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Health Benefits of Tea
Most people have heard at least a little bit of the excitement about the
health benefits of green tea. Most of those same people though, don't seem to
know that Black tea is just as healthy in many ways. In fact, green tea and
black tea come from the same tree: The Camellia sinensis.
The primary difference between Green and Black tea is how they're processed.
Green tea is kept in a more natural state after harvesting. It's sometimes
just steamed or fried in a pan lightly, which allows it to retain
more of it's natural and powerful health properties. Black tea is fermented, and this is what gives it the darker color and stronger flavor.
In most research study cases, the results are similar for both green tea or
black tea tests. Some, however, have studied green tea only while others have
studied black tea only. There are several key differences with health benefits
you'll need to be aware of.
Green tea, for instance, is very helpful for obesity, fat loss, metabolism, and
even diabetes and certain types of cancer. Black tea, however, does not seem to
have the same metabolism and weight loss benefits. Some studies, unfortunately,
don't report whether black tea or green tea was used.
The biggest buzz about the health benefits of tea has been related to how it
affects heart disease and people who have had a heart attack. People
who have had a heart attack in the past, live an average of three years longer
when they drink tea regularly, compared to those who have had heart attacks
and do not drink tea. (http://www.hms.harvard.edu/news/releases/0502mukamal.html)
Other studies focus on the effects tea has on cancer and the results
from some of these are quite stunning. The Journal of the National Cancer
Institute published findings in 1994, for instance, which indicate drinking
green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer by nearly 60%. (http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa011400b.htm)
Some scientists explain the phenomenon with Green Tea's effect on Cancer, as
Green Tea causing the cancer cells to "commit suicide". Not only does it
appear to kill cancer cells, it also seems to inhibit the growth of
them as well.
Other health benefits of both green or black tea include boosting the body's
immune system and helping it to produce more disease fighting cells. In fact,
after just four weeks of drinking tea daily, one study showed anti-bacterial
proteins in the body - which indicate a stronger immune system - were five
times higher. In fact, some research shows promise that Green Tea might even
be able to prevent HIV. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_benefits_of_tea)
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