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GREEN TEA, CHOLESTEROL AND BLOOD FATS
These days just about everybody seems to be worried about their cholesterol levels. But
cholesterol is actually a good thing. This fatty, waxy substance is used
by the body to build cell membranes, insulate nerve fibers and create
hormones. It’s absolutely vital to life! The problems begin when there
is too much 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 the same
results, since HDL actually 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.1 The best results were seen with about 10 daily cups
of green tea, but you don’t have to drink nearly that much to see a
difference. In one human study, as little as 2 cups per day lowered LDL
cholesterol levels by as much as 13 mg.2 Green tea may also
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 receiving green tea
catechins had lower cholesterol levels and other indicators of heart
disease risk than those that didn't receive the catechins.3
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 whisking away
excess cholesterol 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 a heart
attack or stroke. Green tea, through its antioxidant action, does much
to protect LDL from oxidation, thus helping to keep your arteries
“clean.”
To learn more, click on some these key green tea-cholesterol studies:
HUMAN STUDIES
- 1) Large-Scale Population Study Links
Green Tea to Lower Cholesterol
- Drinking green tea is "significantly associated" with lower cholesterol.
- 2) Green Tea Linked to
Lower Levels of Total and LDL Cholesterol
- 10 cups of green tea daily is associated with lower cholesterol levels.
- 3) Green Tea Extract Reduces
LDL Cholesterol While Raising HDL Cholesterol
- Total and LDL cholesterol significantly lowered while HDL is raised in
2003 double-blind study.
- 4) Green Tea Catechins Prevent Expected Rise in
Blood Fats
- This randomized study shows that moderate and large doses of tea catechins
can reduce blood fats even after a fatty meal.
- 5) Green Tea Decreases
Markers of Atherosclerosis in Smokers
Green tea is shown to lower blood levels of oxidized LDL and soluble P-selectin
(a marker of platelet "stickiness") after only 2 weeks of ingestion.
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ANIMAL STUDIES
- 1) Catechins Lower Total Cholesterol Even
When Fat Consumption is High
- 2) Green Tea Decreases Intestinal Absorption
of Cholesterol
- 3) Chinese Green Tea Lowers Cholesterol in Blood and Liver
4) Canned & Bottled Green
Tea Also Improve Cholesterol Levels
5) Green Tea Increases Fecal Excretion of Fatty
Acids
LABORATORY STUDIES
- 1) Green Tea Catechins Reduce LDL Oxidation
EXPERT OPINION
- 1) Green Tea Reduces Both Cholesterol and Body
Weight
Footnotes:
1
Kono S, Shinchi K, Wakabayashi K, et al. Relation of green
tea consumption to serum lipids and lipoproteins in Japanese men. J Epidemiol
1996;6:128-133.
2
Erba 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):144-9.
3Muramatsu
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):613-22.
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Nadine Taylor, M.S., R.D. presents
GreenTeaLibrary.com, the most comprehensive collection of scientific
information describing the many health benefits and properties of green tea.
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