Pagdin's Pick Number Nine- Green Tea

Millions of people around the world drink green tea, and it has been associated with a variety of health benefits. Tea has been cultivated for centuries, and is one of the most widely-consumed beverages in the world, second only to water! Green tea is made from unfermented leaves and therefore contains the highest concentration of anti-oxidants of any strain of tea. Both quercitin and fish oils can be helpful to increase the absorption and bioavailability of green tea. The antioxidant molecules in green tea are referred to as polyphenols, or “catechins”. One cup of steeped green tea contains about 50 mg of the specific catechin called ECGC, and many of the studies used doses of ECGC of 300-900mg, meaning one really needs to supplement a green tea extract as well as drinking the tea itself (unless you’re prepared to drink ten cups a day!).
Health benefits associated with drinking green tea include reducing body fat, improving digestion and reducing gas, improving cholesterol profile and reducing risk of heart disease1, improving insulin sensitivity2, and helping to prevent a number of cancers including bladder, breast, ovarian, colorectal, lung, pancreatic, prostate, and stomach cancers3. It has been shown to reduce the inflammation associated with inflammatory bowel conditions, such as Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. I also recommend green tea to all of my stem cell patients, as it has been shown to improve the viability of stem cells. Drink up!

Find yourself a bottle of “Pagdin’s Picks” at any of the following outlets:

• Prescription Health Studio (540 West Ave, just off Pandosy)
• Medicine Shoppe (3957 Lakeshore Road)
• Lakeside Medicine Centre (Gordon at Guisachan)
• Abaco Health (Gordon at Cook Rd)
• Nolan’s Pharmasave (Vernon)
• Summerland Pharmasave

Look for the display at one of these retailers, and enter to win a generous supply of green tea!
Your partner in Living Longer Better,

Dr. Grant Pagdin, MD

Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18468736
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18326618
http://examine.com/supplements/Green+Tea+Catechins/