Catechins: what is it, benefits and harms to the body, where are they found

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-02 16:12

Catechins - what is it? Most likely, such a question will come to the mind of everyone who comes across this term. But really, what is this substance? At first glance, it seems that this is some kind of chemical compound or even animals of a species that has never been seen before. And sometimes it looks like something out of science fiction. In reality, everything is not so transcendental, and this term is directly related to plants.

General information about the substance

Catechins are phenolic compounds of organic origin. These substances have a rather strong antioxidant effect and are actively involved in the metabolism of plants.

In addition, they belong to the group of flavonoids and can be part of a number of vegetables, fruits, berries. Specifically, these are:

• Green and white tea.
• Bananas.
• Apples.
• Cherry.
• Quince.
• Strawberries.
• Plum.

According to somescientists, especially a lot of this substance in high-quality dark chocolate. There it is twice as much as in berries. Green tea catechins have their own chemical formula - C₁₅H₁₄O_6.

Something else about catechins

Catechins owe their name to a variety of acacia that grows in Pakistan and India. From the wood of this plant, locals prepare an extract called catechu. The substance of organic origin has a colorless crystalline structure. At the same time, its uniqueness is due to its high antioxidant properties - 50 times higher than that of vitamin E, and twenty times higher than those of vitamin C.

Green tea (27%) and cocoa beans have the highest concentration of catechins among all other products. In classic black tea, which most people love even more than its green varieties, the content of these substances is no more than 4%. Maybe that's why green tea is revered by many connoisseurs as a he althy product?

To delve deeper into the essence of what catechins are, you should pay attention to where else they were found. In particular, these are representatives of berry and fruit crops:

• apricots;
• pears;
• nectarines;
• blackberry;
• raspberries;
• cranberry.

There are also other sources - red wine, raisins, rhubarb, barley.

The value of green tea

What properties does green tea have that it is considered a truly unique and useful product forhuman body? This drink contains four main components of catechin:

1. EC.
2. ECg.
3. EGC.
4. EGCg (epigallocatechin gallate).

If you drink one cup of green tea a day, you can saturate your body with polyphenols in an amount of 10 to 40 mg. The strengthening properties of this drink have been known to mankind since ancient times. It is no coincidence that in China, green tea was valued as a medicine by many residents for quite a long period of time. Apparently they knew very well about catechins - what they are and what they are for.

As for the chemical composition, it is very diverse: about 300 compounds have been discovered, and many of them have not yet been studied. Green tea includes 17 varieties of amino acids, vitamins PP, A, K, E, C, as well as group B (B1, B2) and many others.

In order for tea to bring as many benefits as possible, it is important to brew it correctly. To do this, you must use a heated ceramic kettle, the water must be 90 ° C and no more. You should also consider the ratio - 1 teaspoon to 1 glass of water. Steep for 2 to 3 minutes, no more.

Chocolate Feature

Many people know about the benefits of green tea, although not everyone likes this truly valuable and he althy drink. What can not be said about chocolate - not every sweet lover guesses about its useful qualities.

The name of the tree that bears cocoa fruit (Theobroma cacao), translated from Greekas "food of the gods". At the time when the Aztecs lived, and this was about 30 centuries ago, these fruits were used as currency. Even then, people made a drink out of them and used it not only as a treat: for many it was a medicine. With the help of this drug, it was possible to reduce fever or cure skin diseases. That is, what it is - catechins, mankind knew many centuries ago.

Currently, many people refer to chocolate as "sweet aspirin". And all thanks to its property to thin the blood, relieve sore throat. In addition, using this wonderful product, familiar from ancient times, you can prevent the formation of cholesterol in the blood vessels.

But for most of us, this delicacy is especially appreciated due to its wonderful taste and ability to cheer up. Chocolate not only helps to activate the production of endorphins, which we know as the hormone of happiness, but also contains a lot of other equally useful substances. According to its chemical composition, it contains:

• Antioxidants: polyphenols, catechins, flavonoids.
• Antidepressants: serotonin, phenylethylamine, tryptophan.
• Magnesium.
• Potassium.
• Calcium.
• Phosphorus.
• Fluorine.

