Green tea capsules are a convenient and effective alternative to drinking it as a beverage.
The leaves that are used come from the plant Camellia sinensis and its active ingredients are polyphenols. Polyphenols contain a subcategory of other compounds known as catechins. It is mainly the catechins which provide the beneficial effect.
The benefits of green tea extract are similar to those of the tea. Some of the main benefits are in keeping the arteries clear and thereby preventing the underlying causes of heart disease. The beverage also has a calming influence thereby reducing feelings of stress.
Studies in Japan have shown that people drinking over 10 cups per day had lower levels of total cholesterol, LDL (the bad cholesterol) and triglycerides. The same study also showed higher levels of HDL (the good cholesterol).
Analysis of other data also showed 11% decrease in myocardial infarction when 3 cups were drunk daily. Death from myocardial infarction was also found to be significantly lower in moderate and heavy drinkers compared to non-drinkers.
Another interesting angle on the effectiveness of the beverage is the so called “Asian Paradox” whereby a high level of consumption of cigarettes is found in Asia and Japan and yet they have the lowest incidences of cardiovascular disease and lung cancer. This has been attributed to the large amounts of the beverage drunk in these countries.
Given these benefits, it is logical to take the tea as a protective measure against heart disease. However, it contains caffeine and that has put some people off for fear of the nervousness or headaches that it may cause.
Another thing that may put people off is the high volume of fluid that one needs to take in order to get the benefits. Some of the studies already quoted were mentioning a figure of 1.4 litres. This is a volume that may be inconvenient because of the diuretic effect and frequency of urination.
The good news is that green tea capsules can address both these objections. Firstly they contain much less caffeine than the beverage. Secondly, decaffeinated capsules are available. The extract within the capsules still has the catechins with all their useful antioxidants. Capsules do not entail a high liquid intake – normally just a glass of water will suffice.
Thus green tea capsules provide a neat solution for those who may have concerns about getting caffeine or who may not fancy taking large amounts of fluid to get the required benefits.
Roger Franklin is a writer, researcher and passionate user of natural health products at GoodHealthToGo. Please visit http://www.goodhealthtogo.com for more info and to learn about the products that we use that contain green tea.