There is around 50mg to 100mg of EGCG in each cup of tea but the content is much higher for green tea extracts.
More and more of my clients are becoming interested in the health benefits offered by EGCG. This is why they often ask me to explain how much EGCG is in green tea as well as the extracts. Well, there is a lot to learn!
In this post, I will show you the average amounts, the dosage you should be taking, and some dos and don’ts of indulging in this nutrient. Let’s begin!
Contents
There are two different ways that you can get EGCG.
The natural way is by drinking a cup of tea.
Then, there are green tea extracts. These are a more concentrated form of green tea.
As such, it tends to have a higher level of EGCG.
Let’s compare the exact EGCG content of these two substances.
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It should be noted that the EGCG content can vary in green tea.
This can be due to the quality of the tea, water temperature, and even brewing time.
On average, though, you can expect to find around 50 to 100mg in each cup of green tea.
The EGCG in green tea extracts can vary quite a bit from one brand to another as well.
However, you will often find that the dosage is quite high – anywhere from 500mg to 1000mg.
Now, considering the health benefits of EGCG, you would imagine that more is better, right?
Well, not exactly.
It is important to follow a proper dosage, even with this wondrous compound.
Most experts would advise you to take no more than 338mg of EGCG a day.
EGCG has a wide range of benefits for the human body.
This is due to the fact that this compound has more complex interactions than most people anticipated.
In addition to an antioxidant effect, EGCG also:
In more basic terms, this means that EGCG may have the following advantages for your health:
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There is research to show that EGCG can protect your body from various types of cancer.
This is because, to a large extent, the development of cancer has been linked to oxidative stress and inflammation.
These are two issues that EGCG tackles rather well. Naturally, regular consumption of the component can reduce your risk quite a bit.
It also appears that EGCG is great for tackling existing tumors.
Certain studies have shown that this component can inhibit growth, reduce the size of tumors, and prevent migration of cancerous cells.
As mentioned, EGCG is great for dealing with inflammation in the body.
Due to this, it can help to prevent of manage a number of medical conditions that stem from chronic inflammation.
These conditions include, but aren't limited to, arthritis and diabetes.
For individuals who have already been diagnosed with diabetes, EGCG can still have a positive impact.
For one thing, evidence shows that improves glucose tolerance as well as increasing glucose-stimulated insulin secretion.
It could also improve the function of your pancreas.
EGCG has been shown to have an anti-obesity effect.
This is due to the fact that it can increase fat oxidation.
As such, individuals consuming EGCG on a regular basis may find it easier to burn fat and lose weight.
EGCG can help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease through the following mechanisms:
In turn, this can prevent hypertension, atherosclerosis, ischemic heart diseases, congestive heart failure, and more.
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So, this means that green tea extract has a much higher dosage than recommended.
Thus, you may be wondering, is EGCG safe at high doses?
No, it isn't.
At higher levels, you begin to approach EGCG toxicity.
If you continue to consume the extracts at such high levels, you could do significant damage to your liver.
Thus, to avoid green tea extract dangers, you need to carefully monitor your intake and never exceed the recommended dosage.
The good news is that you don’t have to resort to green tea extracts if you don’t want to.
You can actually select green tea that has a higher level of EGCG.
If this is something that you are interested in, then you should pay attention to the following factors:
There is a good chance that you haven’t really thought about tea species.
However, scientists have discovered that the Camellia Sinensis var. Sinensis has more antioxidants.
For this purpose, you should specifically look for teas that have been grown in Japan and China.
Speaking of Chinese tea, look for teas that have been grown in the Zhejiang Province.
This area is perfect for tea plants, allowing them to grow splendidly.
In turn, these have a higher number of catechins.
Some types of green tea like Gyokura and matcha are actually grown in the shade for a certain period of time.
On average, these plants have more catechins are considered to be healthier.
This is largely to do with the fact that the plants are forced to get their nutrients from nitrogen-rich soil instead of sunlight.
Teas can be processed in one of two ways – pan fried or steamed.
Steamed teas have been found to have more catechins than their pan fried counterparts.
You will often find that steamed tea is more common in Japan than in other regions. Thus, you may want to opt for green tea grown and processed there.
You should be warned that the steamed green tea has a more vegetal flavor that may take some getting used to.
First harvest teas may be sought after, but it is second harvest teas that have a greater number of catechins.
Not sure how to tell the difference? Well, most green teas are from the second harvest.
If a particular brand is offering first harvest tea, it will certainly mention it.
Not to mention, this kind of tea tends to be more expensive as well as it is a premium product.
So, first things first – what is EGCG?
Well, EGCG belongs to a group of phenolic compounds known as catechins.
EGCG is the most abundant catechin in green tea.
This compound functions as a potent antioxidant. This means that it prevents oxidative stress in the body.
As a result, EGCG is actively responsible from preventing cell and tissue damage.
So, this is what you need to know about the EGCG content in green tea as well as green tea extracts. Make sure that you use this information to consume a safe and healthy amount.
This will help you to enjoy the health benefits while simultaneously reducing the risks of any side effects.
If you enjoyed this post, you should head over to our Pinterest page. We have plenty of more posts on green tea and tea-related health benefits. As you can imagine, there is lots to learn!
