Study finds green tea good for heart's health

In a recent study, researchers from the Okayama University evaluated more than 12,000 elderly people aged 65-84 from Japan and America. The volunteers were asked to fill questionnaires and give details about their eating habits including diet, intake of alcohol, smoking etc.

After analyzing their questionnaires, researchers found that the volunteers who consumed between 420ml and 560ml of green tea a day reduced their risk of dying from heart ailments by 75 percent as compared to those who consumed less than one cup of green tea each day. The findings of the study are published in the Annals of Epidemiology.

Doses of green tea helps prevent buildup of fat
In yet another study, it was concluded that building up of fatty material in the arteries can be prevented with the consumption of moderate quantity of green tea.

Researchers from University of Montpellier, France, University of Parma, Italy, and University of Glasgow, United Kingdom, conducted an experiment on 60 hamsters who were fed a high fat-rich diet for 12 weeks.

Rodents were chosen because they exhibited elevated levels of cholesterol when fed with a fat rich-diet in the same manner as humans.

The hamsters were divided in two groups- one group was fed with a fat-rich diet while the other group was provided drinks like raspberry, strawberry and bilberry juices and green tea along with the fat-rich diet.

The quantity of the additional juices given to the hamsters was equivalent to human intake of one glass of juice or tea daily. After observing their diet for 12 weeks, the researchers found a noteworthy reduction in the fatty build-ups in the arteries of the hamsters upto 79-96 percent.

Results of the study indicated, "moderate consumption of berry juices and teas can help prevent the development of early atherosclerosis." Atherosclerosis, or the hardening of the arteries in the body, is caused by the build-up of fatty materials, such as cholesterol.

The findings of this study will be published in the 2010 edition of the journal Food Chemistry.

Green tea recommended by health experts
Since ancient times, green tea has been credited with treating a wide variety of ailments like headache, depression etc. Experts say that people can significantly reduce the risk of death due to heart diseases if they include green tea in their daily diet.

It is said that green tea includes high levels of polyphones, chemical substances, found in plants, having antioxidant properties. Therefore, a moderate consumption of green tea is recommended everyday as it helps in lowering the levels of cholesterol.