Green Tea Protects Against Coagulation

Wednesday, 2 March 2005, 2:51 pm
Article: The Scoop Team

Next time you contemplate being tempted to indulge in a cup of green tea, perhaps you should go gp for it… for your heart's sake.

Green tea contains a substance that protects against coagulation. Animal experiments have shown polyphenol (found in green tea) reduces the gain of adipose in mice, reports the German Institute for Nutritional Research (DIfE) in Potsdam.

Researchers suggest the effect is probably not caused by a deterioration of appetite, but by a reduced absorption of nutrient in the intestine and an increased burning of fat.

Other tea substances were excluded by using only a cleared extract of green tea, which consisted of 94 per cent polyphenol (Epigallocatechingallat, EGCG). EGCG is a main component of green tea. The laboratory animals were given variable concentrations. Compared with the control group the treated mice showed a significantly lower weight with a reduced amount of adipose after 29 days.

“But it is questionable to concentrate the ten-fold or hundred-fold effect in form of a pill for the treatment of humans”, warns Susanne Klaus from the DIfE.

Green tea contains large amounts of polyphenol, which has a decreasing effect on hypertension as well as reducing one's cholesterol level. Researchers say it may offer a protection against cancer. Four to five cups of green tea per day would have this effect, says Susanne Klaus referring to studies from Asia.

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