Green Tea- a Healthy Alternative to Soda
| In the hot days of summer it is easy to reach for a soda to help you cool off. However sodas do not really quench your thirst and there are some other healthier more refreshing alternatives. One of the most refreshing ways to cool off on a hot summer day is drinking a tall glass of iced tea and what better than making it green tea? People from the Orient have long known the benefits of drinking green tea. In fact so important is this drink in these countries that there is special tea drinking rituals associated with this beverage. Japan is especially famous for this. Green tea: Is made from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis tree. The best green tea is grown in Japan and is harvested in the spring months. Now Australia is trying to cultivate it so that green tea can be available in other months and supply the increasing need for this beverage. Recent research is revealing that this tea is particularly beneficial for your health. It is higher in antitoxins than the traditional black tea drunk in the West. Green tea has also been found to have vitamin C and fluoride. Green tea has more of these properties than the traditional black teas because of the way it is processed It goes through little or no processing (fermenting or oxidizing) this brings out the antioxidants and vitamins but will reduce the stimulant quality (caffeine) of this tea. The best way to make green tea hot or cold is to make it with loose leaves. These are easily available in many grocery stores and most health food stores. When making iced tea it is good to steep the tea for about 20-30 minutes. You can just pour the hot water on it and let it cool slowly. Fast cooling will not allow the full taste to come out; so slow cooling at room temperature is best. You can also make some good tea pops. Just fill an ice cube tray with green tea (cooled) and put toothpicks in each square and enjoy when fully frozen. You can also make regular cubes of green tea to add to beverages. If you want to spice up your tea you can add citrus peel as it steeps. Anise and chicory are also added for a change in taste. Citrus peels are especially refreshing with iced green tea. You can also add ginger as a real thirst quencher for those hot days. However you chose to drink your green tea it is a nice refreshing change from soda and good for your health. It will not only quench your thirst but rejuvenate you too. As our world grows smaller we are becoming more aware of different types of foods and beverages. As more research is being done on this increasingly popular drink we will see even more benefits to our health. It is recommended to drink at least 3 cups or more per day to enjoy the health giving properties of green tea. |
| Author Resource:- Zach Thompson is a Natural Zeolite Representative. His clients range from actresses to pro athletes. You can get a free consultation on Waiora by visiting his web site. |
| Article From New Ezine Articles |
Matcha Green Tea May Be More Potent Than Regular Green Tea
Matcha green tea has been found to potentially possess more antioxidants and other health benefits than the regular variety of this popular beverage, observers have pointed out.
Its health benefits are believed to exceed those of other green tea variants because when it is consumed, it is as if the entire tea leaf is ingested instead of only the brewed water.
That is because matcha green tea is made by grinding the unfermented and steamed leaves into powdered form. So the resultant brew is in effect hot water plus the ground tea leaves. That leaves a lot more of the natural antioxidants intact in the brew.
In the regular variants of green tea, especially those taken in the form of tea bags and loose leaf, people only drink the steeped water and throw away the leaves. Not so in the matcha variety.
The fresh leaves, the foundation of matcha green tea, come brimming with powerful antioxidants called polyphenols. So when people drink a cup, they're basically drinking a potent infusion of tea polyphenols. In fresh, unfermented leaves, polyphenols exist as a series of chemicals called catechins.
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the most powerful catechin found in tea. EGCG has been studied for the last few decades for its potential ability to support the immune system, fight the normal signs of aging, and promotes healthy brain and liver functions.
With such extremely high antioxidant activity, it's logical to conclude that matcha green tea may be highly beneficial in protecting the body from health concerns posed by free radicals, reactive molecules that wreak havoc at the body's cellular levels.
The drink has a bright green color. That is because of the big presence of chlorophyll, a testament to its highly pristine condition. It helps to get rid of heavy metal and toxins in the body. It is also high in fiber, sugar-free, and is zero on glycemic levels.
The Japanese have known the health benefits of matcha tea for generations. Those in other parts of the world are now slowly realizing these and are jumping in the green tea bandwagon big time!
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How to make hot tea - Simple recipe
Strong black tea and oolong tea blends are often prepared without milk but with a dash of lemon and sweet sugar. In many countries black tea is prepared with milk and sugar only. Modern tea lovers drink chai or green tea latte which is with a dash of creamy milk from espresso coffee machines.
The most common tea recipe to make organic green tea or for that matter black, white or oolong tea loose leaves.
Buy best Waghbakri tea bag online and make as follows.
Bring two cups of water to boil and add a spoonful of tea leaves or dip a tea bag.
Bring to boil once again
Add sugar and let the mixture simmer till sugar dissolves.
Add half a cup pre boiled hot milk. Bring to boil.
Strain the beverage so prepared in a strainer so that the tea leaves are separated.
Pore hot in a kettle or pot and then serve hot in tea cup.
