Natural Green Tea

Benefits of green tea

2008-06-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

For fortune-tellers, gazing into tea leaves reveals the future. For tea-drinkers, the leaves of certain teas may be harbingers of a healthier future. Aside from herbal or fruit-infused teas, most teas come from the leaves of the same tea bush, Camellia sinensis. The benefit of each kind of tea from the Camellia sinensis depends upon when and where the leaves are harvested and how their properties are brewed or extracted. To get to the truth about tea, we need to gaze into the leaves a bit, too. Is any other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits as green tea? The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression. In her book Green Tea: The Natural Secret for a Healthier Life, Nadine Taylor states that green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years. Since old times, Chinese are using green tea health benefits as medicine to treat everything from simple headaches to depression. Today, many scientific researches have provided enough evidence for the health benefits of the green tea drinking. To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:

cancer
rheumatoid arthritis
high cholesterol levels
cariovascular disease
infection
impaired immune function

Read the leaves: Green tea reigns as the current health superstar of teas. Young leaves of the Camellia sinensis bush are harvested to make green tea, then steamed, dried, and rolled. When brewed, the leaves yield a delicate, grassy flavour. Tons of varieties exist, infused with different flavours, like fruit or toasted rice. Some kinds are handled differently, as with the "gunpowder" variety, in which the leaves are rolled into balls that look like gunpowder pellets used in cannons.

Harvest the benefits: Tea from the Camellia sinensis family contain catechins, a type of antioxidant that can protect cells in the body from oxidative damage that may lead to cancers. Because it goes through less processing than other tea types, green tea contains a higher amount of a certain kind of catechin called EGCG.

EGCG is at the heart of numerous scientific studies researching green tea's potential medical uses and health benefits. Some of its suspected uses include:

helping to maintain healthy weight
slowing the growth of some cancers and lowering risks of others
reducing inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
reducing the risk of death from cardiovascular disease

Is all this a tempest in a teacup? Can green tea live up to all of its hype? Most people don't drink enough to get the kinds of results seen in research studies, in which highly dense extracts of green tea may be used. Still, risks of cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer were found to be drastically reduced when people drank 5 cups per day (one cup of green tea provides 20-35 mg of EGCG). Drinking 5 cups of green tea each day may work for some, but even one or two a day may give you some of the green tea benefits.

What makes green tea so special?

The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Let these ideas steep

Keep the following in mind as you decide whether to add some tea to your days:

Tea may contain less caffeine than coffee, but it is caffeine nonetheless. Caffeine has been linked to high blood pressure and can trigger symptoms of conditions, including heartburn and headaches.
The tannins in tea may interfere with or decrease the effectiveness of some medications. Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether your medications can mix with green tea.
The tannins may also hinder iron absorption.
Women who are pregnant should not drink large amounts of green tea. EGCG can interfere with neural tube development.
Mixing tea with citrus may up its antioxidant strength.
To get the most of tea's benefits, drink it freshly brewed, rather than bottled. Let tea steep for a few minutes to release the catechins.

Green Iced Tea diet - is it so helpful?

2007-07-19T15:23:00.001-07:00

Tea is the most commonly consumed beverage in the world after water. Green Tea, in particular. If you need to grab a drink when you're out, Green Ice Tea of any brand is the most convenient option. But there are some problem.

There's good evidence that Green Tea can be good for your health, but a bottle of iced tea is just another soft drink. Iced tea isn’t as healthy as it’s sometimes cracked up to be. First of all, ready-made Green Tea contains much lower levels of flavonoids than freshly brewed tea because it’s made from Green Tea extract, not from fresh brewed Green Tea. For example Lipton Ice Tea Green (made from Green Tea extract) contains 170mg of flavonoids per 500ml bottle and you'd get about 700mg of flavonoids from the same quantity of freshly brewed Green Tea. So you can’t get the same health benefits from iced tea diet as from a traditional cuppa.

The second problem is the plenty of sugar most brands do contain. All the brands of bottled Green Tea are heavily sweetened with either sugar or artificial sweeteners. It ranges from 7 to 11 or even more teaspoons of sugar per 500ml bottle. It’s not useful for your teeth and specially for your weight. If that's not enough some brands offer a diet Green Tea version sweetened with aspartame and ace-k. So you don’t enjoy pure Green Tea because of enjoying the very subtle flavor.But Green Tea is very good without sweetener of any kind and if you get real good tea (imported from China or Japan) you don't need to put anything else in it to make it taste better.

