Posted on 10/27/2021 1:51:27 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
Green tea is seen as healthy and promotes a longer life, supposedly due to its high level of antioxidants. Researchers have now cast doubt on previous assumptions about how these ingredients work.
Green tea has long been known to have health benefits. In particular, it contains catechins called ECG and EGCG that are said to prolong life. These two substances belong to the group of polyphenols. They are considered antioxidants.
Until now, research has assumed that the catechins neutralize these free radicals and thus prevent damage to cells or DNA. One source of oxygen free radicals is metabolism; for example, when the mitochondria—the powerhouses of the cell—are working to produce energy.
Ristow's team shows that these polyphenols from green tea initially increase oxidative stress in the short term, but that this has the subsequent effect of increasing the defensive capabilities of the cells and the organism. As a result, the catechins in green tea led to longer life and greater fitness in nematodes that were fed them.
"That means green tea polyphenols, or catechins, aren't, in fact, antioxidants, but rather pro-oxidants that improve the organism's ability to defend itself, similar to a vaccination," explains study leader Ristow.
However, this increase in defensive capability manifests not through the immune system, but rather by certain enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CTL). It is these enzymes that inactivate the free radicals in the nematode; they are essentially endogenous antioxidants.
Ristow himself drinks green tea every day, a practice he recommends. But he advises against taking green tea extracts or concentrates. "At a certain concentration, it becomes toxic," he says. High-dose catechins inhibit mitochondria to such an extent that cell death ensues, which can be particularly dangerous in the liver. Anyone consuming these polyphenols in excessive doses risks damaging their organs.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Just going back to eating dirt and drink out of the outside hose
I grew up drinking out of a hose, and eating tangerines off of my tree outside. I could play for hours and hours...
I take three a day of the extract pills for two weeks then nothing the next two; I do this only for three months then take a six month break.
Tea Makes me Angry
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3940529/posts?page=11
“The one interesting side effect that seems to have stuck with me, is my response to drinking tea. It actually effects my mood enough to make me tangibly angry. Yes, tea makes me angry. “
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Too many catechins, not enough catechism.
hell yea
“ But he advises against taking green tea extracts or concentrates. “At a certain concentration, it becomes toxic,”
Everything in moderation
What about matcha? I drink a teaspoon of the good quality stuff a day.
Matcha has way more ECGC than normal green tea.
Froth up a cup of ceremonial grade daily. :)
That is actually ground tea leaf, which is more dense than normal tea, but not an extract.
How much powder? I put a teaspoon in a 24 oz. tumbler of hot water. Then I take a wisk and do my best to blend it so I don’t get chunks.
I stopped for a few years, and only started drinking it again in the past year. The brand I can find today clumps up and I have to use a disk and spin it like a son of a Hamilton Beach. It's not too bad, but I don't remember it doing so back then.
You got any problems with "caking" or "clumping"?
The bamboo whisk works really good.
Has anyone here figured out how to ingest EGCG powder without using a capsule? It is the most bitter substance I have ever encountered.
No, but white tea has 60% of the EGCG as green tea, so you have a much milder drink to enjoy.
I have to say green tea is something I only enjoy in limited forms. I think Lipton’s white peach/mangosteen greed tea is my favorite, while for a straight tea, Tazo China Green Tips is my favorite.
Good stuff. Thanks for the info, Gator San.
Doitashimashite.
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