by Daniel J. Gansle

Created on: September 10, 2008

With all the focus on cancer as the preeminent health threat, it is actually heart disease that's the number one killer in our world today. The risk factors are numerous and growing: lack of exercise, smoking, drinking, stress, obesity; all leading to an increase in heart-related problems.

I'm sure the American Heart Association would agree; it would be nice if we could just wish away heart disease by simply drinking a beverage. And yet, that's exactly what the Chinese found long ago in a beverage called green tea.

The History of Green Tea as Heart Health Aid
Approximately 5,000 years ago, China began to use tea as a medicinal beverage to promote mind and body health. While the pop health craze of today lauds the many health benefits of tea (particularly green tea), the beverage has been an integral part of Chinese culture for thousands of years.

The earliest recorded reference to the use of green tea as promoting heart health goes back to 2737 B.C. But it wasn't until the reign of the Ming dynasty in 1368 A.D. (after the fall of the Mongolian empire) that tea drinking spread from the elite to the populace. It was at that point that interesting stories of the health benefits of green tea emerged. For example, Chinese sailors would drink green tea for the vitamin C which prevented scurvy, a disease which killed numerous European sailors more than 100 years later.

The Uniqueness of Green Tea
Today, green tea is enjoyed all over the world. As opposed to black and oolong varieties which are oxidized during processing, green tea is made from fresh, non-oxidized tea leaves. This gives green tea a unique fresh taste and aroma in addition to its telltale pale green color. But perhaps the most intriguing aspect of green tea is the many heart health benefits associated with drinking the beverage on a daily basis.

Green Tea and Heart Health
One of my favorite books is called, "Mediterranean Diet Cookbook: A Delicious Alternative for Lifelong Health," by Nancy Harmon Jenkins. It's not just a cookbook; it contains valuable information on how the Mediterranean diet, which calls for consumption of phytochemical- and catechin-rich foods such as red wine and olive oil, can aid heart health.

Like the Mediterranean staple, olive oil, green tea also contains numerous phytochemicals, catechins, and antioxidants. These important properties of green tea are recognized for reducing levels of harmful LDL cholesterol and raising beneficial HDL cholesterol. This aids heart health by reducing the bad cholesterol that causes our arteries to clog and raising the good cholesterol which actually prevents heart disease. Also, green tea contains heart-healthy polyphenols.

Though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has concluded that there is no credible evidence to support the health claims associated with green tea, many scientists and health experts continue to tout its numerous heart health benefits.

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