The black tea beverage is prepared without milk but herbal like lemon grass, chamomile, jasmine, spearmint, peppermint, ginseng, cardamom, cinnamon and ginger can be added as per taste. The sweet spice tea or masala chai is more common in Indian tea shop in winters for health benefit and taste. Many tea lovers add lemon to iced tea for its weight loss properties which makes light tea healthy for them to drink. In many online tea shop you can buy best organic tea, green tea, black and oolong teas. You can buy tea online on premium tea shop web site which sells loose tea leaf in tea bag and cartons.
By uday patel
Losing Weight and Green Tea, The Relation
Drinking plain water everyday may have tempted you to drink fizzy sodas instead without even thinking that these sodas contain a lot of sugar and of course, calories. Have you ever realized that you can also drink green tea and incorporate it in your diet plan? A lot of individuals with weight problems are already into the green tea hype; so, do you want to join them?
Well, if you still don't know, green tea has many benefits and it can help you in losing weight. As long as you can exercise regularly and you strictly monitor your diet, you can take green tea as many times as you like. The tea is capable of burning fat because of its certain properties and this is the reason why a lot of people who want to lose weight are now rushing to the groceries to buy green tea. You can check diet plans and see if they promote the intake of green tea. Since medical communites are now able to look into the tea's excellent health properties, perhaps it has already tapped the environment of dieters, including the experts.
Dieters are usually discouraged to eat large amount of food and if ever you do eat a small portion, you will always crave for more because you're still hungry. Try to drink water if you do feel hungry especially before eating. If you don't like to drink water, you can drink green tea instead. You can have it cold or warm and if you're not that sensitive to taste, you can add a little honey or lemon juice.
There are also dieters who prefer to drink green tea during meals. This is also good because it helps in the digestion process and it will also keep you hydrated. The tea is also known to suppress appetite so you will surely lose some weight. If you no longer have the appetite to eat, then you will not be consuming a large amount of food. Just a small serving of food will do and you will already feel as if you've eaten a lot of food.
It's quite hard for dieters not to be tempted to eat between meals but by drinking a few cups of green tea you can fill your hunger somehow. A glass of tea can already replace your snacks. Learn to control yourself because that is the only way for you to shed those unwanted pounds. Without discipline, you will gain more weight. Aside from losing weight, drinking green tea has other benefits.
By incorporating it to your diet, you can boost the immune system, prevent cancer, and it can make you a healthier individual. Here's a little secret - in order to see the effects of green tea in your weight regimen, substitute a glass of tea for your snacks. Make it a habit to drink green tea everyday and you can also take the supplements if you want.
The supplements can act as your body's fat burners so that you can lose weight in no time. If you start drinking it now, you will be able to see the effects soon. Tell your fellow dieters about the amazing healing properties of green tea and how it can help in losing weight. You and your friends can all try if green tea is truly effective in losing weight.
Some stores sell the tea leaves and you can just prepare the beverage at home. Ask the seller how to prepare the tea leaves. If you're in a hurry, you can just buy the ready-to-drink green tea in plastic bottles. There are a lot of bottled green teas in the grocery stores and you just need to choose the one you like. Instead of drinking coffee and other drinks, shift to green tea.
It is not only a less costly beverage but it can help you lose weight and can make you a healthier individual.
How To Get Skinny - Green Tea Formula
How To Get Skinny - Green Tea Formula
If you read Perricone' Doctor; s advises, he does not suggest the green tea help and the diet and the reduction. Dr. perricone said that the transformation will assist you from the coffee to the green tea to reduce weight. Although I do not have the expert and can' t confirms Perricone' Doctor; above s states, I thought personally the green tea compared to the coffee is a healthier drink basis about green tea's all health request from various research. About drinks the diet and the reduction green tea, I as if suggested that only knew perhaps a research green tea has some advantage to seek in loss weight help these. Had said the clinical research the American journal How To Get Skinny - Green Tea Formula
posted research: conclusion: The green tea has the heat generation product, and promotes speaking of itself its caffeine content outside that's obese oxidation explanation. The green tea extract in the bodily constitution control perhaps through thermogenesis, the obese oxidation or two has the sympathy activation to play a role. - reads are more. I may say all have the words which many technologies obscure difficult to understand in that article that I can' t understood. Although I recommend highly drink the high grade green tea, I favor in believing its won' t makes the diet and the reduction. Let' s said that I drink the daily green tea, and my weight vacillates frequently. I possibly profit in any specified point in lose good 10 pound extra body fat. If you are has a drink together with the quality Japan green tea or the Chinese green tea are interested, I drink the Sencha green tea in the better health recommendation, but is not the coffee aid and the coffee compares.
Caffeine in Green Tea
How true is it that one disadvantage of green tea is insomnia because of its caffeine content? You may put it as a “disadvantage” but people who works on a night shift will disagree. True, green tea contains caffeine but compared to coffee and other tea, it has a lesser level but has a very incredible amount of antioxidants.
