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• Coronavirus explainer: Can drinking green tea help with COVID symptoms?

TrendingLab Grown GoldAishwarya Rai BachchanH-1B Visa 2027Women's Day MessagesMiyazaki MangoIndian Protein BreakfastsMS DhoniSakshi DhoniRashmika MandannaOat and Egg DishesLab Grown GoldAishwarya Rai BachchanH-1B Visa 2027Women's Day MessagesMiyazaki MangoIndian Protein BreakfastsMS DhoniSakshi DhoniRashmika MandannaOat and Egg DishesLab Grown GoldAishwarya Rai BachchanH-1B Visa 2027Women's Day MessagesMiyazaki MangoIndian Protein BreakfastsMS DhoniSakshi DhoniRashmika MandannaOat and Egg DishesCoronavirus explainer: Can drinking green tea help with COVID symptoms?TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Jul 7, 2022, 18:00 ISTShareAA+Text Size

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Green tea has several health benefits, but is treating COVID-19 one of them?

When it comes to health and fitness, for many, green tea is the ultimate solution. From boosting immunity, steering clear of infections to managing one's body weight, drinking tea is said to be extremely beneficial.

But amid COVID-19 pandemic, people are also curious about whether this powerful drink can soothe coronavirus symptoms.

The SARs-CoV-2 virus has caused a lot of distress among people and although the infections have become milder with new emerging variants, the long term effects are as upsetting.

That said, we try to decipher whether drinking green tea can ease your COVID symptoms or even prevent it.

Also read: Coronavirus explainer: Here's everything you should know about COVID reinfections

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Green tea and immune health

One of the most popular beverages of all, green tea has several health benefits. It is known for its potential antioxidant, antiviral and immune-boosting properties, which helps drive off infections and various illnesses.

Green tea is rich in zinc, selenium, copper, vitamin B12 and vitamin B2, which not only increases antibody functions against viral infections, but also stimulates the immune system to combat infections.

Also read: Coronavirus: Unusual symptoms that can tell if you will have long COVID

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Role of immune system in preventing COVID

One of the best ways to combat COVID-19 is by understanding how your immune system responds to the virus.

That said, our body's immune system is divided into two separate systems namely, the innate and adaptive (or acquired) immune systems.

Innate immune system is the first line of defense against viruses, which includes barriers like the skin and layers in our throat or gut, chemicals in our blood, and different immune cells.

On the other hand, the adaptive or acquired immune system helps with the production of antibodies and white blood cells to both attack and remember the virus, also known as B cells, which also helps fight off the virus, if it attacks a second time. This type of immune response is slower and may take days or weeks to generate.

There is also something called the T cells, which are also part of your adaptive immune system. Some of these stimulate B cells to make antibodies, while some others eliminate the cells that have been infected by the virus.

With that brief account of how the immune system functions under a virus attack, we can also determine why some people get more sick than others. Those with asymptomatic or mild infections, both innate and adaptive immune responses seem to work as planned and normally, however, in people who develop a more severe form of infection, experts believe it is due to a weakened immune system.

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Can drinking green tea prevent or cure COVID-19?

According to experts, green tea contains health-promoting polyphenols, such as epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which has anti-viral effects against single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) viruses like Zika, hepatitis C, influenza (flu), dengue, and others, as reported by Healthline.

The SARs-CoV-2 virus is also an ssRNA virus, which is why experts believe green tea could have potential effects on the coronavirus.

A test-tube study found that green tea extracts may fight off COVID-19 infections by damaging the spike protein, curbing its entry into human cells and reducing the overall presence of the virus.

But there is no conclusive study that suggests drinking green tea itself can’t prevent or cure COVID-19. However, concentrated extracts like EGCG can be used as a natural home remedy to treat COVID-19.

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What has research found

A 2021 study published in the journal 'RSC Advances' found that gallocatechin - a compound found in green tea - may help in the development of a drug that can combat SARS-CoV-2.

The research conducted by Dr Suresh Mohankumar, an academician at Swansea University told ANI, "Nature's oldest pharmacy has always been a treasure of potential novel drugs and we questioned if any of these compounds could assist us in battling the Covid-19 pandemic?"

"We screened and sorted a library of natural compounds already known to be active against other coronaviruses using an artificial intelligence-aided computer programme," he added.

The compound that our model predicts to be most active is gallocatechin, which is present in green tea and could be readily available, accessible, and affordable," the researcher explained further.

However, the study author said that more research is needed to prove the same.

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Other benefits of drinking green tea

Packed with nutrients and a potent punch of polyphenols, a type of antioxidants, green tea has several other health benefits besides boosting immunity.

It promotes weight loss, improves brain functions, lowers the risk of certain cancers, benefits cardiovascular health and also helps manage blood sugar levels.

Furthermore, some compounds in green tea may slow down aging and help you live longer.

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