Green Tea for Cholesterol

To be honest, I've become kind of burned out by all the hype about the health benefits of green tea. Recently, however, I came across a study of green for cholesterol in kids, however, that's really worth passing on.

Nowadays there is pretty general acceptance of the idea that green tea has remarkable health benefits, and there is growing evidence that it is an essential element in the best diets for high cholesterol, notably for children with high cholesterol.

A team of medical researchers at the Nippon Medical School in Chiba (Japan) gave 40 volunteers either 500 milligrams of green tea catechins (that’s the equivalent of drinking 6 or 7 cups of green tea a day) or a placebo for four months . The scientists found that in the green tea group at the end of the twenty-four week trial:

Total cholesterol was essentially unchanged,
Triglycerides also were unchanged,
LDL cholesterol stayed the same, but

The fraction of LDL particles that had been attacked by free radicals and oxidized into a form that cause plaques in the lining of arteries fell nearly 18 per cent. Since it is oxidized LDL cholesterol that actually clogs arteries, green tea is more effective in heart health than beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, or vitamin E.

Green tea may also help children with high cholesterol. The journal Obesity reports that Japanese children who were given a drink containing 576 milligrams of green tea catechins once a day for six months lowered LDL and blood pressure and enjoyed slimmer waistlines while continuing normal bone and muscle growth.

And if that is not enough, there is evidence that for people who eat a high-fat diet, green tea acts as a cholesterol-blocker. Green tea attacks the very causes of high cholesterol, keeping cholesterol from ever entering circulation. The catechins in green tea mix with the cholesterol so that it clumps and is excreted rather than absorbed. They do not interact with essential n-3 fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins. Good fats in, bad fats out.

The easiest way to get your catechins is to take a supplement, but many people prefer to brew their own green tea. Here’s what you need to know to brew a heart-healthy green tea:

Green tea develops a full flavor and releases the most catechins if it is brewed at about 140 degrees F (80 degrees C). Black tea, in contrast, is usually brewed in water that is almost boiling. You make the catechins unavailable if you add milk to hot green tea (although green tea ice cream typically has a high catechin content). Loose green tea has a higher catechin content than bagged green tea.

Most of the complaints about green tea center on its taste, or lack thereof, but you can be creative. In addition to the well-known green tea ice cream (which is not really on any list of heart-healthy foods), it is possible to add anywhere from a pinch to a teaspoon of loose green tea to burgers, omelets, salads, smoothies, soups, sauces, oatmeal, and even burritos. The benefits of green tea start at about four cups a day, so start there!