However, it should be remembered that its daily intake should not exceed 30 g, which is comparable to a third of a bar.

Several side effects

Without a doubt, the benefits of catechins in green tea cannot be underestimated. Any serious side effectsThis drink does not have any effects, however, it contains caffeine. And here it is just dangerous in case of an overdose. Its excessive amount causes attacks of nausea, vomiting, dizziness, lethargy, muscle tremor. Due to the excess of EGCG, the action of a number of drugs is suppressed. In particular, we are talking about anticoagulants (warfarin).

Today, dietary supplements with the inclusion of EGCG are on sale. In addition to the mentioned compound, their chemical composition is supplemented by other plant components. It could be theobromine, willow bark extract, and yohimbine.

It seems that such a combination should enhance the beneficial effects, dietary in particular. But on the other hand, this also implies the presence of a number of additional side effects.

Dietary effect of green tea

Catechins - what is it for a person? For those who are still not in the know, a weighty and scientifically proven argument can be made: under the influence of these substances, you can lose weight. How does this happen? The thing is that thanks to these substances, the human body is forced to spend more energy. Thus, there is an increase in the consumption of nutrients that contribute to its production. In other words, one's own stored fat is consumed, as a result of which a person loses weight.

According to some reports, with regular use of green tea with catechins (within acceptable limits, of course), weight loss can be accelerated by up to 60%. In particular, the catechins in this diet drink promote the absorption of belly fat.

Epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCg, has been suggested by some scientists at the University of Chicago to act on hunger hormones, thereby reducing appetite.

As for the mentioned hormones that control hunger, there are 8 of them:

1. Insulin is a "storekeeper".
2. Leptin is a satiety hormone.
3. Ghrelin is the hunger hormone itself.
4. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) gives a feeling of fullness of food.
5. Cholecystokinin - satiety hormone.
6. YY peptide controls appetite.
7. Neuropeptide Y stimulates appetite, increases carbohydrate cravings.
8. Cortisol is the stress hormone.

How exactly EGCg affects these hormones is still a big mystery for many scientists.

Other observations of pundits

For the full and proper functioning of neurons in the human brain, it is necessary to have a special protein, which has a very sonorous name - brain-derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF. Its amount in people forced to live with HIV (PLHIV) is significantly reduced. For this reason, these patients may have HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders and are more prone to depression.

Now we mention one more argument in favor of the fact that you should think about where the catechins are found. Scientists have made a discovery that the production of the BDNF protein increases under the influence of catechins, in particular, epicatechin and EGCg. To do this, they had to study more than 2 thousandvarieties of substances, including those of plant origin and medicinal analogues, that are approved for use. At the same time, 9 types of substances had a connection with epicatechin, which is abundant in cocoa beans and green tea leaves.

Other studies are no less interesting and striking. For example, 18,000 people from China took part in one of them. Some of them regularly consumed tea rich in catechins. According to the results, it turned out that those people who drank a healing drink, thereby reducing the risk of developing stomach cancer by 50% (than those who drank it rarely or completely refused it).

At the same time, during another study, which was conducted in the Netherlands and which involved 120 thousand people, no connection was found between the beneficial properties of catechins and the development of cancerous tumors.

Metabolic Syndrome

The term metabolic syndrome should be understood as a whole complex of hormonal and clinical disorders. In fact, the following are the fundamental factors leading to the development of various pathologies:

• cardiovascular disease;
• diabetes;
• high cholesterol;
• high blood pressure.

Catechins in foods, berries or tea, and in this case, provide invaluable assistance, preventing serious changes in metabolism. These substances help increase insulin sensitivity and reduce oxidative stress.

Osteoporosis

Every year, the bone structure tends to thin, causing the bones to become porous and therefore more brittle. This happens in the human body under the influence of oxidative processes. Due to the fact that catechins have powerful antioxidants, the action of free radicals is neutralized.

Ultimately, with these substances in the body, the risk of developing diseases that are usually associated with brittle bones is markedly reduced.