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| The components tea leaf contains |
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Catechin |
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Caffeine |
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Saponin |
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Teanin and Amino Acid |
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Vitamin C |
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Vitamin E |
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Vitamin A ( Beta Carotene ) |
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Flavonoid |
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Fiber |
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Polyphenol |
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Flourine |
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| Each effect of tea leaf components |
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Catechin
(EGCg) |
Anti-tumor effect
Anti-hypercholesterolemic activity
Effect on Dementia
Effect on Eye diseases
Anti-hypertensive effect
Anti-allergy
Anti-bacterial effect
Anti-oxidative effect
Anti-mutangenic effect
Effect on odor
Effect on cerebrovascular accident
Effect on respiratory infection
Bowel mudulating activity
Effect on senescence
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Caffeine |
Effect on Dementia
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Saponin |
Anti-inflammatory effect
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Teanin and Amino Acid |
Effect on Dementia
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Vitamin C |
Anti-oxidative effect
Effect on Eye diseases
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Vitamin E |
Anti-oxidative effect
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Vitamin A
(Beta Carotene) |
Anti-oxidative effect
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Flavonoid |
Eliminate active oxygen
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Fiber |
Bowel modulation
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Flourine |
Effect on dental caries
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Catechin and other components of Green tea has been studied for many years, since it was discovered by
Dr. Kada that green tea Catechin had anti-mutamgenic effect. |
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The below is more detail information regarding to Green Tea components and their effects.
This article is extraction from "Natural powers of Tea " and " Scientific researches on Tea ", from
the web-site of World Green Tea Association, Shizuoka, Japan.
( Reprint permitted. Permission date: 28/Feb.-2007 )
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Scientific researches on Green Tea.
(Copy Right: World Green Tea association, reprint permitted)
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| What is the effect of eating Green Tea ? |
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Tea leaves contain aqueous components that dissolve in water and non-aqueous
components
Aqueous components are Catechin, Caffeine, vitamin C, Theaine, and Gamma-amono
butyric acid, which
have various effects on human.
Non-aqueous components such as Beta-carotene, vitamin E, and dietary fiber
are thrown away when tea
is drunk, although much of them are contained in tea leaves
As functions of tea components, there has been a tendency to utilize all
the components without wasting
them. Beta-carotene and vitamin E are anti-oxidative vitamins that are
solvable in lipid. They act as vitamin
A and E when taken inward, showing anti-tumor and aging prevention effects.
Dietary fiber has an effect on
bowel modulating activity, which prevents cancer in colon. You might take
too much calories by having nuts
and grease that contain a lot of vitamin E, but you can take it from tea
leaves with much lower calories
About half of VA and VE that a Japanese person need to take can be taken if 1g of powdered Sencha is taken a
day.
(Yoshiyuki Nakamura, Scientific researches on tea, World green tea association.) |
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| The active substances in green
tea |
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Green tea contains various active substances, such as carbonydrate, protein,
fat, vitamins, minerals, catechin
(tannin) and caffeine. Dried 10g green tea contains 2,200mg potassium, 44mg calcium, 280mg phosphorus,
20mg iron, 3mg sodium, 250mg vitamin C, 13mg carotine, 65.4mg vitamin E
(effective), 1.4mg vitamin B2,
and 4mg niacin.
Those active substances contained in green tea can be fully taken by eating
but not by drinking. It is because
some of the substances cannot be released in the water. Diminutive amount
of potassium, manganese, zinc,
copper and selen can be released in the water.
The suggested amount of vitamin C can be consumed by drinking 10 cups of
green tea a day. Oolong tea
or black tea, and Pu-er tea loose large amount of vitamin C during the
fermentation process.
(Mamoru Isemura, Scientific researches on tea, World green tea association.)
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Catechin is one of the substances in the tealeaves
Catechin has bitterness in its taste, which is believed to be a center
of green tea taste. Tea contains 10- 20% of
catechin, which is the largest aqueous component in tea the epigallokatechinegallete (EGCG) takes half of the
catechin compornets. Epigallo-catechin, epicatechingallate, and epicatechin
are also contained.
