Is Green Tea A Superfood That Boosts Immunity Or Is It Just Marketing Hype?







Green tea has become increasingly popular and we wouldn’t blame you for being skeptical about its alleged health benefits. After all, the media and the market seem to produce new fads by the day! However, there are plenty of scientific studies and research programs that prove that green tea really does offer plenty of healthy benefits, from lowering the risk of heart disease to reducing cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
In addition to this, there are several claims that green tea can also boost immunity. But is there any evidence to back up such a tall claim?


How Green Tea Improves Immunity:

“The three main immune-boosting compounds in green tea are catechins, EGCG, & Alkylamines”

Green tea contains a wide variety of bioactive components including catechin compounds, fluoride, flavonoids, theaflavins, and tannins. While we still do not fully understand the roles played by each of these compounds, scientists have been able to identify some of the compounds in green tea that provide therapeutic benefits, including compounds that boost the immune system. The three main immune-boosting compounds in green tea are catechins, EGCG, and Alkylamines.

Catechins:

“A catechin in green tea called ECG can bolster the immune system and can help to prevent the flu as it is one of the most potent inhibitors of the influenza virus replication process”

The catechins in green tea bolster the immune system as they have the ability to prevent the replication of the influenza virus. The influenza virus causes the flu, which is one of the most infectious diseases in the world. Researchers found that one of the most potent inhibitors of the influenza virus replication process is the catechin called epicatechin gallate (ECG), although there were several other compounds that also had a similar effect.

Since the flu is a seasonal infection, you can swap your regular cup of coffee for a cup of green tea to fight off the flu and keep your immune system fighting strong!

EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate):

“Drinking green tea on a regular basis will help to boost the overall functioning of the immune system & reduce the risk of infectious diseases”

Green tea increases the production of T cells by the body. T cells are a fundamental part of the immune system as they play various roles from attacking invading bacteria and viruses, to destroying infected cells, and suppressing autoimmune diseases. Scientists hypothesize that drinking green tea on a regular basis will help to boost the overall functioning of the immune system and reduce the risk of infectious diseases.

Alkylamines:

“Drinking green tea primes the body’s immune system to fight off certain infectious bacteria, viruses, & fungi”

Alkylamines are compounds that are present in green tea as well as in certain viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Researchers found that disease-fighting immune cells recognized these alkylamines and this triggered a “memory response”. This means that these immune cells were now “primed” and ready to fight off any pathogens that contain these alkylamines.

Based on the findings of these experiments, researchers concluded that drinking green tea would prime the body’s immune system to fight off bacteria, viruses, and fungi that contain alkylamines.

Our Take:

Drinking green tea is a great way to boost your immune system, but you will need to incorporate this habit into your daily lifestyle in order to enjoy the benefits of green tea. You can also include some of the healthiest foods in the world in your diet as this will help to improve your overall health status. Green tea can also help you lose weight so if you’ve been unsuccessfully fighting the battle of the bulge, green tea is the way to go!

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