It's actually amazing! Introducing the nutrients contained in green tea and the health benefits you can expect
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Introduction
Tea, like vegetables and fruits, contains a balanced amount of nutrients that our bodies need.
Tea is rich in carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins and minerals, but these nutrients are not the only thing that tea contributes to health.
What is noteworthy is that tea contains many ingredients that have "bioregulating functions."
This bioregulation function is what keeps our bodies in good condition and keeps us healthy.
For example, the catechins contained in tea have antioxidant and antibacterial properties and are said to be useful in preventing lifestyle-related diseases.
In this way, tea is not just a drink, but also has the aspect of being a functional food that supports our health. Components with bioregulatory functions are also called biofactors, and are said to have a tertiary function of food.
Three functions of food
Foods are said to have three main functions.
1. Nutritional Function
The first is the "primary function" of providing us with the nutrition we need to survive. This is essential for people to live.
2. Sensory Function
Next, there is the "secondary function" of satisfying the five senses through taste, aroma, etc. Although these have nothing to do with nutritional components, they can be said to play an important role in increasing people's appetite and satisfying their tastes.
3. Bioregulation
Finally, although not related to life and death, there is a "tertiary function" that is essential for maintaining health. Foods with this tertiary function are called "health functional foods" because they have excellent biological regulation functions, and are attracting attention as natural supplements.
Tea is rich in bioregulatory properties
Tea contains many components with these bioregulatory functions, and catechins, caffeine, and theanine in particular can be said to be functional components unique to tea that are not often found in other foods.
It is believed that these ingredients work together to enhance the health benefits of tea.
For example, research has shown that the obesity prevention effect of catechins is further enhanced by the presence of caffeine.
As we have explained so far, tea leaves contain plenty of ingredients that are beneficial to our bodies.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to consume all of these nutrients through typical tea drinking methods.
This is because when you drink tea, the components that you can ingest are water-soluble components such as catechins, theanine, and vitamin C, which account for only about 30% of the total. The insoluble components (approximately 70%) such as vitamin E, B-carotene, and dietary fiber are discarded as tea leaves.
For those who want to consume more nutrients efficiently, we recommend eating tea leaves directly.
Ingredients contained in green tea and their expected health benefits
Below, the components of green tea are divided into soluble and insoluble components and the content of each is summarized.
I hope you can see that eating tea leaves is a very good way to consume and absorb all of the nutrients contained in tea.
| Water-soluble components (20-30%) | Content | Efficacy and effectiveness |
| Catechins | 11-17% | Antioxidant, anti-mutation, anti-cancer, lowers plasma cholesterol, suppresses blood pressure rise, anti-arteriosclerosis, suppresses blood sugar rise, improves cognitive decline, inhibits platelet aggregation, antibacterial, anti-tooth decay bacteria, anti-virus, improves intestinal flora, anti-allergy, deodorizing, protects liver function |
| Caffeine | 1.6-3.5% | Central nervous system stimulant, awakening (prevents drowsiness and relieves fatigue), cardiotonic, diuretic, metabolism promotion, smooth muscle relaxation, gastric juice secretion stimulation |
| Theanine | 0.6-2.0% | Regulating brain and nerve functions, relaxing effect, enhancing anti-cancer effects, protecting liver function |
| Flavonols | 0.6% | Strengthening blood vessel walls, antioxidant, anti-cancer, suppression of hyperlipidemia, prevention of heart disease, deodorization, suppression of liver damage, immune activation, anti-inflammatory |
| Complex polysaccharides | 0.6% | Suppression of blood sugar rise |
| Vitamin C | 0.3-0.5% | Prevents scurvy, antioxidant, anti-cancer, cold prevention, cataract prevention, improves immune function |
| y-aminobutyric acid | 0.01% | Suppresses blood pressure rise, regulates brain and nerve functions |
| Saponin | 0.2% | Prevents asthma, antibacterial, suppresses blood pressure rise |
| Vitamin B2 | - | Prevents angular cheilitis, dermatitis, and inhibits lipid peroxidation |
| Soluble dietary fiber | - | Promotes bile acid excretion, reduces blood cholesterol, and improves liver function |
| Minerals | 1-1.5% | |
| zinc | - | Prevents taste abnormalities, suppresses immune function decline, and prevents dermatitis |
| Fluorine | - | Preventing tooth decay |
| Manganese, copper, zinc, selenium | - | Antioxidants |
| potassium | - | Maintaining ionic balance |
| Insoluble matter (70-80%) | Content | Efficacy and effectiveness |
| Insoluble dietary fiber | 30-44% | Relieves constipation, fights cancer (colon cancer), and suppresses blood sugar rise |
| protein | 24-31% | Nutrients (body components) |
| Lipids | 3.4-4% | Nutrients (cell building blocks, energy sources) |
| chlorophyll | 0.60-1% | Cancer prevention, deodorizing effect, anti-mutation effect |
| Vitamin E | 0.02-0.07% | Antioxidant, lipid peroxidation suppression, anti-cancer, diabetes prevention, blood circulation promotion, cataract prevention, immune function improvement |
| Coenzyme Q10 | 0.01% | Anti-aging, skin-beautifying effects |
| B-Carotene | 0.02% | Antioxidant, anti-cancer, improves immune function, and is a source of vitamin A |
| Aroma components | - | Aromatherapy effects |
