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Mohammed-reza ForouzeshGreen tea
Definition
Green tea is made of the lightly steamed and then
dried leaf of the shrubCamilla sinensis. When processed
in this way, the leaves retain many of the chemical
properties that are thought to provide health benefits.
Green tea extract is a concentrated form of green tea
that is sold as a dietary supplement. It usually comes in
capsules, but sometimes is packaged as a liquid.
Purpose
Green tea has been drunk for thousands of years,
especially in Asia. Traditionally it has been used to treat
colds, cough, asthma, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea,
as an astringent, and as a diuretic (‘‘water pill’’). Green
tea or green tea extract has also been proposed as a
treatment for reducing cholesterol, preventing heart
attack, preventingcancer, increasing fertility, decreas-
ing symptoms associated with menopause, increasing
mental alertness, preventing tooth decay, relieving
anxiety, protecting skin from sun damage, and aiding
in weight loss. Few of these health claims have been
studied in rigorous ways that satisfy the standards of
conventional medicine, although many health care pro-
fessionals feel that there is no harm and likely some
health benefit in drinking green tea.
Description
Green tea, oolong tea, and black tea all are made
from leaves of the same shrub,Camilla sinensis. This
plant is farmed in many temperate areas of China,
India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Turkey,
and Pakistan. The chemical content of the tea leaves
varies slightly from location to location. However, the
difference between green, oolong, and black tea is in
the processing of the leaves. Green tea is the least
processed. The leaves are picked, steamed lightly,
and then dried. Oolong tea is made by allowing the
leaves to ferment slightly before drying. With black
tea, the leaves are more heavily fermented for longer
periods. Because green tea is not fermented, it retains
more of its nutrients than either oolong or black tea.
Most green tea comes from India or Sri Lanka.
Green tea has become increasingly popular in
Europe and the United States. As more information
about its potential health benefits has become avail-
able, capsules of green tea extract have been promoted
as a dietary supplement that may help with weight
loss, prevent cancer, and rid the body of free radicals.
In the United States, the sale of green tea and green tea
extract is regulated by the Food and Drug Adminis-
tration (FDA). Green tea is treated as a food and is
sold in supermarkets everywhere. Green tea extract is
considered a dietary supplement under the 1994 Dietary
Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) and is
available mainly in health food stores. Manufacturers of
green tea extract do not have to prove that their products
are either safe or effective before they can be sold to the
public. This differs from conventional pharmaceutical
drugs, which must undergo extensive human testing to
prove their safety and effectiveness before they can be
marketed. Also unlike conventional drugs, the label for
a dietary supplement such as green tea extract does not
have to contain any statements about possible side effects.
Under the DSHEA,dietary supplementssuch as
green tea, are not legally allowed to claim that they will
‘‘cure,’’ ‘‘treat,’’ ‘‘mitigate,’’ ‘‘prevent,’’ or ‘‘diagnose’’ aGreen tea leaves.(PlantaPhile Germany. Reproduced by
permission.)Green tea