced with proper diet and exercise.

If you are serious about losing weight, then there is nothing wrong with supplementing diet and exercise with green tea. It can be the perfect addition to your beverages, when it is drunk hot or cold. It does slightly help with boosting the metabolism, has excellent antioxidants, and is great for the immune system.

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Personally, I really can't tell the difference the taste of green tea as opposed to black tea or any other kind of tea. I've had a little experience, not good, with using green tea for dieting. I'll relate my experience along with other details about green tea.

Green Tea for Dieting

A few years ago, I'd say at least eight, I was introduced to something called "Chinese weight loss tea". One of my wife's friends had lost a bit of weight by drinking it and explained to me how it works. She gave me a small cardboard box, colored green, covered with Chinese writing and with the words "diet tea" on one solitary flap.

This green tea came in teabags, not as tea leaves as depicted in the small picture I provided, and it was intended as a hot drink. Since I like hot tea almost as much as I like hot coffee, I tried it for a day. I knew it was supposed to act like a mild laxative, but I could not stay out of the bathroom after drinking it. At least, not until I was completely void of everything in my system.

That was the first and last time I ever messed with anything with the words "diet tea" on it.

Green Tea Detoxification Recipes

I've been reading various articles about green tea being used as the basic ingredient for detoxification. Various forms of "detox tea" can be used to detoxify your liver and your skin. I'm sure there are other detoxifying organs involved, but I haven't read about them yet. Of course, it takes more than green tea by itself to do the job intended.

Most of the detox teas that I've read about don't even include green tea, so it seems to be a bit of a misnomer to me, even if it is a legitimate use of the word "tea".

Green Tea and Old People

While traveling in the orient at various times in my life, I noticed the old folks tended to drink hot, green tea at least once a day. I don't know if it contributed to their longevity (I met a Japanese man of over a hundred years old who could get around better than my 75 year-old mother and my 73 year-old mother-in-law), but why take chances?

If something as simple as having a hot cup of green tea every day could increase your lifespan and allow you to live a healthier life at the same time, wouldn't it be worth it to include it as part of your daily diet?

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