Catechin kills bacteria and odor, blocks the development of cancer, and lowers the blood pressure. During the
fermentation of black tea, catechin is oxidized
The balance of catechin and amino acid is very
important for the taste of tea
(Muneyuki Nakagawa, Scientific researches on tea, World green tea association.)
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Caffeine in tea has positive stimulating effect on one's body and mind.
That is why drinking tea helps sharpening
the thought and relaxing the mind.
Scientific researches on tea, World green tea association.)
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The plants containing saponins were often used as fork medicines for coughs
In 1995, new shape of saponins on the leaves and its anti-inflammatory
effect were found and announced
by Kitagawa.
(Muneyuki Nakagawa, Scientific researches on tea, World green tea association.)
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Amino acid is the generic term of chemical compound made up of amino and acid.
Within the tealeaves, large amount of non-aqueous amino acid is contained
as one of the compound elements of
protein.
However, aqueous amino acid is supposed to have strong effect on the taste
and quality of green tea.
Tea contains more than 20 kinds of free amid acid, and teanin. Other major elements in tea are glutamate acid,
arginine asparagines acid, glutamate, and serine, and they are consisting
98% of all the free amino acid contained
in the tea
The tannin in green tea ensures that our brain cells do not lack energy.
It also controls stress by protecting
the nervous system against overstimulation.
(Muneyuki Nakagawa, Scientific researches on tea, World green tea association.)
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The amount of vitamins contained in the tea leaves can be differed depending on the types of tea. Especially
Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E are greatly reduced during the process
especially at the fermentation process.
Longer it takes the process, the vitamins remaining in the tea become smaller. That means green tea loose least
vitamins among other kind of tea.
Compare the containing amount of vitamin C on different kind of tea:
Green tea- 150-300mg, Oolong tea 40-50mg, Black tea and Pu-er tea-almost 0(zero).
However,
even within the category of green tea, amount of vitamin C may be greatly different.
For example, Gyokuro only carries half amount of Vitamin C compare to Sencha
Vitamin C can be released well in the water or in the hot water, but vitamin
A or vitamin E can not be
released in the liquid. To take full advantage of Vitamin A and Vitamin E from tea, tea should be ground,
and used as ingredient for cooking. This way, they can be easily released
in our body.
(Isao Tomita, Scientific researches on tea, World green tea association.)
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Flavonoid has strong effect on eliminating the active oxygen.
Tea catechin is a flavanor derivative, and compound flavonoid of polyhydorochysiflavan-3-all.
The flavonoid contained in the green tea has chelsechine (flavonole derivative)
and anthocyanin (antho
cyanigine derivative) besides catechin.
(Mamoru Isemura, Scientific researches on tea, World green tea association.)
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Natural powers of Green Tea.
(Copy Right: World Green Tea association, reprint permitted)
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Green tea extract and green tea catechins are attracting worldwide attention
as the most important food functional
components to prevent cancer, and further research is being continued.
The efficacy of green tea against cancer is
academically recognized when 3 hurdles are completed.
First one is epidemiological data to show interrelation between amount
of green tea and rate of cancer/death of
cancer, and the second is the experimental data to back up the epidemiological
data. And the third is the assurance
of efficacy by human experiment and clinical testing. Currently we are
in the third stage.
As for epidemiological studies, there is a report to prove the interrelation
of frequency of drinking green tea and
death rate of stomach cancer in Shizuoka prefecture and Kita-kyushu district. The national cancer research
centre in the U.S.A. confirmed that drinking green tea suppresses the occurrence of esophagus cancer
based on the research in Shang-hai.China.
