A new research study, led by Dr. Nikolaos Alexopoulos of Athens Medical School in Greece, shows that drinking green tea keeps heart arteries flexible and relaxed-allowing the body to better withstand changes in blood pressure. Researchers compared the effects of drinking 6 grams of green tea per day (3-4 cups), with drinking a diluted caffeine beverage and water. What they found was that those individuals that drank the green tea daily had more relaxed and pliable blood vessels, as demonstrated on ultrasound. And the effects were cumulative and long-lasting. The researchers assessed the green-tea drinkers’ blood vessels two weeks after daily consumption of the tea and discovered that their blood vessels were more dilated then they were at the beginning of the study.
The flavonoids found in green tea reduce inflammation, relax blood vessels, prevent blood clot formation, and act on the endothelial lining of the vessels. Green tea also contains antioxidants that demonstrate cancer-protective effects.
I enjoy green tea extract each morning, as part of a powdered greens blend we carry at LTP Natural Medical Center , that promotes healthy immune function and detoxification.
View the research study here.
-Dr. Gina
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