What is caffeine?
It is a kind of drug that acts as a stimuli that basically stimulates the central nervous system and the heart. A person having caffeine in his system can instantly increase his blood pressure but not having any evidence of definitive long-term effects in the blood pressure itself. Long term increase of blood pressure are still taking excessive amounts of green tea.
Caffeine content in green tea stays unless it is decaffeinated. According to studies, green tea is more likely to be higher than coffee but with preparation, a person can greatly reduce the caffeine that the body takes in. how? Through the infusion length of hot water and how many times you have used the leaves.
Surprisingly, caffeine in green tea is more beneficial than the caffeine taken from coffee. It works through the body in a slighter difference than coffee. Aside from caffeine, green tea has other constituents that work perfectly with caffeine namely vitamins, oils and tannin.
Caffeine difference
As mentioned, compared to coffee, the caffeine content in green tea can have a different approach in the human body. By its own substance, it doesn’t have to trigger increase heart rate and blood pressure unlike what caffeine can instantly do. Typically, green tea is more applicable to drink for those who wanted to lose weight but are caffeine sensitive.
Lose weight with caffeine
Base on studies, caffeine has the capacity to increase metabolism inside the body which results to helping out the body in burning excess calories. Caffeine content in green tea is undoubtedly more prominent than other beverages but you can lessen it based on the kind of green tea that you have chosen to drink. Contrary to what other people know, oxidation doesn’t have the capacity to raise the caffeine content in the body. Truth is, some studies were made and is found out that the longer the oxidation is, the lower the content of caffeine will be present.
Green tea without caffeine
For medicinal purposes, green tea is sometimes made caffeine free. Green tea that is decaffeinated has a more pleasant taste and has an impressive antioxidant activity. It is very effective in the prevention and even treatment of cancer, decreasing cholesterol levels, collagen formation, decreasing triglyceride levels and preventing arteriosclerosis.
Therefore, with caffeine present in green tea, it can decrease the metabolic processes going significantly inside our body but not having any effect on blood pressure and heart rate.
Caffeine content
Compared to the caffeine found in black tea, green tea is only composed by the half of it. And compared to coffee, green tea only has quarter amounts thus, making it the perfect beverage you can include in your meals. But there are precautions that should be followed. One which is the moderate amount of green tea that should be consumed within a day. It should only be at least 4 cups. More than that will generate negative reactions that is felt inside the body.
The introduction of decaffeinated supplementary green tea, benefits were further provided ruling out any unwanted effects.
The Antioxidising Benefits of Green Tea
Body processes need oxygen. This element is abundantly found in the air and with proper intake, it burns the glucose and fat present in the body to supply the needed heat and energy. So you see, oxygen is an essential element needed by the body but anything in excess is harmful and too much oxygen can also have negative effects.
The byproducts of oxidation are free radicals. Sometimes, other molecules interact with the free radicals and so these molecules are also turned into free radicals which can disrupt the normal functioning of the said molecules. If this continue to happen, it could lead to tissue damage and finally, cell destruction.
There are even times when the abnormal functioning of molecules can lead to certain degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, artherosclerosis, cancer, heart diseases, and Parkinson's disease. Humans are quite fortunate because their bodies are equipped with the right defenses in order to prevent the free radical's harmful effects.
By eating a lot of fruits and vegetables which contain antioxidants, the free radicals are prevented from causing any harm to the human body. Aside from fruits and vegetables, you can also get antioxidants from green tea. As you can see, by drinking green tea and eating the right amount of fruits and veggies, you can prevent diseases and cell damage.
The tea plant or Camellia Sinensis is popular for its antioxidants which fights diseases. The Chinese people have been using the tea plant for centuries and you can usually find green tea in every household. The Chinese believe that the tea is a very healthy beverage whic promotes good health and well being. Aside from China, green tea is also widely used in Thailand, India, and Japan.
Traditional Chinese and Indian medicines usually contain green tea because it can serve as a stimulant, an astringent (to heal wounds and control bleeding), as a diuretic (to promote the excretion of urine), and an agent that can improve the heart's health. Green tea is rich in polycatechins which is responsible for the many health benefits. The tea also contains other ingredients which further enhance its antioxidising properties.
Catechins are powerful antioxidants. Aside from it, green tea contains vitamins C, E, and A. It also has properties which makes it anti-carcinogenic, neuro-protective, cardio-protective, and anti-microbial. Green tea is well known to prevent cancer because of the antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate.
Now that you know the benefits of drinking green tea, don't you think it's also time that you start taking it? Let healing wonders of green tea improve your overall health. There are now a lot of green tea products sold in the market at very affordable prices. aside from the green tea drinks, you can also find health supplements which contain extracts of green tea. For optimum health and well being, try to incorporate green tea to you diet.
