GREEN TEA (ANTIOXIDANT): A NOVEL INFUSION

Abstract

Green tea is an evergreen plant named Camellia sinensis, which is an angiosperm of dicot plant. After water, tea is the most consuming beverages in the world. However it is made up of unfermented leaves with minimal processing with low cost, and is herbal aromatic drink. Green tea is quickly preserved and heated to prevent oxidation which contains high concentration of polyphenols. An antioxidant is a compound capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other compounds. It removes and prevents radical intermediate, detoxifies, has antibacterial, antiviral, antinflammatory and anti-ageing effect and prevents tooth decay. Green tea has special component i.e. catechins which may be epigallo catechin gallate (EGCG), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epigallocatechin (EGC) and epicatechin (EC). It is a chemical antioxidant which removes free radical species and chelate transition metals, induction of oxidative stress, induction of apoptosis in tumor cells by leakage of ROS (reactive oxygen species) by mitochondria of the cell. Green tea shows infusion with respect to water, temperature and time, which gives special type of fragrance and flavor. The tea leaves are placed in the hot water and left it to infuse for certain time and after that filtered out. Hereby, different color of tea is produced depending upon the oxidation of the leaves like unoxidized leaves show white color and fully oxidized show black color and semioxidized are green tea. Infusion of tea leaves at different temperatures show different aroma and extract contents. Green tea is an effective super antioxidant and show many health benefits.