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Green Tea & Cholesterol
These days it seems like just about everybody is worried about
cholesterol levels. But cholesterol is actually a good thing. This
fatty, waxy substance is absolutely vital to life as it’s used to build
cell membranes, insulate nerve fibers and create hormones. The problems
begin when there is a buildup of certain kinds of cholesterol –
specifically, total cholesterol and LDL - and too little of a third
kind, HDL. Too much of the former can result in clogged arteries that
can lead to a heart attack or stroke. And too little of the latter can
cause similar results, since HDL carries excess cholesterol out of the
body. Luckily, drinking green tea seems to nudge all three kinds of
cholesterol in the right direction.
Studies of large populations have found that, on average, the more green
tea that people drink the lower their total and LDL cholesterol levels.
The best results are seen with about 10 daily cups of green tea, but you
don’t have to drink nearly that much to make a difference. In one human
study, just 2 cups of green tea per day lowered LDL cholesterol levels
by as much as 13 mg.1
And while a low fat diet may be the
first thing your doctor recommends to control cholesterol, green tea has
been found to help keep cholesterol levels down even when the diet is
high in fat. Studies of animals fed a diet rich in lard and cholesterol found that those that received green tea catechins had lower
cholesterol levels and other indicators of heart disease risk than those
that didn't receive the catechins. 2
Researchers believe that green tea lowers blood cholesterol by reducing
its absorption in the digestive tract while increasing its rate of
excretion. But perhaps even more important than either of these is green
tea’s ability to fight the conversion of LDL to its more dangerous,
oxidized form. When LDL is oxidized, it gets sticky and tends to cling
to the walls of your arteries. Oxidized LDL is a major factor in the
development of atherosclerosis (the buildup of plaque in the arteries),
and greatly increases your risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.
But green tea, through its antioxidant action, does much to protect LDL
from oxidation. The result? Your body may produce less of this sticky,
clinging form of cholesterol so your arteries stay cleaner and less
likely to clog.
Click here for a simplified look at the studies of
green tea's effect on cholesterol.
Footnotes:
1Erba
D, Riso P, Bordoni A, et al. Effectiveness of moderate green tea
consumption on antioxidative status and plasma lipid profile in humans.
J Nutr Biochem 2005;16(3):144-149.
2Muramatsu
K, Fukuyo M, Hara Y. Effect of green tea catechins on plasma cholesterol
level in cholesterol-fed rats. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo)
1986;32(6):613-622.
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Nadine Taylor, M.S., R.D. presents
GreenTeaLibrary.com,
the most comprehensive collection of scientific information
describing the health benefits of green tea.
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