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Organic Green Tea: what is it?

April 8th, 2009    Subscribe To Our Feed

Green tea leaves are harvested and dried before they even ferment. This process ensures that organic green tea keeps many of its healthy properties compared to other teas which undergo a lot of processes. Organic green tea produces a fresher and more aromatic flavor that many people love and enjoy. Aside from its taste and aroma, green teas are patronized more for their benefits to the overall condition of the body. They are now included in many diets and are made into diet supplements in the form of pills and extracts as well.

Basic Facts about Organic Green Tea

Men have been drinking organic green tea for over half a million years now. Its medicinal effects have been known by Chinese people long before researches and experiments have been done to prove its benefits. The history of green tea traces back from Asian culture, used as a beverage or an herbal medicine. As a matter of fact, history reports show that organic green tea was used as an astringent before to control bleeding and to help heal wounds.

What Makes Organic Tea Special

Catechin Polyphenols, a powerful antioxidant can be found richly in green tea. The compound is known to kill cancer cells, lowers bad cholesterol levels, and inhibits formation of blood clots. What sets organic green tea apart from other tea like oolong, and black tea is how it is processed. Organic green tea is steamed so its important compounds are not oxidized. Other teas are usually made from fermented leaves which make the beneficial health compounds not as effective as when it is only steamed.

Health Benefits of Green Tea

The popularity of green tea grew with the interest in fitness and healthy lifestyle. Tea contains a group of compounds called Polyphenols which acts as antioxidants to the body. Great benefits like preventing cancer have been proven to come from drinking organic green tea. Aside from that, here are a few more benefits of green tea to the health of a person:

* Prevents flu — Green tea can boost immunity against influenza
* Lowers Blood pressure — Blood pressure can be lowered by 50% by drinking at least two cups of green tea a day
* Cleanses the Digestive System — Tannins in tea cleanses the digestive tract and can calm a troubled stomach
* Aids in Weight Loss — Organic green tea is rich in antioxidants known as catechins which helps reduce the absorption of fats. Metabolism is also increased by drinking a cup to two of green tea everyday
* Dental Health — Cavity is prevented with the aid of fluoride from green tea. Aside from that, antioxidants kill bacteria and thus fresher breathe is obtained
* Bone Strength — Organic green tea is rich in Vitamin D which helps maintain bone density

Harmful Effects of Organic Green Tea

The hazards of green tea to the health are due to its caffeine. Insomnia can be experienced by those who consume more than five cups of green tea a day. However, compared to coffee, green tea contains lesser caffeine.

Eat Stop Eat: the “no diet” way to lose weight for good — and keep it off

Green tea for health

May 4th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

The role of green tea in promoting health has been much in the news in the last few years. There is ample evidence that, consumed in moderation, green tea indeed does aid many aspects of functioning. Some of these benefits have been known for over a thousand years.

The polyphenols, flavonoids and even caffeine (in moderate quantities) present in green tea are all known to help the body protect itself. Green tea helps lower cholesterol (the ‘bad’ kind), absorbs free radicals that can damage cell membranes and reduces the prospect of certain cancers.

Despite Federal FDA denials, many studies lend strong support to those who tout green tea’s benefits. Black tea, as well, has most of the same benefits.

But green tea has many virtues beyond the medicinal. It tastes delightful and provides a relaxing form of enjoyment in a hectic world.

Just as with black or Oolong tea, green tea comes from the leaves of an evergreen called Camellia Sinensis. They are plucked, then processed. But unlike black tea, green tea leaves do not go through a long oxidation process.

Instead, green tea leaves are steamed, which retains the EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) antioxidants. Black and Oolong teas undergo ‘fermentation’ which converts the EGCG into other compounds. ‘Fermentation’ in tea, despite the use of the same word, is not the same process as in winemaking. No sugars are converted to alcohol. It’s simply a synonym for oxidation, more or less.

As a result, the tea flavor is much more delicate and the aroma and taste retain much more of the ‘vegetative’ quality from the original bush. That flavor is enjoyed in a hundred varieties by tea drinkers the world over.

The Long Jing tea from Hang Zhou in China, pan dried and flat in appearance, often goes by the name Dragon Well. This green tea is among the most common drinks in China. Yet for all its commonality, it makes a fine brew. The Gyokuro, also known as Jewel Dew as a consequence of its color, is another fine green tea from China.

The Ryokucha from Japan is a green tea that is so common there that a form of the word (ocha) is often taken to mean simply ‘tea’. Connoisseurs regard the green tea from the Uji region of Kyoto to be among the finest. Matcha is a powdered green tea once used primarily in tea ceremonies. Now it is so popular throughout Japan and elsewhere that it finds its way into ice cream and other sweets.

Gunpowder, which has nothing to do with the explosive, is another popular variety. The leaves are rolled into tiny pellets, making for a very intense infusion. Its muscatel overtones make for a wonderful brew.

There is even a green tea-style Earl Grey. Though without the heady flavor of the more common black tea type, the bergamot oil combines well with green tea.

So if you have always been a committed black tea drinker, it’s time to open up your horizons. It may not make you wealthy, but it can give you enjoyment and promote your health. And isn’t that very wise?

Green tea for health

May 4th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

The role of green tea in promoting health has been much in the news in the last few years. There is ample evidence that, consumed in moderation, green tea indeed does aid many aspects of functioning. Some of these benefits have been known for over a thousand years.

