Unique Antioxidants in Tea Provide Powerful Health Benefits
Green tea supplements may be beneficial for a variety of health problems. They can also be used to support good health by helping to prevent free radical damage. So, whether you are healthy or ill, the benefits should be of interest to you.
The beneficial leaves come from the camellia sinensis plant, also known as the common tea plant. The leaves are green, because they are not oxidized.
The process used to turn the leaves black is called fermentation, although it is not the type of fermentation used to make alcoholic beverages. The fermentation process causes the caffeine content to increase. The leaves develop a somewhat stronger taste and the oxidation causes the loss of some of the antioxidants.
Powerful Cell Protecting Antioxidants and Catechins in Tea
Both black and green camellia sinensis leaves contain some antioxidants. But the black varieties do not contain the high concentration of catechins. The catechins have antioxidant activity and are responsible for the bitter taste.
Other nutrients found in the greener leaves include carotenoids and tocopherols. Carotenoids are pre-cursors of Vitamin A. Tocopherols include vitamin E, alpha-tocopherol. The minerals chromium, manganese, selenium and zinc may also be present, along with vitamin C.
The nutritional content and the antioxidants in tea leaves vary from one leaf to another and from one season to another. The quality of the soil has an effect on the nutritional content, as does the amount of processing used.
It is for those reasons that the better supplement manufacturers choose to use a standardized concentrated extract. Verification of the catechin content is important to ensure we get the full health benefits. The best supplements provide 48mg of catechins per dose.
Benefits that have been seen in laboratory and clinical studies include a reduction of stomach problems and headaches. The leaves have been used historically to treat vomiting and diarrhea.
The antioxidants in tea seem to be helpful for weight loss. Some studies indicate the benefit has to do with increased metabolic activity. Your body burns more calories, making it easier to lose weight.
A reduced risk of various kinds of cancer is associated with supplementation. This benefit is probably due to the antioxidant activity.
The supplement may help prevent Parkinson’s, heart disease, kidney stones and dental cavities. Several studies indicate the catechins can help protect against skin damage caused by exposure to UV light.
Many people find that green tea helps improve their mental clarity and function. That may be due to the amino acid theanine or some of the other nutrients contained in the teas.
In addition to the single-ingredient green tea supplements on the market, you can also find multi-nutritional compounds that contain the catechins. The multi-nutritional formulas provide more value for your money. We at advanced-vitamin-formulas.com use and recommend the multi-nutrient supplement produced by Xtend-Life Natural Products called Total Balance.
Tips for Choosing High Quality Dietary Supplements
Because the supplement industry has an excellent track record of safety there’s not a lot of government oversight on the production of nutritional supplements. The quality of the ingredients used may vary greatly.
The industry essentially “polices” itself by voluntarily adhering to manufacturing requirements known as good manufacturing practices or GMP. Look for manufacturers who can prove that they adhere to current good manufacturing practices (GMP)
An independent research testing lab which randomly tests supplement products currently on the market has verified that supplements don’t always contain the true amount of active ingredients as stated on the label. Not only that, but at times contaminants are also found to be present.
Even though it may take some extra effort, but we believe it’s worthwhile to put in your “due diligence” when choosing a nutritional supplements. Find a company you can trust who discloses all the information concerning the ingredients they use as well as the research which is the basis of their supplement formulas.
A company that produces high quality supplements which meet all of the requirements above is Xtend-Life Natural Products.
Their multivitamin supplement, Total Balance, is the most complete nutritional supplement we’ve found so far. For example, not only does it contain green tea, it also contains other important nutrients for weight loss, healthy metabolism and heart health (and overall health) like alpha lipoic acid, L-carnosine, N-acetyl cysteine and coenzyme Q10. Plus much more…
* Enzymes – amylase, lipase and more
* Herbs like green tea and ginkgo biloba
* Vitamin D
* Minerals like magnesium, selenium, calcium, zinc and potassium
* Trace elements
* Carotenoids
* Amino acids
* over 75 different nutrients
Rather than spending hundreds of dollars a month on various supplements and taking handfuls of pills every day, another option is to take a high quality multi vitamin like Xtend-Life’s Total Balance.

