Green Tea to Protect Your Eyes and Eyesight

There are no natural products, which have greater popularity than green tea. Its health benefits seem to be all-encompassing and further evidence for this comes from the science labs almost every day. We know that green tea can prevent cancer, heart disease and diabetes by having a beneficial effect on various tissues in the body. However, the eyes are more specific organs given the types of cells they have and their structure. Hence, it is worth asking whether green tea can be used for protection from eye and eyesight damage.

A recent study, carried out in Japan in early 2010, revealed that the powerful antioxidants in green tea can be affectively absorbed by the eye tissues. The scientists discovered that the highest concentration of catechins was in the retina and the lens, which are more important for vision and more vulnerable, at the same time. Another beneficial effect, which the study revealed, is that the catechins can remain active for some 20 hours after they have reached the eyes.

Generally, this study has confirmed that powerful antioxidants from green tea, such as lutein, zeaxanthin and Vitamins C and E, can exercise their positive effect on the eyes. The catechins combat the free radicals that damage the cells and their DNA. Thanks to their action, common diseases, like glaucoma, can be prevented.

In addition, since the antioxidants have an anti-aging effect, it is possible for them to prevent other types of eye diseases, associated with aging. Once study in Oxford University in the UK has revealed that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a powerful catechin abundant in green tea, reduces the damage from free radicals 10 times better than Vitamin E. The scientists have concluded that EGCG can prevent the degeneration of the retina caused by aging. There is even evidence that green tea can prevent the formation of cataracts in the eye, even though the experiments were carried out on laboratory rats. 

A different study on the benefits of green tea for the eyes concluded that EGCG provides better protection against UV damage. The antioxidant can stimulate the production and activity of retinal pigment epithelial cells, which protect the eye from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. This has a wide range of benefits from better vision to disease protection.

The benefits of green tea for the eyes are many and different. You should not hesitate to enjoy all of them by consuming it on a daily basis.