If you're trying to lose weight or you simply want to maintain your current weight, it would also help a lot if you make it a habit to drink green tea before, during, and after meals. But always remember, too much of anything can also be harmful. So just take green tea in the right amount.
The Side Effects of Green Tea During Pregnancy
According to some studies, drinking too much green tea during pregnancy is not good. Why is that? Well, doctors and researchers were able to prove that green tea contains caffeine. Caffeine intake is discouraged during pregnancy because of certain side effects.
Despite the many health benefits of green tea which includes preventing cancer, improving the heart's health, boosting the immune system, aids digestion, lowers cholesterol, dental health, lowers the level of blood sugar, and many others, it is not advisable to drink green tea when you're pregnant.
Studies have proven that green tea contains EGCG or epigallocatechins which affects the use of folate in the body. Folate is very important during pregnancy because it can help in preventing birth defects in the neural tube. EGCG becomes harmful in pregnancy because it resembles the structure of methotrexate. The latter can get rid of cancer cells by bonding an enzyme called DHFR or dihydrofolate reductase.
The folate pathway contains these enzymes and since the EGCG is similar to methotrexate, it also binds with the enzyme and when this happens, the enzyme is inactivated. Once the enzymes are inactivated, the body can't use folate effectively. There hasn't been any conclusive studies which show how much green tea a pregnant woman should consume or how much folate can be affected.
Some doctors recommend pregnant women to drink moderate amount of tea as well as coffee. If you're still unaware, green tea also contains caffeine and when you're pregnant, it's not good to drink a lot of beverages which contain caffeine. So if you want to be extra sure, don't forget to ask your doctor next time you have an appointment. Always keep in mind that your health and that of your baby is of great importance.
Besides, there are already studies which proves caffeine to cause miscarriage and lower birth weight among babies. Drinking around six cups of coffee per day can definitely affect your baby's weight at birth. If you don't want your baby to suffer, you can have a cup of coffee a day or if you want, you can just stop drinking coffee. The caffeine content in green tea is lower than that of coffee and so you can drink more than one cup; but as said earlier, ask your doctor about it first.
Pregnancy will only take nine months and so you need to enjoy it. Even if you experience a lot of body changes, just think that you will rejoice the day your precious baby comes. If you can avoid drinking caffeined drinks, then try to stay away from them.
Although the health benefits of green tea are remarkable, it does contain caffeine and no study has yet established the right amount of green tea intake especially among pregnant women. If you're not pregnant and you don't have any problems related to caffeine intake, then you can drink as many tea as you like. Right now, be careful in drinking green tea; perhaps you can settle for a small cup every other day just to satisfy your thirst for it.
When you feel anything abnormal, seek the help of your doctor at once. Besides, its just going to be for nine months and after that, you can resume in drinking tea again. Aside from not taking caffeinated drinks, you're also not allowed to take just any kind of medicine because it can be harmful to your baby.
It goes without saying always think of your baby's safety before you do anything.
Facts You Must Know About Your Green Tea
Facts about Green Tea
• Reduces the risk of having cancer by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells especially on the colon, pancreas, rectum, bladder, esophagus, and stomach without harming healthy cells
• Helpful for those who have rheumatoid arthritis
• Reduce the risk of having hypertension and elevated blood pressure
• Reduces the cholesterol level in the body
• Increases metabolism
• Helps body to fight viruses and bacteria by improving the defense action of the immune system
• Reduces the process of thrombosis which helps reduce heart attacks and strokes
• Green tea also helps destroy free radicals
• Helps in reducing fatigue and stress due to its calming action
• Fights cardio vascular diseases
• Green tea is also known for its antibacterial anti viral properties
• The secret of green tea is its catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin (EGCG) which is a powerful anti oxidants
• EGCG is twice as powerful as reservatol whose action is to lower the incidence of heart disease
• Green tea comes from Camelia sinesis plant
• What sets green tea apart from other tea is the way it was processed, green tea leaves are steamed which prevents the important contents from being oxidized
• By contrast other tea brands are made from fermented tea leaves; as a result the other components are converted into other compounds that are not as effective as that of green tea
• New evidence suggests that green tea helps dieters by eliminating fat from the body and helps the body burn more calories compared to caffeine or a placebo
• Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay
• The bacterial actions of green tea can help prevent food poisoning
• Wide variety of beauty products now contains green tea are available in the market that claims to have great effect in beauty and wellness
• Green tea capsules are now available in health stores for those who don’t want to drink tea
• A cup of green tea contains caffeine level of 20 to 70 milligrams
• There are several kinds of green tea that are available in the market they differ on the amount of caffeine content
Harmful effects
To the present study and research green tea have proven a lot of benefits and medicinal properties but when it comes to harmful effects of green tea had been reported to contribute to insomnia or difficulty of sleep experienced by users. Green tea is advised to be taken at least 3 to 4 cups daily and not to be taken as substitute for water.
