Process of oxidation occurs everywhere from piece of fruit turning brownish color to rust in a machine. This is a common activity which also occurs in a body. Our body normally works with oxidation well, but occasionally it causes cell damage. The damaged cells are called free radicals. Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electron. Due to the fact it is unpaired, it will attempt to steal an electron from another molecule. Anytime this action becomes intense, it could cause a lot of health problems such as cancer, heart disease and arthritis. Pollution, radiation and cigarette smoke also contribute to the growth of free radicals. Antioxidants are substances that counteract free radicals.
By providing an electron to free radicals, antioxidants minimize cell damage. It is necessary to consume nutrients that come with antioxidants daily to live healthy. Numerous vegetables and fruits are a fantastic source of antioxidants because of vitamins C and E. These vitamins are recognized to be among the best antioxidants. Fruits and vegetables like strawberry, kiwi, papaya, spinach, bell pepper, and broccoli are the ideal supply of vitamin C and E. However these vitamins are not the sole source of antioxidants and actually they are not the most effective source.
Increasingly more nutritionists agree Epigallocatechin or also called EGCG could be a better source of antioxidants compared to vitamins E and C. A large number of scientists agree that EGCG is 100 times more beneficial than vitamin C and 25 times more efficient than vitamin E in avoiding free radicals. EGCG is an ingredient contained in green tea. Many of the acknowledged tea benefits include preventions against cancer, fat gain, LDL cholesterol, depressive disorders and heart problems.
There have been a number of lab tests with regards to the effects of green tea on cancer cells. The results show the serving of 300mg of EGCG every day to be the best amount. One cup of tea has close to 100mg of EGCG. Far more case studies are on the way, but as for now 3 cups on a daily basis looks like a good amount.
At this time there are quite a few ways to take in green tea. Standard way is to make and to drink the tea. This really is good especially when taken while eating food. Another common way is to add tea powder to citrus water. Combining lemon juice with EGCG has been known to increase the benefits. A convenient way is to take green tea tablets. This will work for folks not liking the bitter tea taste.
By Richard Davis
