Tea and catechin

The tart taste of tea, like the taste of green olive, is from poly-phenol. The main ingredient of poly-phenol is catechin, which consists of EC, C, CG, EGC, GCg and EGCg. Catechins are powerful antioxidants to block the transformation of normal cells into cancerous tumor cells. Studies also show that catechins inhibit the breakdown of fats as well as the production of an inflammatory substance that can trigger hunger. One study shows that drinking three glasses of green tea a day can contribute to reduce body wight and waist circumference by almost five percent in three months.

All teas contain catechins but those cropped in the spring have the highest content, comparing 16% of catechins in a spring tea and 10% of catechins in an autumn tea. The area that has greater temperature drop during the night produces tea with higher catechin content too. Catechins are dissoluble in water and will not affected by water temperature.