Green Tea To Prevent Flu

Drinking a cup of hot green tea which turned out to prevent the flu.

Green tea also has a great ability to block the flu virus. In addition, green tea is also beneficial erode the bad fats and healthier blood vessels and heart.

Scientists from the Department of Drug Evaluation & Informatics, Shizuoka University of Japan who claim the benefits of green tea to control the flu virus. Researchers led by Dr Hiroshi Yamada MD PD involves several nurses at the hospital to test the efficacy of antioxidants in green tea.

A group of nurses are given a pill containing 378 milligrams of catechins (equivalent to 2 cups of green tea) and 210 milligrams of theanine (equivalent to 4 cups). Group of nurses is taking six capsules each day for 5 months, while the other group is given a capsule containing a placebo.

As a result, green tea supplementation is quite significant in improving the body's resistance to flu. Only 4 percent of the group given green tea supplements have the flu, while the other group reached 13 percent.

"Catechin can bind the influenza virus. This can prevent the virus penetrate healthy cells in your body and stop it so as not to become mature, "said Yamada who published his findings in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Theanine is also believed to provide the same protection against the body's immunity, but the researchers are unsure how the mechanism.

Yamada confirmed, to receive the benefits of green tea, you do not need to take in large amounts every day. You can also maximize the usefulness to only drink two cups every day.

To feel the maximum usefulness, Yamada gave a few suggestions:

1. Must be green tea, although other types of tea had higher levels of theanine is not much different, Dr Yamada confirmed that green tea is the most widely contains catechins that would be optimal in preventing the flu. If you do not like green tea, white tea or oolong tea is pretty good choice for an alternative.
2. Buy in bulk. Experts say, in general, tea in bulk form has a concentration of antiflu than tea that has been in the form of bag / bags.
3. Brewed and serve hot. Brewing tea in a longer time and in high temperatures will increase the concentration of catechins, although the original content is difficult to measure. Be sure to brew at least within 1 to 2 minutes at a temperature of 175 degrees Celsius, or 3 to 5 minutes with a temperature of 140 degrees (hot but drinkable).

If you really do not like tea, consider green tea supplements mengomsumsi complex which implies almost the same as in a glass of tea catechins. Research experts from the University of California found that green tea supplements can maintain the positive effects of green tea drinking habits.