Anti-cancer mechanism is categorized as: 1.anti-mutagenic(initiation), 2.anti-cancer promotion, 3.anti-cancer
progression, 4.anti-mutangenic increase of cancer cells(suppress increase of selected cells and Apotosis guidance,
5.anti-metastasis of cancer, and catechins are proven to be effective in each point by in vitro and animal experiments.
No other food components have multi control effects as green tea.
The effective amount of green tea catechins to prevent carcinogenicity
of cancer is 20mg/day for 1kg of the weight
of aperson based on epidemiological data, 10mg based on animal experiment,
and 20mg is applied on clinical testing.
An appropriate amount of tea is 1.0g~1.2g for a Japanese person who weighs
50~60kg
Intake of green tea catechins of a person who drink 10 cups of green tea a day is about 0.6~1.2g/person/day if it is
Sencha
In human application at Saitama prefectural cancer center, it is reported
that a cancer patient drinking more
than 10 cups of tea a day showed the delay of cancer carcinogenicity, and
that a breast cancer patient drinking
more than 5 cups a day showed the lower rate of recurrence.
The effect of green tea catechins and green tea extract against cancer
has been studied on human applications
in the United States since September of 1997. The link studies between
Japanese institution of private sectors
and Nationalcancer research center in the United States, and Texas University MD Anderson Cancer Center
are on the way.
They are reported to have started the second stage of the experiment in
summer of 2000. In the near future,
green tea and green tea catechins will be added in menu to prevent cancer
for people, and they will be a
medicine for high cancer risk group of people.
(Yoshiyuki Nakamura, Natural powers of Tea, World green tea association.)
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| ANTI-HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIC ACTIVITY |
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Rats that are fed more cholesterol (1% cholesterol and 15% lard included)
for 4 weeks show much increase
in LDL cholesterol in blood and a little decrease in HDL cholesterol compared with rats that are fed regular
foods. When 1% of green tea catechins is added to the high cholesterol
diet, LDL increase is suppressed.
LDL cholesterol is said to be con because it carries cholesterol to artery to cause arteriosclerosis, and HDL
cholesterol is said to be pro. because it carries excessive cholesterol from artery to liver. In recent research,
the report shows that LDL is oxidized in vessel cells and taken into micro-Phage, which causes arteriosclerosis.
In vitro experiment proved that green tea catechins delay the oxidation
of LDL. Oxidation of LDL in human
blood vessels who has been taking green tea catechins for a week (480mg
a day) is delayed by 15 minutes
than when not taking catechins.
(Isao Tomita, Natural powers of tea, World green tea association.)
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Alzheimer's disease and brain vascular dimentia are two big causes of dimentia.
Cellotonin is one of neurons that
plays an important role in brain functions.
One of Cellotonin functions is to reduce secretion of Colchizoru to prevent brain obsolescence and senescence.
In other words, increase of Cellotonin in brain
increases mental stability and dicreases secretion of Colchizoru,
preventing brain diseases
Caffeine and theanene in tea have effect on increasing Colchizoru, which
shows the possibility of preventing brain
diseases by drinking tea. An effective remedy of Alzheimer's disease is
to maintain the function of nerve cells related
to memory in forebrain, and theanene is reported that it has an effect
on maintaining the function of nerve cells in a
healthy state. The main cause of brain vascular dimentia is arteriosclerosis.
Tea catechins have anti-oxidative, anti-hypercholesterolemic, anti-LDL
concentration, and anti-hypertensive
effects. Those effects of catechins are regarded to prevent arteriosclerosis
and brain vascular dimentia.
(Fumiko Hayakawa, Natural powers of tea, World green tea association.)
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| The active substances in tea |
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The amount of vitamins contained in the tea leaves can be varied depending
on the types of tea .
Especially Vitamin A, Vitamin C,Vitamin E could greatly reduced during
the process of fermentation and
process in general. Longer it takes the process, smaller vitamins remain
in the tea. That means green tea
loose least vitamins among other kind of tea
compare the containing amount of vitamin C on each tea type:
Green tea- 150-300mg, Oolong tea 40-50mg, Black tea and Pu-er tea-almost
0.