Is green tea good for loosing weight

2007-07-18T15:19:00.001-07:00

As you know, flour products make fat, and butter as well. And if you eat burgers full of fat on a daily basis it is not going to make you slim. Nothing beats a bit of exercise and a balanced diet (fruit, vegetable, some meat and Green Tea of course). But I think the problem is the term "diet". It must be lifestyle. A person has to live a lifestyle that is healthy. It may take awhile to change lifestyles but it is worth it. Sometimes, one of thing make us to change. That was Green Tea for me.

I drink Green Tea every day prefering the diet lipton Green Tea with citrus flavors. Lipton Green Tea “Naturally contains protective antioxidants,” says the box. This is important because antioxidants can help the body protect itself against free radicals-molecules that can damage cells, I’ve been wrote about it early. I’ve something to add to benefits of Green Tea. Drinking this beverage, helps cleanse your digestive system. Green Tea, also helps lower your cholesterol levels, and helps lower the amount of fat absorbed by your stomache.
So Green Tea is good for weight loss. But how many cups would you need to drink a day to help you lose weight? It depends on your physic and the nature of your body. Start it with two per day one in the morning and one in evening… It would work.

Green Tea Sorbet (dessert lipton Green Tea recipe)
- 2 cups boiling water
- 8 Lipton Green Tea Tea bags
- 2 cups water
- 1-1/4 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup dark corn syrup
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice

In Teapot, pour boiling water over Tea bags. Cover and brew 5 minutes. Remove Tea bags and squeeze. In medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water and sugar to a boil and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in Tea, corn syrup and lemon juice. Pour into metal bowl; cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour. Process in ice cream machine according to manufacturer's directions. Makes 1 quart.

Compare health benefits of Green tea and Black tea!

2007-07-17T14:11:00.001-07:00

There are mainly 4 types of teas...

1.Green

2. Black

3. White

4. Oolong (all come from same botanical source camellia sinensis)

Green tea is steamed and dried. Black tea is further fermented in which it is broken down chemically before drying, making it processed of all..! The less the tea is processed ,the less is caffeine and the more is anti-oxidants and nutrients. Black tea has caffeine twice as much as green.

Health Benefits of green tea are as follows..

1. Because of anti-oxidants it strengthens your immune system and elevate your overall state of health. Antioxidants act as antidote and control the impact of pollution,pesticides and stress on our body. They also fight the growth of cancer cells,limit tissue damage and rejuvenate after treatment like chemotherapy.

2. It lowers cholestrol, de-clogs blood vessels and reduces the risk of heart disease and strokes.

3.It helps you to loose weight by increasing metabolism.4. It is pleasant for teeth and bones and also has nutrients like magnesium, potassium, calcium, manganese and vitamins C and K.

Remember! - Four to six cups of green tea will keep a doctor away.. Lets drink it to our health!

