绿茶的5个健康益处

绿茶的5个健康益处

Tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world, with some reports stating that tea is second only to water in worldwide beverage consumption. Tea is embedded in culture: The British have tea time, and Asian communities still practice ancient tea ceremonies.

茶是世界上最受欢迎的饮料之一，有报道称，在全球饮料消费量中，茶仅次于水。茶是文化的一部分:英国人有喝茶的时间，亚洲人仍然有古老的茶道。

Green tea offers more than a tasty cup. (Photo: Chiociolla/Shutterstock)

Tea drinkers are onto something.

喝茶的人说到点子上了。

There are several health benefits of green tea in particular, due largely to the way it is processed. Unlike black and oolong tea leaves, which are fermented, green tea leaves are steamed, leaving a higher concentration of antioxidants, called polyphenols. These antioxidants are why green tea is widely promoted for its health benefits.

绿茶有几个特别的健康益处，主要是由于它的加工方式。与经过发酵的红茶和乌龙茶不同，绿茶是经过蒸煮的，会产生高浓度的抗氧化剂，即多酚。这些抗氧化剂就是为什么绿茶因其有益健康而被广泛推广的原因。

Though much research is yet to be done on the impact of green tea on health, widespread studies prove the attention is warranted, said Lauren Kolesa, a registered dietitian based in Morris County, New Jersey. “I think many of us are looking to more natural resources when planning meals and choosing products. The shift seems to be toward more ‘whole’ and ‘natural’ foods,” she said, adding, “Any food or product that touts anti-inflammatory properties seems to generate interest these days.”

新泽西州莫里斯县的注册营养师劳伦·科莱萨说，虽然关于绿茶对健康影响的研究还很多，但广泛的研究证明这种关注是有必要的。“我认为我们中的许多人在计划饮食和选择产品时都在寻找更多的自然资源。这种转变似乎是向更‘完整’和‘天然’的食物转变，”她说，“如今，任何宣扬抗炎特性的食物或产品似乎都能引起人们的兴趣。”

Studies have indicated several benefits to green tea, such as:

研究表明绿茶有以下几种益处:

Drinking green tea can help prevent heart disease. Many studies have looked at the link between green tea and heart health. Some research has shown that the antioxidants in green tea help block the oxidation of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and increase the “good” (HDL) cholesterol, which helps improve artery function and stave off heart disease.

喝绿茶有助于预防心脏病。许多研究都着眼于绿茶和心脏健康之间的联系。一些研究表明，绿茶中的抗氧化剂有助于阻止“坏”胆固醇(LDL)的氧化，增加“好”胆固醇(HDL)，这有助于改善动脉功能，避免心脏病。

Green tea may reduce inflammation. Green tea has been shown to calm the body's immune system by stimulating anti-inflammatory responses. Inflammation has been linked to various cancers, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, heart conditions and other inflammatory diseases.

绿茶可以消炎。绿茶已被证明可以通过刺激抗炎反应来镇定人体的免疫系统。炎症与各种癌症、糖尿病、风湿性关节炎、心脏病和其他炎症性疾病有关。

Green tea assists in weight loss. Some small studies have shown that drinking green tea — and, in some instances, consuming green tea extract — has helped with moderate weight loss, possibly because of the diuretic properties of green tea and those powerful antioxidants.

绿茶有助于减肥。一些小型研究表明，饮用绿茶——在某些情况下，饮用绿茶提取物——有助于适度减肥，这可能是因为绿茶的利尿特性和那些强效抗氧化剂。

The antioxidants in green tea can help protect against certain types of cancer. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, several clinical studies have shown that both green tea and black tea can help protect, but not necessarily prevent, cancer, as “researchers also believe that polyphenols help kill cancerous cells and stop their progression.” Green tea has the highest impact on cancers including bladder, breast, prostate and skin, according to the University of Maryland medical reference. Studies have been conducted on the impact of green tea on other forms of cancer with conflicting results.

绿茶中的抗氧化剂可以帮助预防某些类型的癌症。根据马里兰大学医学中心的研究，一些临床研究表明绿茶和红茶都能帮助保护癌症，但不一定能预防癌症，因为“研究人员也相信多酚有助于杀死癌细胞并阻止它们的发展。”根据马里兰大学医学参考资料，绿茶对膀胱癌、乳腺癌、前列腺癌和皮肤癌的影响最大。关于绿茶对其他癌症的影响的研究得出了相互矛盾的结果。

Green tea could play a role in regulating the body’s glucose levels. Studies cited by the University of Maryland Medical Center website found that “daily supplementation…with green tea extract powder lowered the hemoglobin A1c level in individuals with borderline diabetes.”

绿茶可以调节身体的葡萄糖水平。马里兰大学医学中心网站引用的研究发现，“每日补充……绿茶提取物粉末可降低糖尿病患者的糖化血红蛋白A1c水平。”

How do you get the most out of your green tea consumption? The most successful clinical studies on the benefits of green tea suggest it’s best to drink at least three cups per day, freshly brewed. Kolesa said she encourages clients to drink the home-brewed version of green tea rather than bottled brands, which have sugar.

如何最大限度地利用你的绿茶消费?关于绿茶益处的最成功的临床研究表明，最好每天至少喝三杯现泡的绿茶。科莱萨说，她鼓励客户喝自家酿制的绿茶，而不是瓶装绿茶，因为瓶装绿茶含有糖分。

Before considering green tea — or any remedy — for medicinal or health purposes, discuss its benefits with your doctor, Kolesa added. "Green tea can interact with a number of medications."

Kolesa补充说，在考虑将绿茶用于医疗或健康目的之前，请与你的医生讨论它的益处。“绿茶可以与许多药物相互作用。”