Caffeine is the ingredient found in green tea that contributes to sleeping difficulty but its caffeine contents is less compared to that of coffee and black tea. Other components of green tea must also be controlled for it can contribute to liver problems.
For pregnant mothers and for under medications it is important to ask your doctor before consuming the beverage for some components of green tea might have reactions with other compounds found in medications.
Greatness on a Cup of Green Tea
How to make a cup of green tea
• Brewing green tea is similar with other tea. Whether it is bagged or loose green tea. It is important to remember not to use boiling water. Brewing with water that’s just about to reach its boiling point is the right temperature; this is for the reason that green tea is more delicate than other tea.
• The best tasting green tea is brewed under one minute and let it steep for a short period of time, it is recommended not to prepare it with boiling water and longer time of steeping because it will make the tea bitter to the taste.
• However increased level of polyphenols in green tea is directly proportional with water temperature and time of steeping. It means that the longer time it was brewed under boiling water and the longer it is steeped means a greater concentration of polyphenols on every cup of green tea making it more potent than that of shorter time to brew and steeped. Polyphenols are the anti oxidants found in green tea which contributes to the green teas’ medicinal properties.
Suggestions on how to boost antioxidant concentration of your green tea:
• Temperature- studies proved that with the use of boiling water more of the polyphenols, the anti oxidants on green tea is extracted from the tea leaves. The higher the temperature used for brewing tea leaves the greater is the concentration of polyphenols to be found, thus making a more effective tea against diseases and illness.
• Steeping time- in order to attain more of the goodness in a cup of tea, longer steeping time is advised. Longer steeping time allows more polyphenol presence. Tea should be steeped 2 to 5 minutes to allow more polyphenol to emerge. Shorter steeping time means less or the polyphenol and greater caffeine content in your tea.
• Size of tea leaves- the smaller the leaf is, the better, even in size, green tea has proven the power of small things to create wonder. Studies have shown that small loose green tea leaves infuses quickly compared to that of tightly curled and large tea leaf which requires more or longer infusion time.
• Loose leaf versus Tea bags- it is more preferable to use leaves compared to tea bags. By simply allowing the green tea leaves to float on the water more of the polyphenol are being extracted while in order for tea bags to produce this anti oxidant, the tea bags must be continuously dunked in the tea pot.
To this day, green tea has already proved to help cure and protect people against a lot of health problems. In order to attain optimum protection against illness proper nutrition, healthy lifestyle plus a cup of your favorite green tea will do the job.
Green Tea - Why Drink It?
The very first reason is that green tea is something different. You're probably used to drinking softdrinks, coffee, fruit juices, and other beverages. Green tea is something new that you should try out. It's not everyday that you get to encounter something unique in terms of taste and most specially, very few beverages have health benefits.
Most Americans drink coffee several times a day and since it contains a larger amount of caffeine, some people are already looking into substituting green tea instead. You will surely enjoy the tea's nutty aroma and its sweet grassy flavor. Although some studies show that green tea also has caffeine, there are now decaffeinated green tea sold in the market.
Still, if you want to go for the traditional green tea, it would help to know that the caffeine content is lesser as compared to coffee. Some people get jitters and you can avoid this by taking green tea in moderate amounts. Those who plan to stay late or those who work at night should drink green tea instead of coffee to help them stay awake.
The second reason why people should drink tea is that it contains healing properties. Because of today's advanced science, many medical experts are discovering green tea's healing properties. Green tea is mainly made up of antioxidants which can help in improving the overall health of an individual. If you lack energy to carry out the day's tasks and chores, don't forget to drink your tea because you will feel a burst of energy especially if you drink it everyday.
Healthy cells are also promoted by drinking tea. There are still other health benefits that you can take advantage. You see, if you drink green tea, you can prevent heart diseases, cancer, and other health problems. Those who often get sick should take tea in order to boost the immune system's health. People with weight problems can also take green tea instead of water and juices to reduce weight since the tea can suppress appetite. You can take it anytime you like, before meals, during, and after meals.
Are there still other reasons that you can think of? So far, there is no other beverage that can give you a lot of health benefits. If you go to the groceries, you can find different kinds of green tea preparations. It would be best if you can grow a tea plant so that you can prepare the original serving. But anyway, since people today live a busy lifestyle, they always prefer the instant - from food to their drinks. There are now bottled green tea which you can purchase and they are ready to drink. Hurry and go to the local grocery now to purchse your green tea.
If you want, you can also take supplements of green tea but before you buy any, ask your doctor first. It would also be good if you check product reviews regarding the supplements. That way, you will know which brands sell more and which are effective. Seek the doctor's advice before taking any health supplement so that your actions can be guided, most especially if you're a pregnant woman or if you have certain allergies and illnesses.
