GREEN TEA AND HEALTH

ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES, CONSUMPTION
AND ROLE IN DISEASE PREVENTION

Green tea is a popular healthful beverage in many parts of the world and its medical
properties have been extensively explored. Green tea originated in China and the chemistry of
green tea is renowned by its presence of polyphenolic compounds, particularly catechins. This
book reviews the antioxidant activities of green tea catechins, its consumption and the ways it
prevents potential infections; the potential beneficial effects of green tea consumption on
Diabetes mellitus and how it can be used to reduce severe brain damage as well as its use in
treating obesity. Other chapters examine how catechins may assist in the suppression of heart
transplant rejection; a review on the new molecular events responsible for positive effects of
EGCG; a discussion on EGCG as the most abundant catechin green tea and its capability of
inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis in cancer cells; an evaluation and
comparison of the phenolic composition and metal content of commercially available
aromatized green tea infusions; and an investigation of the chromatographic behavior of
catechins.