Green tea: Health benefits

Abstract

The plant Camellia sinensis yields a variety of white, green and black tea. Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, next only to water for enjoyment and health. In general, green tea has been found to be superior to black tea in terms of health benefits. The major components of interest are the polyphenols which are responsible for the antioxidant and other health benefits of green tea. The major polyphenols in green tea are flavonoids. The four major flavonoids in green tea are the catechins, epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Epigallocatechin gallate is viewed as the most significant active component. The processes used in the manufacture of black tea are known to decrease levels of the monometric catechins to a much greater extent than the less severe conditions applied to other teas. Much research is available depicting the health benefits of green tea for a wide variety of implications, including different ty...