If the Asian people benefited from green tea for hundreds of years, then there's probably no reason why you shouldn't try it yourself. Medical communities are already promoting the intake of green tea, so don't be left behind. Join other people who are now discovering the health benefits of drinking tea.
Green Tea and Caffeine
It seems that despite the good things about green tea, the modern community was able to prove that it also has a negative effect. Well, before you decide whether you will continue drinking green tea or not, read on and discover some amazing facts about the intake of green tea.
Some of the harmful effects of caffeine intake in people are heart palpitations, jitters, insomnia, and many other unwanted effects. Because of this realization, manufacturers of green tea are now producing decaffeinated extracts to cater to the needs of those who can't take caffeine.
In fact, there are now supplements which are also decaffeinated. You should get this type of green tea and supplements especially if you're not allowed to take beverages with caffeine. Although the caffeine content in green tea is much less than coffee, a person who is extra sensitive to caffeine will experience the same unwanted effects by drinking the tea.
For every eight ounces of tea, the caffeine content is about forty milligrams. Are you already computing your tea intake and the caffeine that you're getting? The caffeine contents are relatively smaller in green tea and if you can can get away with it without any bad effects, you will also benefit in other health areas.
Even if green tea contains caffeine, it also contains antioxidants like polyphenols which can benefit the body. The antioxidants can help in preventing certain types of cancer, lowers the bad cholesterol in the body, and it can enhance the immune system. The health benefits are truly amazing and this may the very reason why even the ancient Chinese continued to serve green tea at home and to their guests.
The modern world enjoys advanced medical technology and so it is no longer a surprise if scientists and researchers discover the good things about green tea. More and more advanced clinical studies and lab tests are conducted to prove the tea's healing properties. If you think that the positive effects of green tea outweighs the negative, then there's no reason for you to stop taking it.
In truth and in fact, caffeine occurs in cocoa beans, tea, and coffee. Cola drinks also contain caffeine because manufacturers use it to enhance the drink's flavor. Green tea and black tea defintely has caffeine because the plant (Camellia sinensis) itself contain caffeine.
If you're afraid of the effects of caffeine, you can just purchase the decaffeinated green tea. Even if the tea no longer contains caffeine, it would still taste the same; you will still get the great 'kick' in taste when you drink it. Most of the tea's caffeine are removed in the decaf process. However, some studies show that because of the decaf process, the healing properties are ruined.
If you do have extreme problems with caffeine, then most probably you will go for the decaf green tea. For people who don't have any problems connected to caffeine, it is advisable to drink the original green tea so that you can benefit from its healing properties.
All in all, the benefits of drinking the original tea preparation outweigh the negative effects. It is up to you whether you drink the decaf green tea or the original one. There's black, green, and red tea. Green tea is obviously in the middle in terms of caffeine content. So what's it's gonna be? Decaf, original, or no tea at all?
Green Tea Diet Facts
Working out a natural diet
By incorporating at least 3 cups of green tea in your meal daily, you are enhancing a more balanced diet. Together with exercise, green tea has turned out to be more effective than ever. There is no such thing as how many servings every meal can green tea be incorporated. No exact doses. Just one cup every breakfast, lunch, dinner and even during midnight snacks is sufficient enough to be part of your daily diet.
Green tea preserves all its important compounds like antioxidants because it is brewed and not fermented, It is advisable to drink green tea while it’s still hot because live antioxidants are very prominent and its valuable nutritional affects are also preserved. It’s better to purchase and brew loose green tea leaves than the bottled or powdered ones because they are not as effective as brewing.
Black tea versus green tea
Black tea is not similar to green tea at all. While green tea is typically brewed, black tea is fermented. The fermentation process of black tea tends to eliminate the important vitamins and nutrients that are beneficial to health. Therefore, it is concluded that green tea is proven to be more effective than black tea.
Green tea diet benefits
• Reduce the risk for hypertension and high blood pressure
• Destroy free radicals
• Maintain healthy fluid and electrolyte balance that can help relieve fatigue and stress
• Lower increased amount of cholesterol level
• Toxin prevention in the liver
• Antiviral and antibacterial properties
• Reduce incidences of cancer in parts of the body like colon, pancreas, esophagus, rectum, bladder and stomach by up to sixty percent
• Increased metabolism
• Strengthen immune system
• Stops thrombosis formation which is the cause for heart attacks
Caffeine content
Thoughts about the caffeine content in green tea have bothered and quite alarmed avid drinkers of the beverage. Although, there are ways to lessen the caffeine content in your green tea by adjusting yourself in the effects and observing the tolerance of your body.
Warning on green tea caffeine
• If you have a medical condition or you’re pregnant, be sure to consult your physician first before consuming the beverage.
• Drink moderately. Caffeine is not the only thing that can do negative effects when increased. Higher concentration of polyphenols can damage the kidney and liver. Don’t drink 8-10 cups of green tea a day. That can be very harmful especially if you have a low tolerance level. The more acceptable intake is at least 3-4 cups a day.
