A Nutritionist and Biochemist, Dr. Ochuko Erikainure, said on Wednesday that green tea has great health benefits and components that reduce blood glucose in diabetics.
Erukainure, a Senior Research Officer at the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.
According to him, the catechins present in green tea include epicatechin, epicatechin gallate and epigallocatechin gallate, with EGCG being the most active and predominant.
“These catechins bring about those health benefits associated with consumption of green tea.
“Their potency in the mopping up of free radicals make them strong antioxidants.
“Green tea has been reported to reduce blood glucose in diabetics.
“This they do by increasing the antioxidant capacity of the pancreatic tissues, increasing the secretion of insulin by the beta cells and promoting muscles’ glucose uptake,’’ he said.
Erukainure also said that green tea is anti-carcinogenic, as it has substances that counteract the effects of a carcinogen or inhibit the development of cancer.
“This they bring about by arresting DNA fragmentation, telomerase activity, cell cycle progression and promotion of cancer apoptosis.
“Unlike black tea, green tea consumption has also been correlated with reduced cardiovascular diseases.
“They also possess potent anti-inflammatory activity, which involves the progression of most diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and neuropathology.
“Its ability to increase HDL-cholesterol makes them a good choice in maintaining good cholesterol levels, as well as protect against cardiovascular diseases,’’ he said.(NAN)
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