4 ways green tea can help you live longer

4 ways green tea can help you live longer

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Aside from water, tea is the most consumed beverage in the world. Of all the teas, green tea has been studied the most to identify its health promoting properties and benefits. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association followed more than 40,000 participants for 11 years. Researchers found that those who consumed five or more cups of fresh green tea per day lived longer than those who drank one cup or less per day. Individuals who drank five or more cups per day had 42 percent lower risk of stroke and 31 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Why would something so simple have such a profound impact on mortality and health? Many researchers believe the answer to that question begins with the main antioxidant from green tea called EGCG (short for epigallocatechin gallate). Let's explore what research has uncovered regarding EGCG and longevity. Here are four reasons why drinking the right amount of EGCG from green tea may extend your life.

Cellular protection

EGCG from green tea has tremendous capacity to protect human cells from oxidation, cellular damage and aging. Early research in aging indicated cellular damage and oxidation as major factors in the aging process. Researcher Marguerite Kay led a team that demonstrated how cellular aging can be offset by protecting our cells using antioxidants. Extending the life of individual cells improves longevity since our bodies are made up of trillions of cells.

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Increase fat metabolism

Antioxidants from green tea work with our bodies fat burning systems to maintain higher levels of fat metabolism. The International Journal of Obesity published an article that detailed how green tea antioxidants can improve body weight regulation. In the article they report green tea antioxidants allow our sympathetic nervous system to increase energy expenditure and fat oxidation by inhibiting an enzyme called COMT (short for catechol O-methyl-transferase) which slows down fat metabolism by degrading norepinephrine. Burning more fat is a great way to reduce the life shortening risks which are associated with obesity.

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Support immune function

Green tea supports the body's ability to fight against abnormal function by regulating foreign cells within the body. A recent review from Nutrition Research found green tea enhances antibody and cell-mediated immunity through its ability to attack foreign cells and disarm their threat. EGCG's ability to fight infections and disease allows our natural immune system to more easily regulate our overall health and contribute to longevity.

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4 ways green tea can help you live longer

Reduce chronic inflammation

Chronic inflammation is an underlying factor in the development of cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. Scientists found that EGCG from green tea reduces inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein to help regulate the damaging effects of chronic inflammation. Improved regulation of chronic inflammation has a significant impact on lifespan.

Drinking green tea is a centuries old tradition with insights provided by modern science to help us live longer. Drinking the right amount of green tea antioxidants provides an anti-aging and health promoting approach to help change the way you look, feel and age.

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