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Cardiovascular Benefits of Tea
The Science behind Tea’s many health benefits
Tea is the second most popular beverage in the world, second only to water. It is classified by level of fermentation into black tea, drunk mostly in Europe, North America and North Africa, oolong tea and green tea, drunk mostly in Asia. The beneficial effects are largely felt to be due to the polyphenols, which are the antioxidants found in tea. Green tea is particularly high in catechin, also known as tea flavonoids, which may protect against cardiovascular disease (CVD), by acting as antioxidants. Flavonoids in vitro, can prevent the oxidation of the LDL cholesterol particle that is instrumental in the progression of heart disease. It is also useful in appetite suppression and an aid for fasting. At our Intensive Dietary Management fasting program, we recommend tea often for these benefits.
The benefits of tea are largely found in epidemiological studies,which are problematic, to say the least. However, it is impossible to randomize people in a 10–20 years trial because it’s crazy expensive. The benefits of tea, while highly suggestive, is not definitive. Tea is one of the richest sources of phytonutrients available, containing minerals, antioxidants and amino acids. The nations of East Asia, like Japan and China are among the largest drinkers of tea in the world. Perhaps not…