Green Tea Alert
Would you like to feel more alert? At work, I do. Would you like to see an increase in your metabolism? I do all the time. How would you like to lose a little weight? I know I do. Do you have arthritis that you would like to get rid of? Green Tea may be the answer to some of these ailments.
Green Tea dates back over 5000 years in China. It has been used in China, Japan, and other regions of the world through the course of time. It has been used in ceremonies and customs in different areas of the world. It has caught on in the U.S. for many different reasons too.
There has been talk and information all over the internet and in books that indicate green tea has different health related properties that may be useful to many of us. Many of these properties have been known to come from the ingredient epigallocatechin gallate which is an antioxidant. Some say it is used to reduce arthritis, increase air flow to the lungs for asthma, increases alertness, and may reduce chances of getting specific types of cancer. Many have even indicated that it increases the metabolism. This is very interesting to me. I know I like to hear about the positive attributes of natural substances like Green Tea. They are cheaper than prescription drugs and in many cases seem to be safer.
There are many sources on Green Tea that can be found on the internet, medical journals, and remedy books. One thing many have in common is that Green Tea is a natural supplement that may provide health benefits.
Green Tea contains about 50 milligrams of caffeine per cup. This depends on how strong you brew your tea and how large your cup is. This is less caffeine than a cup of coffee, but none the less, it does contain caffeine. The caffeine, I would venture to say, is the reason we may see increases in alertness and possibly an increase in metabolism causing some weight loss. Caffeine will do that to people. There is nothing wrong with those effects as long as you don't have any other that may cause problems when you drink Green Tea.
Please keep in mind that there are drawbacks to Green Tea. Pregnant women shouldn't take green tea because of the caffeine and related problems with the fetus which is indicated in some medical journals. People who are sensitive to caffeine should also be careful.
Green Tea may prove to be an important herbal supplement over time as more studies are done and proven in the medical community. If you don't have any problems with it and you enjoy drinking tea, do so, you may gain other benefits.
Always check with a physician prior to starting a supplementation program.
Source: Free Articles
Autor: Big_Daddy
Protective Antioxidants - Is Green Tea Really Better For You?
I hear a lot of people saying that green tea is better for us than coffee or the traditional orange pekoe and black tea. But is it really? If it is, what makes green tea so special?
Well, according to Lipton, green tea provides 190 milligrams of something called 'protective antioxidants' and that is 40 milligrams more than the amount of protection found in the regular tea blend. The regular tea is a blend of orange pekoe and black tea.
Protective antioxidants help our bodies by providing an internal shield against free radicals. Free radicals are the molecules that can damage our other cells.
However, we should be careful when comparing what is better for us. The protective antioxidants found in green tea provide benefit to many, sure, but the amount of antioxidants is only a single factor. How your particular body absorbs antioxidants is actually more important.
If you need to watch your caffeine, green tea is better for you than black tea blends. Unlike black tea which has about 40 milligrams of caffeine per cup, green tea has very little caffeine -- 1/2 the caffeine of black tea in fact. But guess what? The latest research on caffeine shows that caffeine provides some health-related benefits, too. So people who need caffeine to stay focused, alert and productive may prefer to have a cup of black tea instead of the green stuff. It may be safer for them healthwise as well.
You can skip both green tea and black tea altogether and get your antioxidants from fruit and vegetables -- the way nature intended. Other sources of antioxidants are collard greens, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, oranges, watermellon and red wine. What is "better for you" is a matter of who you are, what your health needs are and what works for you Comments about this article are welcomed and can be posted to www.askblax.com.
Skin Care and Green Tea
Have you heard the buzz about green tea and its health benefits? Here's the breakdown. The active principles in tea are called polyphenols. The polyphenols found in tea mainly belong to a type called catechins. Green tea has more catechins than black tea. White tea has a similar amount of catechins as green tea but less is known about white tea. The primary catechins in green tea include gallocatechin (GC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin (EC), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).
Many studies have shown green tea to have positive effects against free radicals, cardiovascular damage, some cancers, and toxins. Topical green tea formulations appears to minimize sun damage by neutralizing free radicals and reducing inflammation rather than by blocking ultraviolet rays.
How should you incorporate green tea into your skin care regimen? Sun screens use use zinc oxide which is inert and does not change the catechins in green tea; therefore, the best use of green tea to use it in addition to a sunscreen. The perfect application would be a kit containing a sun screen with a minimum SPF of 30, as well as an exfoliating cleanser, and a vitamin C serum to work synergistically with the catechins in green tea. The combination of protection from UV light, exfoliation of dead skin, enhanced collagen production from vitamin C, and the repair of environmental damage from the tea should produce visible results in 4-8 weeks of use.
Keep in mind that protection from the sun is the most important ingredient in anti aging skin care.
© 2006, Clara Myers. Great Face offers many spa quality products containing green tea as well as cosmetics and skin care information from around the Internet. Visit Great Face at http://great-face.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Clara_Myers
Finding the Best Green Tea to Drink
Today one of the most popular drinks in America is fast becoming green tea and for good reasons. Green tea is known for its taste and health benefits far and wide, including weight loss assistance, reducing cancer risks and adding antioxidants to your diet.
It is something of a challenge to select the best green tea, especially if you are new to the green tea world. Some of the best green tea examples available on the market today are found below. There are also some excellent ways to bring out the wonderful flavor through brewing.
Sencha green tea is one of the most popular types of green tea. As an introduction to the green tea family this is perhaps the best green tea since it is very economical and has the most recognizable taste of all green teas for sale.
Kabusecha is another choice and it considered one of the best green teas today. It remains a favorite with customers throughout the world because it is taken from the first and finest harvest. It has a signature scent that is a grassy aroma associated with the best green tea.
A Japanese green tea option is Myou-Kou which is a green tea that is deep steamed. This tea has a thicker, bolder flavor compared to the lighter green teas and is considered the most unique and best green tea available.
Brewing Your Cup of Green Tea
How green tea is brewed is half the enjoyment as any fan of green tea will tell you. Unlike your normal oolong and black teas it is unfermented so the brewing method is a little different for green tea.
When brewing the best green tea the one thing you need to remember is that the tea leaves need room to expand and add their health benefits to the water that they are infused in. To the flavor of the resultant tea can be hindered by tea bags or tea balls. Allowing the tea leaves to sit loosing in the water and steep for a few minutes is the best way to brew green tea and then is should be strained if desired.
A matter of taste and preference is the best way to find the best green tea. Try a number of different types to see which is your favorite green tea.
Tom Antion is the writer of best green tea, He also writes on green tea diet, and green tea products.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_G_Antion