This drink believed to be good for health... may strain the liver.

I also really like green tea latte..

While the catechin components found in green tea have many benefits...

They say it's dangerous if it's too much.

Consuming more than 300mg of catechin per day may cause liver damage, so you should be careful.

Typically, it is best not to drink more than 4 to 5 cups of green tea a day.

 

Green tea is a familiar health beverage to us. It contains catechin compounds that break down body fat, making it popular among those looking to lose weight. However, consuming more than 300mg of catechin per day can pose a risk of liver damage, so caution is advised.

 

The reason why green tea tastes bitter is due to a component called epigallocatechin gallate, which is a type of catechin. Catechin, a natural antioxidant component and a type of polyphenol, is famous for its effect of breaking down body fat, but it also has many other benefits. The first is its antioxidant property. Reactive oxygen species produced as byproducts during the body's oxygen metabolism process are highly reactive and react with various components in the body, causing disturbances. The most common example is cell damage. Catechin helps activate antioxidant enzymes, reducing reactive oxygen species.

It is also reported to have anticancer effects. Cancer cells grow rapidly, but catechins act on the G1 phase regulatory enzymes of the cell cycle to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. In breast cancer, they reduce the amount of the inflammatory substance MMP-9, thereby preventing both the growth and metastasis of cancer cells. They also prevent skin aging by inhibiting the expression of MMPs, enzymes that break down collagen in the dermis.

 

However, excessive intake of catechins can cause liver damage. The causal relationship has not been definitively established, but there are many cases. There was a report in the UK media about a man with no underlying health conditions who took health functional foods containing catechins for two months and developed liver disease. According to the Korea Food Safety Information Service, the number of adverse reactions caused by catechin health functional foods was 122 cases from 2009 to 2018.

The recommended daily intake of catechin is 300mg. Since the catechin content varies depending on the type of green tea or beverage, it is difficult to calculate uniformly, but according to the Gyeonggi-do Institute of Health and Environment, the catechin content in cafe-sold green tea drinks is an average of 263.17 milligrams per liter. Additionally, products sold in supermarkets contain an average of 61.99 milligrams per liter.

Japan recommends drinking up to 10 cups of green tea per day, while the American nutrition community recommends 4 to 6 cups per day. Green tea contains not only catechins but also caffeine. Drink according to your health condition, but it is advisable to check the catechin content and regulate intake so that it does not exceed 300mg per day.

 

<Source: Health Chosun>