Note:
Even within the category of green tea, Gyokuro, Tencha (=Matcha) only carries half amount of Vitamin C
compare to Sencha
Vitamin C can be released in the water or hot water well, though vitamin A or vitamin E are not be able to
released in the liquid. To take full advantage of vitamin A and vitamin
E from tea, tea can be ground, and
used as ingredient for cooking . This way, they can be easily released
in one's body.
(Isao Tomita, Natural powers of tea, World green tea association.)
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Generally, insults related to active oxygen increase with aging, causing various diseases. Among eye organs,
crystalline lens and retina are most influenced by active oxygen.
To prevent the oxidative influence by active oxygen, there are various anti-oxidative materials in human
body. It is regarded that water soluble anti-oxidative material against
oxidation of crystalline lens and lipid
soluble anti-oxidative material against oxidation of retina are working.
Tea leaves contain many anti-oxidative materials: water soluble vitamin
C, lipid soluble vitamin E and
carotene, water and lipid soluble catechins, and epigallocatechin gallate
(EGCg)
EGCg is unique in tea.
In vitro experiment, tea catechins significantly reduces the generation
of water soluble Ripofusuchin
Fluorescent substance generated by oxidation of retina of a pig, and especially,
it prevents the generation
of aldehyde from dioxidized lipid.
With further research, drinking tea that contains various anti-oxidative materials such as catechins will be
proven to be effective on eye diseases.
Therefore, tea, which contains caffeine, theanene and catechins are expected to be effective on dimentia
(Mitsuaki Sano, Natural powers of tea, World green tea association.)
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Spontaneously hypertensive rats are grouped into A and B. Rats in A group
are fed regular foods, while
rats in B group are fed foods containing 0.5% catechins for 16 weeks, when
the foods are exchanged.
The results are ; blood pressure of SHR is controlled when adding catechins in foods. Also in an
experiment of SHR-Stroke Prone (SHRSP), fewer cerebrovaxcular accidents
are reported and the survival
period increased by over 15%.
This anti-hypertensive effect is recognized in human beings. Both the highest and lowest blood pressure are
lowered by catechins
(Isao Tomita, Natural powers of tea, World green tea association.)
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The main physiological function of tea, Catechins, especially Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), prevents
histamine from being off obesity cells. Recently, 2 of partially methyliized
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg)
are reported to prove a strong anti-allergy effect.
(Mitsuaki Sano, Natural powers of tea, World green tea association.)
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Tea has antibacterial effect against many bacteria and mold, such as cholera
bacillus in colon tube, dysentery
bacillus, typhoid bacillus, whooping cough bacillus on respiration organs,
pneumonia micro-plasma, bacteria that
cause food poisoning such as salmonella, Yellow staphylococcus, Helicobakuta-Pirori
that causes stomach and
duodenum ulcer, colon bacillus 0157, MRSA and Penicillin Tolerance pneumonia
micrococcus that antibiotics
do not work.
The material in tea that kills bacteria is catechin, the astringent taste
of green tea, the strongest of which is
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg). Catechins damage membrane of bacteria as some antibiotics do.
When catechins are intaken with some antibiotics such as penicillin, it strengthen the effect of the antibiotics.
Tea also has detoxification against toxin produced by bacteria. It is also
catechins' work. Catechins have
effect on cholera, whooping cough, colon infection and food poisoning.
They work as an antibody and tea
is regarded to be useful to prevent cholera and food poisoning
(Tadakatsu Shimamura, Natural powers of tea, World green tea association.)
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Active oxygen kills bacteria and viruses inside body and plays an important
role in protecting the body, but it can
cause or aggravate diseases like cancer. Our bodies carry anti-oxidative
materials that control the production and
extinction of active oxygen and free-radicals to prevent irregular functions
of cells by excessive oxidation.
