Green tea has been in use in China for 5,000 years and for at least three of those millennia has been recognized as a source of energy and refreshment. We know that it was thought of as necessary for good health as early as 1100 BC. It also has medicinal applications in traditional Chinese medicine. Green tea health has continued its prominence in western societies of this era.
In western society today, green tea plays a significant role in several alternative medical regimens and is recognized by increasing numbers of western medical professionals as a productive dietary supplement. It is an excellent source of vitamin C and several of the vitamin B compounds, it contains substantial amounts of potassium and manganese, and it contributes potent antioxidants to the body that help with cholesterol and blood pressure control.
In addition, it is generally thought to contribute to the suppression of cancer and lessen the risk of heart disease. Accordingly, there are dozens of green tea dietary supplements on the market today, some of which focus on the green tea benefits associated with a balanced diet and its contribution to the metabolic rate.
According to a July 2009 story in Forbes Magazine, the number of overweight or obese adults in the U.S. now exceeds 65%. That fact is reflected in the market for weight loss products which in turn defines many of the green tea dietary supplements on the market. Most are marketed as helpful to those people trying to lose weight, and some promise to do it for them.
Green tea products are marketed for their ability to aid the body in more efficiently metabolizing fat and carbohydrates. Many of them are sold as “fat burners.” In fact the green tea vitamins do work on assisting the metabolic process, which along with the caffeine present in these supplements provide a sense of increased energy.
The “green tea diet” has become the focal point for many of the green tea supplements on the market today. That phenomenon was launched on the Oprah Winfrey show in 2004 when one of her guests, Dr. Perricone, declared that merely substituting green tea for coffee would cause a person to lose ten pounds in six weeks. Today’s green tea dietary supplements make similar promises, along with a fine-print suggestion that a reduction in calorie and fat consumption is in order as well.