What
if I told you there was a 4,000 year old drink that not only keeps you
healthy, but can shave off 5 years off your actual "age..."
... and that this drink can keep you young and vibrant due to some special effects it has on the body?
Would you be interested in finding out what it is?
Good! Because the drink I'm talking about is widely available and pretty cheap.
I'm talking about green tea!
You've probably heard about it's antioxidant effects and it's ability to help boost your metabolism.
But here's what you probably don't know -
Recent research has found that green tea can have a protective effect on your genes, making you "younger" at a genetic level.
Let me explain ...
Green
tea has been used for ages in Asia, not only as a daily drink, but as a
source of medicine used to treat a wide variety of ailments ranging
from indigestion to preventing fatigue and improving brain function. The source of its healing properties comes from it's antioxidants - namely a polyphenol called Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG). Modern science has established that this and other antioxidants in green tea are far more powerful than vitamins A, C or E. [1]
So it's no wonder that recent findings in a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition are pretty amazing.
Researchers recruited 18 healthy subjects who were split randomly into two groups.
Group 1 was given 2 cups of green tea every day.
Group 2 was given water every day.
The
study lasted four weeks. At the end of the study the scientists
analyzed blood and urine samples of all the participants and found that
the green tea offered significant protection to the participant's DNA.
In fact, further investigation suggested that it reduced damage to the participant's genes by 20%! [2]
This is pretty amazing stuff! That's because your genes determine how quickly you age.
See, at the end of every strand of DNA in your body, there are end caps known as telomeres.
The best way to understand this is to think of a shoe lace. The shoe lace is the strand of DNA.
The telomere is the plastic end of the shoe string that lets you tie it easily.
As
you age, your telomeres shorten. The faster they get shorter, the
quicker you age. Several factors make them get shorter, including
processes in your body as well as external elements in the environment
you live in (due to oxidative stress).
But if you drink green tea, you can slow down this shortening process since it protects your DNA.
The way it does this, is by extending the life of your telomeres...
A
study done at the Chinese University of Hong Kong looked at the
telomere length of folks who drank 3 cups of green tea per day. On
average, the telomeres of the green tea drinkers were 5 years younger
than those of people of the same age who did NOT. [3]
Bottom line: Drink some green tea. The benefits are too many to ignore.
If you don't want the caffeine, there are plenty of decaffeinated brands that still have the powerful antioxidants.
Aim for 2 - 3 cups per day.
If you simply don't like the taste of green tea, that's fine too.
You can find the green tea EGCG's (the antioxidant responsible for many of the beneficial effects) in supplement form.
Just make sure the supplement you get has been standardized to at least 60% polyphenols for best results.
So drink up... and stay young. Cheers!
Oh
and by the way, if you're serious about taking your health and fitness
to the next level before Summer is officially here, why not take
advantage of your FREE Fitness Consultation? (a $65 value)
During this consult, you'll receive detailed information on how to get fit and trim that's tailored to YOUR body.
There's no obligation and it's totally and completely free. To sign up,click here.
References:
1.
Unachukwu UJ. White and green teas (Camellia sinensis var. sinensis):
Variation in phenolic, methylxanthine, and antioxidant profiles. Journal
of Food Science. 2010;75:C541-C548.
2. Han KC. Genoprotective effects of green tea (Camellia sinensis) in human subjects: results of a controlled supplementation trial. British Journal of Nutrition. 28 January 2011 105 : pp 171-179
3. Chan R. Chinese tea consumption is associated with longer telomere length in elderly Chinese men. British Journal of Nutrition. 2010;103:107-113.