This is called anti-oxidative action. Vitamin C, E, Beta-caronene are significant antioxidant vitamins for blood
and organs. Plants have polyphenol called flavonoids in them but we humans
need to intake antioxidant vitamins
with various foods. Flavonoids in tea are one of catechines, and account
for 10-15% of dried tea leaves.
A catechin, epigallocatechin gallate,(EGCg), is the most among them and is not contained in most of the vegetables
but tea.
Antioxidative effect of EGCg is one of the strongest among plant polyphenol. Other than catechins, green tea has
vitamins, amino acids, and trace metal elements.
More Vitamin-C, Vitamin-E, and Beta-carotene are contained in green tea than in spinach, carrots, and
cabbage.
However,
to intake lipid soluble matters such as Vitamin-E and Beta-carotene, ground
tealeaf should be taken.
Green tea has much of antioxidant vitamins, while oolong tea and black
tea have less because of more
fermentation.
Therefore, green tea is the reservoir of antioxidant matters.
(Mitsuaki Sano, Natural powers of tea, World green tea association.)
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Damages of DNA in cells can be a trigger to cause cancer and various diseases,
one of which is senescence
The discovery by Dr. Tsuneo Kada 20 years ago that tea leaves extract and
EGCG in catechins have anti-
mutangenic effect, promoted the research of mutation, which made Japan
a leader in the fields.
Many researches on anti-mutangenic effect of green tea components are reported
in 80's. You can refer to
"Tea Science"131-144, and "Mutation Research, vol.436"69-97
for more details
Green tea catechins are also known that they reduce mutation by controlling
generation of 8-OhdG that is
produced by oxidation of DNA because they have strong effect on anti-oxidation and free radical
Vitamin C, which is contained in green tea, has similar effect and it is
also an important stuff to control
generation of carcinogen such as Nitrosoamin
(Yoshiyuki Nakamura, Natural powers of tea, World green tea association.)
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Green tea Catechins are reported to kill the smell of foods by combining with the elements in foods, such
as allyl sulfide in garlic and tri-methylamin in fish.
Also it is reported that green tea catechins directly combine with Mechirumekabutane,
one of the causes
of halitosis, and kill its odor.
It is also known that green tea Catechins kill bacteria that cause halitosis
and control the bacteria to adhere
to teeth or breed
(Kyouji Yoshino, Natural powers of tea, World green tea association.)
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| FOODSTUFF OF TEA WITH HEALTH BENEFITS |
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Green tea leaves contain Starch, Protein, Lipid, Vitamins, and Minerals.
Others are Catechins,
Amino Acids, Caffeine, Chlorophyl, Pigment, Alcohol, and Aroma components
such as Terupen.
One of Amino Acids, Theanine, which is a Japanese green tea's characteristic
delicious taste
known as "umami", and recently its effect on relaxation and promoting
the effect of anti-cancer
is pointed.
Catechins, included in Polyphenol have anti-hypercholesterolemic, anti-viral, anti-bacterial,
anti-mutagenic, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-viral, anti-alergy, anti-halitosis,
anti-hypertentitive,
anti-thrombocyte cohesion effects, and bowel modulating
Caffeine is also included, which is regarded as a nervous system stimulant and cardiac muscle
stimulant, and has effect on diuretic and sleep matter. Most of the components are unsoluble in
water, which means that foodstuff except Vitamin C and Minerals remains in tea leaves after
extraction
Physiological functions of green tea components
Catechins anti-oxidative, anti-mutageic, anti-tumor, anti-hyperglycemic,
reducing blood pressure,
anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-carious, anti-hypertensive actions, anti-allergy, bowel modulatingr
and reduction of odors.
Caffeine central nervous system stimulant, effect on sleep, cardiac muscle stimulant, diuretic, anti-
asthma, and metabolism
Theanine Relaxation, promoting the effect of anti-cancer, prevention of Alzheimer's disease
(Mamoru Isemura, Natural powers of tea, World green tea association.)
