Green Tea & Green Tea Extracts - powerful antioxidant and anti-aging aid for healthful living

Modern science has confirmed the many disease fighting properties of green tea. Oriental societies have know the powerful disease fighting and anti-aging properties of green tea and green tea extracts for centuries. Not surprisingly, green-tea consuming countries, primarily Japan and China, have very low rates of cancer. For example, Japanese women who teach the tea ceremony, and therefore drink more than the average amount of extra-strong green tea, are noted for their very low mortality rate and longevity. In fact, deaths from cancer are especially rare in this group.

Green tea is also strongly believed to lower blood high blood pressure, help normalize blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation. Research has shown that the protective effects of green tea comes from a compound known as catechins. This naturally occurring compound has powerful antioxidant properties and is also found in vegetables and fruit. Among one of the many benefits of catechins is the ability to protect the body from atherosclerosis which can trigger a stroke.

The high concentration of naturally occurring polyphenols in green tea extract can safeguard the skin against the damage caused by harmful ultraviolet rays, a cause of skin cancer, photo aging, and inflammation. The full benefits of green tea have not yet been fully discovered but its health benefits are numerous and substantial and should be a part of a healthful lifestyle.

Green Tea the FDA and the truth

The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) released a detailed report in the fall of 2005 stating that "it is highly unlikely" that green tea reduces the risk of prostate cancer. Whenever you hear a claim like this being made always consider the source and why they have made such a claim and their proof to substantiate it. With that in mind lets find out the real truth behind the FDA's claim.

It's no secret that the FDA has a big bone to pick with vitamin and herbal supplement makers. They have no true control over this industry since vitamins and minerals are natural substances that thus can not be patented by anyone or restricted from being sold. It's also no secret that the FDA has been very closely allied with big pharmaceuticals. If you doubt that just remember Vioxx. This drug, a new breed of COX-2 anti-inflammatory medicine, was eventually pulled from the market because an FDA insider blew the whistle on the destructive potential this medication had on the cardio vascular system. Over 60,000 deaths due to coronary and cardio vascular problems were eventually uncovered and directly attributed to long term use of this drug. The sad part is that this is only one of many drugs that have been attributed to numerous deaths over the years and yet the FDA turns a blind eye.

So how did the FDA come to their conclusion about green tea? Of the hundreds of published studies concerning green tea they chose only 2 studies with which to validate their claim. At the time the National Library of Medicine contained over 600 studies on green tea. They claimed only 2 studies met its standard of acceptability. One study showed a 73% reduction in prostate cancer while the other study showed a statistically non-significant 33% risk reduction. Yet the FDA concluded that this study cancelled out the better study thus leading to their conclusion. Does this sound like rational scientific reasoning to you. I think not!

Out of more than 600 studies, some being very good placebo controlled studies, they could only come up with two studies to judge the therapeutic properties of green tea? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the agency's conclusions were not based on sound objective scientific rationale given the large volume of scientific data available.

This is why we must always question the statements made by any entity trying to advance their cause or validate their position on a particular matter. This is also precisely why you shouldn't take at face value what we or anyone else including the FDA tells you. You should always perform your own due diligence and study a good proportion of the available research and evaluate both the positive and negative aspects of all. Then (and only then) after coming to a good understanding of the facts about green tea can you objectively drawn your own conclusions.