In an interview, Sundeip Bhatia, Business Head - India at SHILPA MEDICARE LTD shares more on wellness with green tea.

The Covid-19 pandemic has made everyone conscious about their health and people too are leaving no stone unturned to become healthy while adapting the “new normal”. Though we all know that the only way to minimise infection is following the guidelines including social distancing, maintaining proper hand hygiene and refraining from touching one’s eyes, mouth and nose but strengthening your immunity also helps in keeping the deadly infection at bay. Your immune system can be strengthened by eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep and exercising daily. Make sure you are eating a diet, which is high in immune-boosting nutrients. It has been seen that our body uses and absorbs nutrients more efficiently when they come from whole food sources like fruits and vegetables, rather than processed foods or supplements. Getting a variety of these foods and nutrients in your diet is essential compared to focusing on just one or two in large quantities.

What are the health benefits of green teas? How does it help to enhance your health? 

If you feel that green tea just a hydrating hot beverage, then you are highly mistaken. Teas are generally rich in polyphenols, a natural compound that have health benefits, such as reducing inflammation and helping to fight cancer. Green tea contains a catechin  called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Catechins are natural antioxidants that help prevent cell damage and provide other benefits. These substances can reduce the formation of free radicals in the body, protecting cells and molecules from damage. These free radicals play a role in aging and many types of diseases. 

Can you please elaborate on EGCG? What more does it add to the green tea? 

EGCG is considered one of the most powerful compounds in green tea. Research has tested its ability to help treat various diseases. It appears to be one of the main compounds that give green tea its medicinal properties. Green tea also has small amounts of minerals that can benefit your health.

Are green teas beneficial for people suffering from chronic respiratory condition on the sidelines of COVID-19? 

Green tea contains chemical Methylxanthine, Theobromine and Theophylline stimulate compounds that will ward off the virus in a human with at least an average immune system. These chemicals are generally used in the treatment of respiratory diseases caused by conditions such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema. Incorporating foods like green tea into our diet will help strengthen our bodies by raising our immune system, which may prevent some illnesses from flaring up. Various research suggest that green tea will help keep illnesses at bay. Speak to your doctor once to see if drinking green tea is a healthy choice for you to incorporate into your diet. Remember, green tea is caffeinated, so drink in moderation or consider buying a decaffeinated version. 

How green tea films are better than the regular thread ones? 

Since green tea leaves are slightly steamed before drying, so the nutrients are preserved intact unlike black tea or any other fermented tea, where many nutrient values get lost in the environment while processing the tea leaves. Even in green tea film, which is an innovation in the green tea industry, nutrients are kept intact in the film and when it comes in contact with the hot water no residual matter is left in the cup. That’s how a person gets to consume all the nutrients present in the tea along with not causing any harm to the environment. 

Can Green Tea help to fight cancer? 

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in India. Studies have shown that oxidative damage can lead to chronic inflammation and this in turn to chronic diseases, including cancers. Antioxidants can help protect against oxidative damage. Green tea is an excellent source of powerful antioxidants. Research has even linked that green tea compounds reduce the risk of cancer like breast, prostate and colorectal cancer. A comprehensive review of observational studies found that women who drank the most green tea's had an approximately 20–30 per cent lower risk of developing breast cancer, one of the most common cancers in women. In Prostate cancer, one study observed that men drinking green tea had a lower risk of advanced prostate cancer. An analysis of 29 studies of Colorectal cancer showed that those drinking green tea were around 42 per cent less likely to develop colorectal cancer.