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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.

Green Tea Ice Cream - it’s good for you

June 13th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Green tea itself has many different health benefits, such as the fact that it is full of antioxidants, and so these benefits all remain when it is put into the green tea ice cream. Not only that, but green tea ice cream is cooling and refreshing, and so it is particularly delicious during those hot summer months.

Green tea ice cream is great for many things in terms of health, and in fact it has been used for over 4,000 years now by the Chinese, who have been using green tea as a treatment for everything from headaches to depression.

One of the reasons for the high amount of benefits that comes from green tea is in regards to the fact of the rich presence of catechin polyphenols, particularly that of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is the most major reason as to why green tea offers so many benefits.

Green tea has also in fact been proven to be able to stop cancer cells from growing, and this is obviously one of the most significant benefits of green tea of all; for something natural such as green tea to be able to positively reflect on a disease as serious as cancer, that really goes to say something about how healthy it is and how beneficial it is to people overall.

There are different ways that you can take green tea, even besides in ice cream, and so if you are interested in receiving the benefits of green tea but do not like ice cream or hot tea, then you can really rest assured because there are many other options.

For instance, you can take green tea tablets, add green tea extract to your food, or drink cold green tea beverages; there is really a form of green tea supplement out there for everyone, and so regardless of your preference you are sure to be able to find a form that you love so that you can enjoy the taste while reaping the amazing benefits of green tea.

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