Risks and Benefits of Green Tea

2007-07-17T13:36:00.001-07:00

For those who are into health, there are always new found ways to improve and add onto what is available to you. Some of these are new mixtures that have been scientifically proven to be beneficial to your living. Others, however, are ancient extracts that can be used for you to improve your healthy lifestyle. One of the well known mixtures comes from green tea. When you are looking at this particular drink, you will want to make sure that you understand the risks and benefits of green tea.
Green tea has been used in China for over 4,000 years as a regular drink for most. While it has stayed a complimentary drink for most who follow a green tea diet, others have looked into the reasoning why. Today, there are variations of scientific proof that show how this drink contains risks, despite its many benefits. The health benefits range from helping with mild symptoms to preventing severe symptoms from occurring.
For example, one study indicated that drinking green tea reduced risks of cancer of the esophagus. It was later found that it has a specific element that reduces the growth of cancer cells. For those who were drinking green tea on a regular basis, it was eliminating this type of cancer by up to sixty percent, a highly significant ratio for the people that were studied.
This is only one of several benefits that come as part of drinking this miracle in a cup. Arthritis and problems with joints are often lowered by drinking this herbal remedy on a continuous basis. Beyond this, green tea is known to be a great detoxifier for all parts of the body. Everything from the immune system to the circulation system is affected in a positive manner by drinking this tea. Of course, it can not be forgotten that if you have high cholesterol levels, green tea may be effective in helping to maintain the good cholesterol while getting rid of the bad cholesterol.
The health benefits of green tea does not stop there. This particular tea is made up of elements that help to balance out the body's functioning. For those that are overweight, the tea will burn more calories than other types of caffeinated drinks. Green tea also works on taking away bacteria that can cause problems such as food poisoning or plaque. If you want to get rid of things in your system, as much as add on, then this particular tea can help.
The major risks from green tea, aside from the several benefits, are mostly related to the amount of caffeine in the drink. For some, they may be sensitive to this, and it may cause hyperactivity, anxiety, or insomnia. However, it should be kept in mind that there are only about thirty milligrams of caffeine, much less than a pop or coffee. So you could argue the caffeine in green tea is a minimal risk to your health though it is a risk for some.
If you are looking for a healthy drink, outside of water, then you can first look into the risks and benefits of green tea. By understanding the large amount of benefits that this natural compound offers, you will have the ability to balance out different elements in your body, and will begin to live healthier inspite of the drink's minimal health risks. At every toast, you can lift your cup to green tea.

7 Reasons to drink Green Tea

2007-07-03T15:08:00.001-07:00

Want to enhance your health in surprising ways? Drink green tea.
We're not talking about a new health discovery here. This beverage has been used for housands of years by the Chinese. It has proved itself for centuries as worthy of being included in our diet for its health properties.

Not only has this drink been endorsed for ages, but modern
science also has discovered astonishing facts about what it may be able to do for your health.

There are a lot more benefits to drinking green tea than are listed below, but here are seven:

1. Drink it to help shed extra pounds.
A study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in November, 1999, is encouraging. It shows that this drink may enable people to burn more calories.

2. This ancient brew may help combat signs of aging.
That's because it contains large amounts of vitamins E and C which are antioxidants. Antioxidants have the reputation of being able to combat free radicals that damage cells.
Cancer, heart attacks and diabetes can result from damaged cell membranes.
In April, 1999, researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland revealed that green tea may ease the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

3. This drink may help asthma sufferers.
Because it contains theophylline (a muscle relaxant), it can help the muscles surrounding bronchial tubes to relax. This helps asthma sufferers to breathe with less restriction.

4. Green tea may help lower blood pressure.
High blood pressure makes you susceptible to heart attack and stroke. This ancient brew may also keep blood clots from forming.

5. Green tea has been reported to help in the fight against cancer.
Doctors from the prestigious Mayo Clinic found that green tea extract given to four leukemia patients seemed to help three of them experience regression of the disease. And even
the fourth patient showed some improvement. The reason the doctors tried green tea extract is that a 2004 test tube study showed that leukemia cells were killed by the
extract.

By the way, in Japan there are fewer reported cancer deaths.
Could it be because the Japanese drink a lot of green tea?

6. Drinking this beverage my help lower cholesterol.
Lowering cholesterol with no side effects has been reported in studies using green tea. Your ability to fight heart disease and ward off stroke is tied in with your cholesterol count.

7. This brew may help your body fight infections.
The New York Times reported in April of 2003 that the immune system's ability to fight disease may be strengthened by drinking green tea. Microbiologist Milton Schiffenbauer,
professor at Pace University (New York) stated, "Our research shows tea extracts can destroy the organism that causes disease. If we can stimulate the immune system and at the same time we are destroying the organisms then it makes sense to drink more tea."
Now that you've learned 7 ways green tea has been shown to help your health, why not give it a place in your daily diet? It's not a magic cure, but this proven ancient beverage may just help you to be healthier.

Green Tea and Weight Loss

2007-06-27T14:06:00.001-07:00

So, what can green tea contribute to staying slim and fit? Does it really trim down one's figure?

Conscious individuals oftentimes get annoyed with sagging fats and protruding bellies. The media has made known a myriad of fat loss supplements, diet pills, and some sorts of exercise routines. But do you know the miracles caused by all-natural green tea?

