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In recent years, green tea has gained a lot of attention for its ability to prevent disease and protect health. The potent anti-oxidant ability of green tea has been shown to prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer.

It has also been shown to regulate blood sugar, which may help control diabetes and aid in weight loss. In addition, green tea has been shown to reduce the signs of aging and help protect the brain from Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Green tea gets its power from its anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are found in many plant sources, and are abundant in many of the fruits and vegetables that we eat, as well as in the tea plant.

However, when tea is fermented, as black tea is, some of these anti-oxidants are compromised, making them less powerful for preventing disease. It is for this reason that doctors typically recommend green tea over black for health benefits.

Anti-oxidants are important because they combat free radicals that are created as a by product of our digestive process. These free radicals cause disease and aging when not neutralized. But, anti-oxidants keep the free radicals in check so that they are not able to harm our bodies. That's why it's important to make anti-oxidants part of your everyday diet.

Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is a great way to get your day's worth of anti-oxidants, as is drinking green tea or taking a green tea supplement. However, the question has arisen about whether supplements and other dietary forms of green tea really have a significant effect on our bodies.

One study, reported by the UK Tea Council examined the effects of both green tea supplements and a large dose of purified EGCG (the concentrated anti-oxidant found in green tea) to see which was most effective on the body.

This study monitored blood concentrations to determine the absorption of the green tea in both forms. The study concluded that green tea supplements and other forms of dietary green tea provided more anti-oxidant activity in the body than directly administered purified green tea.

The reason that the dietary green tea had more effect seemed to be related to the creation of uric acid in the body. When green tea was taken as part of the diet, it creates uric acid, which increases the anti-oxidant activity of the green tea. However, directly administered EGCG did not generate the creation of uric acid, so it reduced the effects of the anti-oxidants.

This is great news for those of us who are actively trying to increase the amount of anti-oxidants in our diet by drinking green tea or taking green tea supplements. It confirms that our body uses the anti-oxidants in green tea quite effectively. We needn*t be concerned about finding specialized ways to get our anti-oxidants; those we get from eating and drinking the right foods are sufficient.

So, just how should you go about getting your anti-oxidants? Well, drinking green tea is a great start. Green tea is available in loose and bag form, and can even be found in bottles today, just like soda * only healthier.

Whether you brew a cup in the morning instead of coffee, or keep a pitcher chilled in the refrigerator, try getting three cups of green tea each day. Experiment with the many flavors available if you don*t like the taste of plain green tea.

If you don*t think you*re getting enough green tea just by drinking it, there are green tea supplements available in the vitamin section of your drug store. They'll help ensure you*re getting enough.

Don*t forget eating a diet rich in anti-oxidants, too. All fresh fruits and vegetables contain some anti-oxidants, but some are better sources than others. Among the best sources are:

* Asparagus
* Artichokes
* Tomatoes
* Red Beans
* Blueberries
* Pomegranates
* Kale

Making these foods part of your regular diet can help you to get a large dose of anti-oxidants each day, and help you live longer and stay healthier. It's one of the easiest things you can do to for your body.

Many of us are concerned about diseases for which we have a strong family history. If there's heart disease or breast cancer in your family, for example, you*re at a greater risk for these diseases than those who have no history of the disease. But, there's nothing you can do to change your family history.

You can, however, minimize your overall risk of a certain diseases with a healthy diet and active lifestyle. A diet that's low in fat and rich in anti-oxidants can go a long way to helping you lower your risk of serious illnesses.

Couple your healthy, high anti-oxidant diet with regular exercise and you have the tools you need to protect your health. Many researchers believe that your lifestyle is far more important to your risk of disease than your family pre-disposition. So, eat and drink up - your health depends on it!