You must have heard a lot about colon cleansing. Is it something new? Well, you would be surprised to know that it is an ancient practice that became popular in the early 20th century.
However, due to the lack of scientific evidence, it soon faded out. But in the past few years, colon cleansing has re-appeared in the health and wellness world.
Today, it is done with the help of teas, enzymes or colonic irrigation.
Before exploring the connection green tea has with colon cleansing, let us find out what the colon is and what is meant by colon cleansing?
What is the colon?
It is a part of the digestive tract in our body and is referred to as the large intestine or large bowel.
Many people feel that they need to cleanse their colon to get rid of waste stuck on to its walls.
So, they consume laxatives, colon-cleansing supplements, and herbal teas.
Another method is colonic irrigation which involves flushing out the colon with the help of water through the rectum.
Is colon cleansing advisable?
Being part of the digestive tract colon plays a crucial role in how our body utilizes what we eat or drink.
Therefore, what you eat has a great impact on it.
A healthy diet will help protect your colon against colon disorders. These include ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, colonic polyps, anal fissure, and diverticulitis.
And, the deadliest of them, colorectal cancer.
Also, you must know that our body is capable of removing toxins on its own. The main organs that make this possible are the kidneys and liver.
According to the doctors, you don’t need to do any kind of colon cleansing. It may be harmful to the body.
However, the research is limited in this regard. Expecting women and nursing moms should say “NO” to colon cleansing.
Are there any side effects of colon cleansing?
Currently, there is no sufficient information regarding the positive and negative effects of colon cleansing.
Whatever reference material exists comes from those who have tried, faced the side effects and had to seek medical help for the same.
It has been observed that when cleansing is carried out with laxatives, the person can get dehydrated. This may be due to insufficient intake of fluids.
The electrolyte balance of the body is also affected.
Even the colon hydrotherapy procedure leads to a number of after-effects.
Green tea and colon health
Green tea has plenty of health benefits to offer and it definitely has a positive effect on colon health too. It has compounds that combat inflammation and protects the colon from diseases.
Now, before knowing about the green tea compounds that upkeep the colon health, let’s know about the bacteria inside you.
Did you know that your gut is home to 100 trillion good bacteria? They are called probiotics.
Gut bacteria have a pivotal role to play in keeping you healthy. On the other hand, Green tea contains naturally occurring compounds called “polyphenols“.
They are present naturally in all plants and provide massive benefits to your body.
Now, the polyphenols in green tea play the role of prebiotics. They are the substances that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.
In other words, prebiotics is the fertilizers for the friendly bacteria residing in the gut.
It is essential to maintain the diversity of your gut flora.
It helps keep your weight in check, boost your body immunity and keep you mentally fit.
Overall, if your gut health is good, your overall health will be fine.
Coming back to the polyphenol (green tea compound) and gut bacteria (living in your intestines and colon) connection, you would be glad to know that it is more of a give and take relationship.
If you eat good, you give yourself a clean colon.
As already mentioned, polyphenols help promote the growth of friendly bacteria. And in return, the bacteria break down the polyphenols into their bioactive form.
Furthermore, along with increasing good bacteria in the gut, polyphenols help in hampering the growth of disease-causing harmful bacteria.
So, you should always work towards keeping your colon healthy.
Is Green Tea Good or Bad for your Colon?
Green tea can be beneficial or harmful to the colon health depending on the composition of the green tea consumed.
Consumption of green tea that contains a high proportion of caffeine can predispose the colon to several attacks.
This includes diarrhea and constipation.
However, the consumption of green tea with little or no caffeine has proven more beneficial to colon health.
It eliminates some known bowel diseases such as constipation, diarrhea, and even stomach ache.
Numerous scientific studies have shown that consuming two cups of green tea per day can help:
- Eliminate toxins in the body
- Improve brain function
- Increase energy level
- Aid weight loss
- Increase body heat production, and
- Boost the immune system.
Does Green Tea Prevent Colorectal Cancer?
Colon and rectal cancer occur due to the tumorous growth within the large intestine. This usually originates from adenomatous polyps that form the inner wall of the large intestine.
As the name suggests, colon and rectal cancer often occur together due to the close proximity of the colon and rectum.
Health professionals have attributed hereditary, age, race, excessive red meat, and fat intake to increase a person’s risk of colorectal cancer.
However, due to the antioxidants properties of green tea, regular consumption can go a very long way in reducing colon cancer. In the United States, it has been regarded as the third deadliest cancer.
P.S. – There is no precise cure for any type of cancers that colorectal cancer is part of. But there is an actual way to prevent the growth of cancerous cells in the colon and rectum.
One of the ways to achieve this is through green tea.
Green tea contains a considerable amount of polyphenolic compounds such as catechins. These compounds contribute largely to inhibiting the growth within the large intestine.
Furthermore, when some sulphur rich substances are taken together with green tea, they help strengthen the immune system. This prevents colorectal cancer.
An example of such a sulphuric substance is garlic.
Moreover, green tea is considered one of the promising alternatives to some heavy medications that can predispose the colon to other attacks.
With green tea, some of these side effects can be totally avoided.
Final thoughts
Instead of taking the risk of getting your colon cleansed, drink green tea regularly and maintain your colon health.
This way you will be able to detoxify your body naturally. Even doctors don’t recommend colon cleansing.
Make green tea a part of your diet. It is not hard at all and it does not have calories in it.
Drink it plain i.e. without adding honey or any other additive!
Also, in order to get the desired amount of health benefits, it is advised that you consume at least 2 to 3 cups of green tea a day.
Choose a trusted brand and brew your green tea the right way to enjoy maximum health benefits.