The polyphenols, flavonoids and even caffeine (in moderate quantities) present in green tea are all known to help the body protect itself. Green tea helps lower cholesterol (the ‘bad’ kind), absorbs free radicals that can damage cell membranes and reduces the prospect of certain cancers.

Despite Federal FDA denials, many studies lend strong support to those who tout green tea’s benefits. Black tea, as well, has most of the same benefits.

But green tea has many virtues beyond the medicinal. It tastes delightful and provides a relaxing form of enjoyment in a hectic world.

Just as with black or Oolong tea, green tea comes from the leaves of an evergreen called Camellia Sinensis. They are plucked, then processed. But unlike black tea, green tea leaves do not go through a long oxidation process.

Instead, green tea leaves are steamed, which retains the EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) antioxidants. Black and Oolong teas undergo ‘fermentation’ which converts the EGCG into other compounds. ‘Fermentation’ in tea, despite the use of the same word, is not the same process as in winemaking. No sugars are converted to alcohol. It’s simply a synonym for oxidation, more or less.

As a result, the tea flavor is much more delicate and the aroma and taste retain much more of the ‘vegetative’ quality from the original bush. That flavor is enjoyed in a hundred varieties by tea drinkers the world over.

The Long Jing tea from Hang Zhou in China, pan dried and flat in appearance, often goes by the name Dragon Well. This green tea is among the most common drinks in China. Yet for all its commonality, it makes a fine brew. The Gyokuro, also known as Jewel Dew as a consequence of its color, is another fine green tea from China.

The Ryokucha from Japan is a green tea that is so common there that a form of the word (ocha) is often taken to mean simply ‘tea’. Connoisseurs regard the green tea from the Uji region of Kyoto to be among the finest. Matcha is a powdered green tea once used primarily in tea ceremonies. Now it is so popular throughout Japan and elsewhere that it finds its way into ice cream and other sweets.

Gunpowder, which has nothing to do with the explosive, is another popular variety. The leaves are rolled into tiny pellets, making for a very intense infusion. Its muscatel overtones make for a wonderful brew.

There is even a green tea-style Earl Grey. Though without the heady flavor of the more common black tea type, the bergamot oil combines well with green tea.

So if you have always been a committed black tea drinker, it’s time to open up your horizons. It may not make you wealthy, but it can give you enjoyment and promote your health. And isn’t that very wise?

Green tea for arthritis pain relief - the benefits of green tea grow

October 20th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

If you’re thinking that green tea is a magic liquid with benefits for many ailments, you’re right. New research indicates that green tea can provide arthritis pain relief.

Green Tea Fights Rheumatoid Arthritis reports:

Researchers examined the effects of green tea polyphenols on mice injected with collagen. (A procedure that produces a condition similar to rheumatoid arthritis in humans.) Polyphenols are considered to be an antioxidant and occur naturally within the body and in certain foods.

During three different studies, mice that were given the green tea polyphenols were significantly less likely to get arthritis. Of those who ‘drank the tea’, 44% became arthritic. For the ones who were not given the antioxidant, all but one (94%) developed the disease.

Drink your green tea: it’s good for you

July 17th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Sally Seidman’s article “Tea — Plenty of It — May Do the Body Good” is a great explanation of green tea’s known and unknown benefits:

One substance in tea, the tongue-twisting epigallo-catechin gallate (EGCG), appears to reduce psoriasis, prostate cancer and colon tumors (at least in animals) and is now an ingredient in a growing number of foods, beverages and dietary supplements. But that’s just one of the components of tea that may have health benefits.

If you haven’t yet added green tea to your daily beverage list, it’s time you did. A simple cup of tea can have immense benefits, but remember that you need to make green tea a daily habit.

Green Tea Cream - what can you use it for?

June 20th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

It seems as though you can find green tea in almost everything today, and this is obviously a great thing, however when it comes to green tea cream, many people seem to be clueless as to what they can actually use it for.

The Many Different Uses For Green Tea Cream

There are actually plenty of different things that you can use green tea cream for, and for instance, in your coffee is one of the best ideas. Green tea has caffeine in it to begin with, and so it really blends in well with the coffee, however at the same time green tea contains many healthy components that coffee does not, thus adding nutrients to your daily brew.

Another great idea for green tea cream is to use it when you are baking. After all, there is not too strong of a flavor of green tea, and so thus you can really use it for many different baking recipes, regardless of what other flavors are already included.

Yet another great idea if you want to use green tea cream is to use it in your cereal in the morning, either with or without regular milk. This is a great way to start the day, as you know that you are filling your body with rich antioxidants and nutrients that are going to give you a boost and help to carry you throughout the rest of the day.

You can also come up with other ideas of your own, if you wish, and then if you want you can share the ideas with your friends and family members. Green tea is a great choice for everyone, and there are so many different positive benefits that it has to offer that you really do not want to miss out on it.

It helps with weight loss, curing illnesses and helping to treat diseases, and as well simply for all over good health and well-being. Green tea has been used for thousands of years now as a form of treatment, and so if you have never tried it before then you are definitely going to want to make sure that you do, and you will be surprised at how quickly you notice results.

When you include green tea with an otherwise healthy diet and regular physical activity, then you are going to be able to live a much longer and healthier life in general.

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