LOS ANGELES: Green tea is brewed from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, and has undergone a minimal level of oxidation as it is processed. It first gained popularity in China, but has become popular in many cultures in Asia and beyond. Western countries have adopted green tea alongside traditionally brewed black tea.
Green tea offers a wide range of enzymes, amino acids, carbohydrates, sterols, lipids, dietary minerals, and phytochemicals like polyphenols, flavinols, and caffeine. That’s a lot to keep track of, but in varying concentrations these chemicals help regulate a number of body functions and protect against disease and degradation of all types.
The polyphenols found in green tea include epigallocatechin gallate, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and epicatechin. The flavinols in green tea are primarily kaempferol, quercetin and myricitin. Research outlining the health benefits of these specific compounds is thin, but more general studies on the overall health benefits of green tea have proven to follow a positive trend.