The Green Tea Plant - Camellia Sinensis
Black tea is actually the result of fermenting the leaves of the green tea plant, or camellia sinensis. So is oolong tea!
The difference between these 3 major categories of tea is simply the differing methods of fermentation that is applied to the leaves of camellia sinensis to produce a huge variety of colors and flavors.
The leaves of camellia sinensis
Green tea is made from unfermented tea leaves and reportedly contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols due to the absence of oxidization which occurs during the fermentation processes.
Antioxidants are substances that scavenge free radicals - damaging compounds in the body that alter cells, tamper with DNA (genetic material), and even cause cell death.
Green tea has been consumed for millenia in Asian countries. In traditional Chinese medicine, practitioners used green tea as a stimulant, diuretic (to promote the excretion of urine), astringent (to control bleeding and help heal wounds), and to improve heart health.
Green tea has been extensively studied in people, animals, and laboratory experiments. Results from these studies strongly suggest that green tea may be useful for the following health conditions: cancer, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, weight loss, compromised immune system,diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease and liver disease.
Other areas that green tea has been found to assist in are tooth decay and arthritis.
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