GREEN TEA AT A GLANCE
The origin of green tea from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. The drink is familiar in Japanese and Chinese medicine for centuries. Compared to other types of tea, the processing process of green tea is shorter, so the content of nutrients and antioxidants in it is still maintained. The content of green tea includes antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and anticancer which are good for maintaining a healthy body. Amazingly, this drink is also good for consumption by toddlers and children when they are tired of drinking water.
The antioxidant content in green tea is useful for fighting free radicals that enter the body. Overexposure to free radicals can damage the body’s cells, causing premature aging and dangerous diseases such as cancer. One of the antioxidant content in green tea is catechins. This compound has an important role in stopping the damage to body cells. If consumed regularly, green tea can provide many health benefits.
Green tea is obtained without a fermentation process (enzymatic oxidation), which is made by activating the phenolase enzyme present in the shoots of fresh tea leaves, by withering so that oxidation to catechins (antioxidant substances) can be prevented. Withering is done in two ways, namely by dry air (roasting / roasting) and wet heating with hot (steam). Roasting tea leaves will give a stronger aroma and flavor compared to the application of hot steam. The advantage by means of giving hot steam the color of tea brewing will be brighter green.
WHAT IS CHOLESTEROL
Cholesterol is a fat produced naturally by the liver organs. In the body, cholesterol is necessary to form healthy cells, produce a number of hormones, and produce vitamin D. However, cholesterol can interfere with health if its levels are too high. The condition when cholesterol levels are too high is called high cholesterol. High cholesterol is most often experienced by adults, but it can also be experienced by children. If not treated appropriately, the accumulation of fat, resulting from high levels of cholesterol in the blood, can break and lead to more serious conditions, such as strokes and heart attacks.
DANGERS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL
Cholesterol can be harmful to the body if its levels are too high. A person is at risk of developing high cholesterol or hypercholesterolemia if they have several factors. Some of these factors can be controlled, while others are not. To lower high cholesterol levels, it is recommended to lead a healthy lifestyle. If cholesterol levels do not go down after leading a healthy lifestyle, then it is advisable to get medicines that the doctor recommends. Excessive cholesterol levels need to be addressed. If left unchecked, cholesterol will accumulate in the walls of arterial blood vessels and form plaques, making the arteries narrow. This condition is called atherosclerosis, which if left untreated can block blood flow and cause serious complications such as coronary heart disease, heart attack, kidney disease, peripheral artery disease, stroke and others.
GREEN TEA CAN LOWER CHOLESTEROL
Tea can help lower levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. Tea contains antioxidants that help control and lower cholesterol. Green tea is rich in antioxidants that are good for cholesterol as well as lowering the risk of heart disease. In addition, the content of flavonoids called catechins is able to reduce the absorption of cholesterol from the food consumed. Catechins make the process of cholesterol removal through defecation increase.
WEST SUMATRA TEA
West Sumatra is included in the category of the top five largest tea producers in Indonesia. One of the tea gardens in West Sumatra has a land area of about 2,025 hectares and is the largest garden in the world. Production can reach approximately 4800 tons per year, 10 percent of which is for imports, and 350 kg is white tea production . West Sumatra is usually called the place that has the best standard of tea taste, because it only processes shoots that have three leaves where these shoots have a special subtlety of taste.