by Chelsea Padget

Created on: October 21, 2010

Heart disease is the number 1 killer in the U.S. It is also the major cause of disability. The most common cause of heart disease is narrowing of the arteries caused by high cholesterol. This is called coronary artery disease and happens slowly, over time, as the cholesterol slowly builds up in your arteries and therefore eventually blocks off the blood to your heart.

Green tea has been becoming more popular because of it's well known antioxidant properties. It has been researched for different illness and disease. It has been shown to help aid in many other diseases, but with heart disease being so prevalent, hopes that it can help prevent heart disease is high.

There are many ways that green tea can be good for your heart:

1. Lowering Cholesterol:

Research has shown that the antioxidants in green tea, slow the oxidation process. The oxidation of LDL molecules is what results in plague formation. Increasing antioxidant intake can slow oxidation of LDL, resulting in less arterial plague formation.

2. Controlling Your Blood Pressure:

In June, 2008, a study was published that links green tea to reduced-flow mediated dilatation of brachial arteries (the major blood vessels of the upper arms). Flow-mediated dilation is related to coronary endothelial function and is an indicator for cardiovascular disease risk. Increased dilation is good. It means the heart has to do less work to move your blood through circulation.

3. Atherosclerosis:

Green tea has been shown to improve the function of endothelial cells. The endothelium is the inner layer of the artery, which blood flows against. Endothelial dysfunction plays a key role in the development of clogged arteries (a process called atherosclerosis).

4. Controlling Your Weight:

Researchers believe the process called Thermogenisis, the process of heat production in organisms, is caused not just by the caffeine in green tea but from epigallocatachin gallate (EGCG). Thermogenesis & EGCG in green tea both help in weight loss. Weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight is important in reducing cholesterol and preventing heart disease.

Green tea is brewed from the leaves of Camellia sinesis. The tea itself is made from unfermented leaves. Brewing the tea leaves for 3-5 minutes provides the most potent formula of antioxidents in the green tea.

Researchers from Tohoko University in Japan studies 400,000, ages 40-79 years old. Researchers followed this group for 11 years and analyzed death rate from heart disease and other illnesses. Researchers have found that the heart disease death rate from people who drank 5 cups of green tea daily is 26% lower in the first 7 years of study.

Green tea seems to be effective in the fight against heart disease, however, further research needs to be done before we can say that green tea definitely prevents heart disease.

Sources:

NIH: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

http://www.lisanelsonrd.com

http://webmd.com

Reese, Steven LPN

Learn more about this author, Chelsea Padget.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.