Have you ever wondered if you should take green tea tablets as part of your daily supplementation? I will discuss some of the benefits of green tea in general and then which is the best way to get the tea into our diets.

During the digestive process, glucose from food combines with oxygen to create what in general terms are called free radicals. They are basically unstable oxygen atoms that are looking for something to latch onto. Free radicals in small amounts are fine and in fact are a necessary part of our immune system. However, too many free radicals cause problems which are why our bodies need antioxidants to combat the excessive oxidation. A diet deficient in antioxidants has an increased risk of various cancers, higher cholesterol and eventually heart disease.

If we had perfect diets, lived stress free lives with no pollution then there wouldn't be anything to worry about. Unfortunately, in Western society we live in a toxic environment, are surrounded by stressful events and even the most conscientious of us cannot get the food we need from the grocery store.

By the way, I am not blaming grocery stores. For a variety of reasons the food we eat has lost a great deal of its nutritional value before it actually gets to the shelves. In a Canadian study of 25 staple foods [fruits and vegetables] over a 50 year time frame, it was found that all of them had lost significant portions of their antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients. For instance, potatoes had lost 100% of their Vitamin A. And it's not just potatoes; it is estimated that you would need to eat eight oranges in order to get the same Vitamin A content found in just one of your grandfathers.

Where does green tea fit in?

Green tea has four powerful antioxidants collectively referred to as catechins and they make up about 30% of the weight of the tea. These catechins attack free radicals much more effectively than well known vitamins like A, C and E. Therefore, green tea can be a welcome ally in improving our health.

What about the tablets?

There are several other antioxidants not found in significant amounts in green tea of which the essential amino acid L-Glutathione is the strongest. Individual tablets will work but it is much easier to take a vitamin/nutrient supplement with green tea extract in it. This way you get all the antioxidants that are needed and not just some of them.

This will also lower the number of different pills on your shelf. Fewer pills also mean less risk in overdosing on any one item and causing negative side effects. For example, there is caffeine in green tea which could become a problem if you take too many individual tablets. As in many things in life, balanced is best.