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It is reported that tea leaves contain aroma components such as Catechins
and Neroridoole, and Polyphenol
compounds. Green tea polyphenol is reported to control adhesion of dental
caries mutants
Tea leaf polyphenolo has effect on dental caries by controlling the various
process of forming dental caries
Tea leaves contain Flourine, which exists in drinking tea. Flourine promotes
adhesion of CaF2 materials on enamel
surface, which is effective on strengthening the surface of teeth. The
effect on dental caries is proved by animal
models and humans. For example, polyphenol in oolong tea and green tea
controls the formation of cavities of rats.
The effect is already utilized in products such as chewing gum and sweets.
(Kyouji Yoshino, Natural powers of tea, World green tea association.)
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| EFFECT ON CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT |
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The risk factor of cerebrovascular accident is high blood pressure. Catechins and gaba contained in tea leaves
have an effect on controlling high blood pressure, which gives an idea
that they are effective on prevention of
cerebrovascular accident
A large amount of Nitric Oxide ( NO )and Super Okishidonionradical are generated
in brain in case of
cerbrovascular accident , which generates Parokishinightlight, which probably causes disorder in brain.
(Tabuchi M. etsl.,Jpn Heart J. 39,577,1998)
Tea catechins have an effect on making Parokishinightlight inert. There are several results in epidemiology
that show the effct of drinking tea on cerebrovascular accident.
(Isao Tomita, Natural powers of tea, World green tea association.)
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| EFFECT ON RESPIRATORY INFECTION |
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Respiratory infection is caused by various virus diseases, among which
the flu is the worst. Tea prevents nasal
and throat infection by the influenza virus. Catechins in green tea combine with red corpuscle coherence called
spike and prevent the infection by virus. Catechins are effective both
on virus A and B, which are proven by animal
models and clinical testing.
To prevent the infection of the flu, gargling with diluted green tea is
advised. Warm tea is effective and first or
second serve of tea is effective because it contains more catechins and
Teafurabin
(Tadakatsu Shimamura, Natural powers of tea, World green tea association.)
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| BOWEL MODULATING ACTIVITY |
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A Zen priest, Eisai, in his book "Kissa-yojoki" explained about
the effectiveness of green tea for improving fecal
conditions. Constipation is caused by various matters such as foods, changes
in life, nervousness, absence of
breakfast and lack of exercises. One of the life style related diseases
is intestine cancer. One of the causes of
constipation is said to be insufficient consumption of dietary fiber
Among intestinal flora, there are good ones such as colon bacillus, and
bad ones such as bacillus.
When there are more bad ones, you will have diarrhea or constipation. Bifidobacterium
are one of the good
ones that play an important role in maintaining our health, such as bowel
modulating.
Tea catechins are bactericidal with bad bacteria but they increase bifidobacteria, the good ones. It means
that tea catechins increase bifidobacteria, which modulate bowel. The report
shows the increases of feces
and good bacteria.
However, it is necessary to continue to drink tea because intestinal flora
returns to its initial condition
without catechins. Tea catechins are expected to be very effective in bowel modulating just like lactic
acid bacteria, and dietary fiber
(Fumiko Hayakawa, Natural powers of tea, World green tea association.)
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Many factors affect human senescence, one of which is free radical.
Free radical theory of senescence was suggested by Harman D in 1956. It
suggests that transmitter of
mitochondrion in cells and free radicals generated in oxidation reaction in process of metabolism react with
DNA, protein, and lipid, where oxidative matters and its accumulation cause senescence. Tea catechins are
proven that they are effective on DNA damages by ultra violet in colon
bacillus(E,coli B/rWP2).
In DNA damage caused by radiation and various chemical materials and its
restoring reactions, tea Catechins
are proven that they act an important role as anti-mutagenic material. It is also proven that tea Catechins are
effective on oxidation reaction of protein, lipid, and free radicals of
ribonucleic protein, other than DNA.
(Isao Tomita, Natural powers of tea, World green tea association.)
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