People try a lot of methods to lose weight. There are exercises, the restriction of food intake, the aid of diet pills, and other supplemental items. Why not make drinking green tea a part of the routine?

When taken on a regular basis, the benefits of green tea in terms of weight loss become visible. When on a mode of diet, green tea heightens its deliberation of antioxidants. Green tea itself is a fat-burner, augmenting one's metabolic rate; therefore, burning more calories is expected to take place. The catechins present in the green tea work to lessen the cholesterol and lower the body fat levels.

Those who utilize green tea and a healthy diet for weight loss experience minimal cravings and a more stabilized blood sugar level.

Preparation

Pick tea leaves that are small and loose to let out a fast-paced infusion. However, the most common way to prepare green tea is with the use of teabags. In cases as such, the dieter needs to dip the teabag on a constant basis so that a higher amount of polyphenols will be infused onto the drink.

The Use of Sweeteners

Never add sugar, honey, or any other type of sweeter to the green tea. Its effects for weight loss will be naturally reduced.

Dosage and Safety

There is no prescribed dosage of green tea intake for dieters. The number of cups consumed does not affect the benefits of weight loss that the dieter may experience. First-timers may tend to experience jitters, insomnia, or restlessness. This, however, should not be a cause for worry, as these effects soon disappear when the body of the dieter has finally adjusted.

Green tea is a natural supplement that can be employed in weight loss. Medical claims prove the validity of the benefits of green tea in weight loss, so there can be no harm in giving it a try.

Natural Remedy for Acne-The Amazing Green Tea

2007-06-27T13:49:00.001-07:00

The natural healing powers of green tea are well documented. Green tea is unprocessed and is therefore rich in anti-oxidants that protect the body against free radicals. This helps the body guard itself against molecules that can cause DNA damage which can turn cells cancerous. These wonder-chemicals in green tea are the polyphenols and bioflavonoids. Much research has been carried out into other potential benefits of this tea, as well as helping to protect against some types of cancer, it can help fight tooth decay and assist in weight loss and is a mild antiseptic too. Perhaps that explains why there is evidence that it can be used against acne too.

The main group of people who are acne sufferers are teens, but it is by no means limited to them. Menopausal women experience hormone changes and they too can become victims to the dreaded acne. Acne can be a debilitating affliction as it can upset sufferers, creating anxiety or even depression. In extreme cases, acne sufferers are reluctant to leave the home. Not everyone is happy about coating their skin in synthetic chemicals so they seek natural remedies. Green tea can now be added to the list.

Just over 100 acne-ridden subjects were split into two random sample groups. One group was given the usual benzoyl peroxide cream to treat the acne whilst the other group was given 3% green tea extract in a cream base. The group using the green tea extract reported fewer side effects, allergic reactions and skin itching plus a greater complexion increase than the benzoyl peroxide group. The study was carried out at the Memorial Medical Centre in the Philippines.

Unfortunately, there is no independent evidence to corroborate these findings as yet, since this research is quite recent, however, given the fact that green tea contains so many known beneficial compounds, it seems likely that these results could be valid. The other well-known treatment is tea tree oil and there are already herbal products on the market containing a combination of the latter and green tea extract.

Benefit of Green Tea

2007-06-27T13:44:00.001-07:00

The most important thing to learn about green tea is why it has become so popular. It seems everywhere we look we see brand after brand cashing in on the phenomena. In the cooler of every corner store there's at least three or four brands from which to choose. Ask yourself this question: Why? Green tea as a beverage has been available for over five thousand years in the orient. The flavor is definitely good, but has our collective taste changed THAT much in the last five years? I think not. Let's not forget that garlic and several other spices migrated into western culture from the orient.

I think that the west is learning what has been known for a very long time. It's good for you!

Here's a short list of what Green Tea has been credited with:

Weight Loss
Stopping Alzheimer's
Treating cancer
Treating multiple sclerosis
Reducing bad cholesterol count

I could go on, but even if none of these claims are right, it is a very mild, good-tasting, and refreshing drink. Personally, I drink over 20oz a of it a day just because it suits me. We know that it has been around for thousands of years and we can see how popular it's becoming in the increased public awareness of nutritionally responsible foods, why not give it a try? Any brand!