• Don’t be fooled by energy drinks made from green tea. Aside from diminished or very less antioxidants, energy drinks have high sugar content. Drinks like these have already undergone a lot of processes that may lose important nutrients upon reaching your body.
Green Tea Fat Burning Benefits
Measure of gaining weight
There are a lot of reasons why people exhibits unwanted weight gain. First, because of their lifestyle. With someone who has the capacity to buy every single food on earth, gaining weight is easy. A person’s lifestyle can definitely predict how healthy a person is. If the person’s lifestyle is rich, he will have all the money in the world to engage in bad eating habits like increased consumption of alcohol, junk foods and fatty foods.
Another reason for gaining weight is lack of exercise.
Without physical using up of excess fats in your body, there is a great possibility for them to be stored and not to be used up ever again. Exercise is very crucial for people, especially bigger ones. Exercise can lower the risk of a lot of diseases thus, keeping your body fit and at the same time working healthy.
Mental problem is another factor researchers are looking into why people suddenly gain weight. One very good example is depression. When a person is depressed, instead of crying her heart out, she gobbles up everything inside the fridge. Which can be very unhealthy.
Modern solution to chubbiness
Today, for someone to get slimmer, a lot of people are resulting to surgery. Surgical procedures that costs a lot are oftentimes the last resort of really big people who wanted to be small in an instant. Liposuction is one type of surgical procedure that answers to fat reduction.
Green tea to the rescue
Yes, the above stated solution can be very effective but people go into the risk of having major or minor side effects. There is a better way to eliminate those fats naturally. And the answer is, green tea. This is a different kind of tea which have numerous benefits aside from being a reliable fat burner. By incorporating green tea to every meal, a person taking it will experience soothing effects. There are three things that fat burning green tea can do:
1. Increase Calorie Burning
Usage of green tea can accelerate the metabolism of calories inside the human body. This processing is called as thermogenesis. What green tea does is that it increases the heat inside the body thus, increasing metabolism and resulting to calorie burn-up.
2. Diminishing Appetite
Green tea aids in controlling one’s appetite. When a person’s appetite is controlled, the result will be, not wanting to eat. Nutrients that compose green tea signals to the brain and stomach that makes a person lose his appetite thus resulting in lesser food intake.
3. Energy levels are elevated
Green tea can shoot positive signals to the mind that enables the improvement of positive mental attitude. Because green tea compounds act on almost all systems in a human’s body, it tends to put the mind in a relaxed and positive state that make the body feel more balanced and in sync.
Green Tea for Improved Fertility
Being able to bear a child is important to every couple and along with this having a healthy body to be able to have a healthy process of fertility. This means having a healthier body makes higher chances of conceiving a child and also a great opportunity of preparing the woman’s condition of being a mother in the future.
A person must practice a good health behavior by limiting the consumption of alcohol and related beverages, substances and medications that can cause addiction and have negative effect on health, and cigarette smoking. Having green tea incorporated on meals is a non invasive method of improving ones fertility.
Useful Tips on How to Improve Fertility with Green Tea
1. A healthy body is equivalent to optimized or improved fertility. Have a healthy diet that includes foods from the food pyramid like fresh fruit, vegetable and whole grains, and foods rich in protein. Doing regular exercise leads to normal development and function of the different systems of the human body.
2. Having a cup of warm green tea is a great substitute for your daily dose of coffee or tea during breakfast. Green tea has more anti oxidants because the fact that is not fermented instead brewed a process that helps preserving important compounds on it.
Enjoying a hot cup of green tea is better than preparing it cold because live antioxidants are very prominent and its nutritional value is also preserved. Strong anti oxidants present on green tea leaves helps to eliminate free radicals and helps to maintain healthy digestive system as well as preventing the build up and accumulation of these toxins and waste helps gain resistance on certain diseases.
3. For your lunch if you prefer an ice cold beverage, prepare yourself an iced green tea instead of your regular soda drink and tea. Bottled green tea is available in supermarkets and stores at the cold bottle section, it is handy and it can be taken in your car and even at work.
4. Freshly brewed green tea leaves contain much anti- oxidants. It is good to try other ways of enjoying green tea rather than buying boxes of tea bags. There is even difference in flavor when it comes to freshly brewed green tea.
5. Green tea capsules are available at leading health stores and can be a good choice of alternative of drinking green tea, for those women who do not want to drink tea.
Tips and warnings
For those drinking medication and pregnant women, make sure to consult your doctor before drinking green tea. Green tea contains polyphenols that might interact with medications, consult with a physician before consuming the beverage.
Green tea contains caffeine, so for those who have sleeping pattern problems, refrain from drinking green tea during late in the afternoon especially during night time. The caffeine in your green tea might be the one of the contributing factors on your sleeping difficulty.
