WE LOVE OUR GREEN TEA at FemmeScience.  It's a great alternative to coffee and sodas, and its SOOO good for you.  If you're not into green tea, you need to be.  This stuff does miracle work!!!

Tea is an ancient herbal drink known for its stimulant qualities largely attributed to caffeine.  In modern times, it also became touted as a health food allegedly helpful in preventing or ameliorating a variety of conditions, from heart disease and cancer, to gum disease, skin aging and weight loss.

The medicinal properties of tea are attributed to phenolic acids and catechins--antioxidants which play a major role in protecting the body against free radical damage.  Free radicals can cause cellular oxidation and damage, which contribute to health problems associated with aging.  Green tea has more catechins than black tea (about 25% vs 4%). White tea is almost as rich in catechins as green tea but is different in composition and less well studied.  (Basically all tea is pretty good for you, but green tea is the best!)

Numerous studies have shown tea's phenolic acids to have protective effects against free radicals, cardiovascular damage, some cancers, infections, toxins and so forth.  Consuming green tea also increases the metabolic rate, causing greater fat oxidation and better weight management.  In fact, several studies reveal that the potential weight-loss properties of green tea go well beyond its ability to simply accelerate metabolism.  Considering tea's high safety and a large amount of evidence suggestive of many potential health benefits, switching to tea (especially green or white) from other beverages makes good sense.  Most experts suggest drinking from three to ten cups per day. (Yes that seems a bit high—at FemmeScience, we say if you can get at least 1-2 cups in a day, you're on the right track).  Those who wish to avoid caffeine or do not wish to bother with tea brewing, can take a supplement of green tea extract, just like a vitamin. A typical dosage is 100 to 150 mg three times a day of a green tea extract.

There have been a number of very positive studies of the skin benefits of green tea.  Animal studies showed protection from skin cancer. Both animal and human studies have shown that topical green tea formulations reduce sun damage.  Green tea appears to exert sun damage protection by quenching free radicals and reducing inflammation rather than by blocking UV rays.  Therefore, green tea may enhance sun protection when used in addition to a sunscreen.  What about wrinkles, skin sag and other signs of aging? Can green tea help?  Considering their well-documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, topical green tea is likely to slow down the development of some signs of aging.

Labels: featured, skin nutrition