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Let’s start by explaining what makes green tea green. Green tea leaves have not been subjected to heat or steam, unlike black or oolong teas which must be heated when processed. This means that the antioxidants have not oxidized giving it far more health benefits. The majority of the benefits associated with green tea seem to come from the powerful antioxidants, called catechins, which scavenge your cells for free radicals. Free radicals are known to damage DNA and contribute to such illnesses as cancer, blocked arteries and blood clots.

So it’s easy to see why everyone is interested in something that helps these conditions. We have been talking about these wonderful benefits for many years now and there has been over a decade of research to draw from. Green tea has a lot of use in a healthy, balanced diet.

Green tea originates from China and is associated with many cultures in Asia from Japan and South Korea to the Middle East. More recently it has become widespread in the Western world which black tea was traditionally the tea of choice. Many varieties of the green have been created in these countries where it is grown.

According to a survey released by the United States Department of Agriculture in 2007, the mean content of flavonoids in a cup of green tea is higher than that in the same volume of other food and drink items that are traditionally considered of health contributing nature, such as fresh fruits, vegetable juices or wine. Flavonoids are a group of phytochemicals in most plant products that are responsible for such health effects as anti-oxidative and anticarcinogenic functions. The varieties can differ substantially due to variable growing conditions, processing and harvesting time.

However, there are other ways to get the benefits from Green Tea without drinking it. Since your skin is your body’s largest organ, it naturally absorbs nutrients. And what better way to enhance the function of absorption than to bathe with it? Green Tea is a natural antiseptic which shields our skin from sources of skin cancer, aging and inflammation by reducing free radicals. It provides your skin with elasticity and gives it a more youthful appearance and even contains vitamins A and B2 to combat acne.

So many of the same reasons you drink your tea green can be applied to using it on your skin. If you are one of those people who do not like the taste of green tea, you may want to try it in your next bar of soap and see if you like it better being absorbed through the skin than over the taste buds!

Try it in your next bath and see for yourself!