Benefits of Green Tea Extract

A recent study published in The Journal of Medicinal Studies (April 2011) suggests that daily supplementation with green tea extracts may boost mental alertness and enhance memory. Researchers who conducted the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in Korea concluded that a combination of green tea extract with L-theanine “should be considered a potential nutraceutical candidate for enhancing cognitive performance.”1

Studies have already shown the positive impact green tea extracts may have on cognitive health, but another component of green tea called L-theanine, an amino acid, is believed to function as a relaxant, helping to reduce stress and improve sleep quality at an effective dose (between 100-200 mg/day). The benefits that a combination of green tea extracts and L-theanine may provide for improving mental health is the subject of numerous research studies. Such studies continue to spur a booming market growth for green tea extracts. Since a health-benefiting dose of L-theanine cannot be obtained from drinking freshly brewed tea green, business owners like you can tap into the market for cognitive health supplements by manufacturing well-formulated green tea supplements with the help of an experienced supplement manufacturer.

Green Tea Benefits
The benefits of green tea range from its potential role in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease, certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, improving oral health to its thermogenic properties that make it an effective weight loss ingredient. Green tea is also known to help the body regulate healthy glucose levels. Green tea extracts are popularly used in topical applications to protect the skin from UVA and UVB. Studies also show that green tea is anti-viral and anti-bacterial and thus may help strengthen the immune system.2

All types of teas originate from one plant called camellia sinensis. The difference in each—black, white, oolong or green tea—is due to their processing. Because green tea is steamed rather than fermented it has high antioxidant potency and is of particular interest to health-conscious consumers. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the major antioxidant component of green tea associated with imparting green tea’s distinct health benefits. Other polyphenols include epicatechin gallate, and epicatechin. About 30 to 40 percent of water-extractable polyphenols are found in green tea, while black tea contains only 3 to 10 percent.3

A Growing Market for Green Tea Products
The fact that more Americans are incorporating green tea into their lifestyles is reflected in data figures recorded from 2005 to 2008, which show an increase in new green tea product launches, according to Packaged Foods. Sales of green tea products rose 32 percent from 2005 to 2009 reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2 percent. Due to the economic downturn, new product launches recorded a 14 percent decline in 2009 but since then there has been resurgence as the economy grows more stable and consumer interest continues to widen.4

There is growing consumer interest in green tea products amongst the untapped 76 million baby boomers (representing 28 percent of the population) target market.5 According to Frost & Sullivan, the market for green tea extracts, was valued at $44 million in 2008, and is expected to grow 13 percent subsequently over the next seven years.6

Popular Green Tea Products for Manufacturing
The most popular green tea products include an assortment of green tea beverages. With corporate giants like Coca-cola, PepsiCo and Nestle involved in the production of ready-to-drink (RTD) green tea beverages, the image of green tea as a functional ingredient imparting multiple health benefits will become more solidified, thus driving the overall market growth for green tea products.

Green tea provides a value-added feature to any beverage product, an important factor to consider as more people are purchasing beverages based on their nutritive profile and potential benefits for health. In an online poll of 2,600 adults conducted by Packaged Facts in February 2009, 80 percent of those polled indicated they purchased beverage products based on their nutritional benefits. Poll results showed green tea as one of the top 3 beverage choices, after orange juice and cranberry juice. Other RTD green tea beverages include hybrid tea products such as sparkling water, energy drinks and superfruit juices. According to Packaged Facts, pomegranate, acai, blueberry, cranberry and goji are the more popular choices in the superfruit-tea category.7

Green tea can be sold as fresh or dried tea leaves (loose or packaged tea bags), as herbal teas or tisanes. Popular infusions include chamomile and lavender (both are relaxants), echinea (immune booster), ginger and peppermint (both are digestive aids) and roobios (a sedative, anti-allergen and digestive aid).8-12

Green tea pills or green tea liquids contain a more concentrated form of green tea than any other product on the market. These offer condensed green tea nutrition in a more convenient form. Liquid concentrates are popular and provide a convenient way for consumers to use green tea in diverse ways. Green tea concentrates can be added to water, any fruit drink or recipe.

Green tea is anti-microbial and studies indicate it may support oral health.13 Mints and gums are popular delivery forms for maximizing this green tea function.

Beauty products. Because green tea offers protection against photo-aging, it is a popular ingredient in topical applications. Green tea is found in shampoos, facial cleansers, body washes, and creams.

Make Your Green Tea Product Stand Out!

One way to make a green tea product that has the potential to stand out in the marketplace is to partner with an experienced nutraceutical manufacturer who has a GMP-certified facility. Nutraceutical manufacturers who hold a proven track record for manufacturing high-quality supplements can easily help you produce exceptional green tea products that can meet the health needs of your target market. Contract manufacturers offering customizable nutraceutical manufacturing solutions can provide unique, cost-effective advantages! With so many good things going for green tea, this may be the perfect time for any nutraceutical manufacturer to position the launch of a new green tea supplement!

References:

1. A Combination of Green Tea Extract and l-Theanine Improves Memory and Attention in Subjects with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study Journal of Medicinal Food Volume 14, Issue 4, Pages 334-343
2. Green tea, University of Maryland School of Medicine, umm.edu/altmed/articles/green-tea-000255.htm
3. Green tea, black tea and breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies, Carcinogenesis vol.27 no.7 pp.1310–1315, 2006. carcin.oxfordjournals.org/content/27/7/1310.full.pdf
4. Tea and Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Teain the U.S.: Retail, Foodservice and Consumer Trend, December 2009, Packaged Facts, scribd.com/doc/54511543/28/Green-Tea-Still-Seeing-Plenty-of-Action.
5. Age Data of the United States, U.S. Census Bureau, census.gov/population/www/socdemo/age/general-age.html)
6. European Green Tea Extracts (GTE) Markets, February 2008, Frost & Sullivan
7. Tea and Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Teain the U.S.: Retail, Foodservice and Consumer Trend, December 2009, Packaged Facts, scribd.com/doc/54511543/28/Green-Tea-Still-Seeing-Plenty-of-Action.
8. Ginger: history and use, Adv Ther. 1998 Jan-Feb;15(1):25-44. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10178636
9. Complementary and Alternative Medicine Modalities for the Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Facts or Myths? Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2010 November; 6(11): 705–711. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3033541/
10. South African herbal teas: Aspalathus linearis, Cyclopia spp. and Athrixia phylicoides--a review, J Ethnopharmacol. 2008 Oct 28;119(3):376-412. Epub 2008 Jun 22. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18621121
11. Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future, Mol Med Report. 2010 November 1; 3(6): 895–901. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/.
12. Biological activities of lavender essential oil, Phytother Res. 2002 Jun; 16(4):301-8. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12112282.
13. Genomics and proteomics of immune modulatory effects of a butanol fraction of echinacea purpurea in human dendritic cells, BMC Genomics 2008, 9:479doi:10.1186/1471-2164-9-479. biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/9/479.