The recommended intake of green tea is at least 3-4 cups a day. Higher concentration of polyphenols can damage kidney and the liver. Most important of all do not expect conceiving a baby after drinking a cup of green tea. Green tea improves your chances of conceiving, and you must remember that there are also lots of contributing factors on having healthy fertility.
If you are not conceiving a baby after lots of trials, go and see the doctor about the possibilities you may try.
Green Tea Health Benefits
No matter how accurate this legend is, what’s important is that green tea have become one of the most popular drink in China. Drinking green tea made several discoveries regarding health benefits. Aside from green tea becoming an antioxidant, it is also claimed that it can help with cancer prevention, heart protection, arthritis prevention and liver protection.
Cancer prevention
Cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases man has ever known. It has killed a lot of lives in many forms and is continuously killing more. With the discovery of green tea being able to help in cancer prevention and treatment, a lot of studies are trying to support every claim. It is said that through drinking green tea, cancer has shown significant evidences of diminishing cancer cell results. Preliminary investigations have proven that green tea can prevent the growth of cancer cells in organs like the digestive system, urinary bladder, and the pancreas.
Heart Protection
Antioxidants in green tea are one of the main reasons why people are being enticed by it. By reducing incidences of increased cholesterol level in out body, it therefore reduces the body to experience hypertension and cardiac diseases. Studies also show that green tea can help minimize thrombosis formation which is also an associated factor to heart disease. When thrombosis goes into blood circulation, there will come a time when the thrombus will block the way of the blood that is supposed to go to the heart and this will compromise the heart with blood supply. Preventing thrombus formation is one very important effect of green tea.
Arthritis Prevention
Some say it’s impossible for green tea to affect bone diseases but the tea have proved them wrong because reports have it that green tea can prevent arthritis. Not only can green tea prevent arthritis from occurring but also eliminate the painful symptoms being contributed by the problem too. According to research, green tea has a component that has the ability to reduce inflammation. Research also suggests that antioxidants have the capacity to delay any arthritic process that might occur and minimizing irritable symptoms as well.
Live Protection
Because liver is another agent responsible for metabolism, it is greatly affected by green tea. There is strong correlation of bonds between liver function and antioxidants. When the liver does it job, it filters the body from toxins and washes it away through excretion.
Toxins are referred to harmful substances that we gather through daily living like digested food, breathed air, consumed water, alcohol intake and even remnants of cigarette smoking. What green tea provides the body is stimulating and strengthening the immune system making the liver more capable of filtering every single substance that can be dangerous to the body.
Green Tea: The Miracle Weight Loss Drink
Yes, that's right, green tea. For thousands of years, the Chinese and the Japanese have been drinking this miracle brew because of its medicinal properties. Only recently, this tea has been introduced to the west and it definitely was a great hit. Today, you will see all sorts of people drinking green tea. From the elderly, to middle aged people and even teens, almost everyone is now drinking this miracle tea.
So, what's so good about it and how can it help you lose weight?
First of all, green tea is known to contain natural antioxidants that helps fight cancer. And, if that's not reason enough for you to drink this tea, then another reason is that it helps overweight people to lose weight.
If you are overweight, then you will definitely want to drink this tea as it has properties that naturally help the body burn fat and at the same time, keep the body healthy.
The great thing about this tea is that it has essential vitamins that helps raise the metabolism rate of your body. This means that you will be able to burn fat much more efficiently and convert it in to energy. Aside from maximizing your body's efficiency to burn fat and convert it in to energy, it will obviously make you more energetic and more active.
So, if you are feeling really tired or you feel that you need an extra boost of energy, then you will want to drink green tea. By doing so, you will be sure that you will feel the difference. You will feel as if you need to do something physical, such as exercising and you will feel as if you are so full of energy that you can spend all day at the gym having an intensive work out.
Because you will have a higher metabolism rate, you will be able to burn more fat much more efficiently. Combine exercise, then you will definitely be able to lose weight much faster. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that drinking green tea will make you slim overnight. You still need to work hard and exercise. You have to remember that this brew will not burn fat by itself. However, it will give you that energy that will allow you to burn fat through exercise.
Another great thing about this tea is that it helps keep the bad cholesterol out. It will mean it will lower the risk of stroke and heart disease for a healthier body that can withstand rigorous exercise.
This is how green tea works. If you want to lose weight the natural way, then eat right, exercise and drink at least four cups of green tea a day.
How to Brew Green Tea?
Reason # 1 – Brewing doesn’t eliminate the important nutrients, vitamins and components that comprises green tea. On the other hand, fermentation wastes there components leaving other beverages with nothing but the idea that it is tea and people can get something from it.
Reason # 2 – Brewing can bring out the best in catechin and theanin for these two elements contribute to a lower level of caffeine in your green tea.
Reason # 3 – Enhance taste and aroma. Indeed, brewing has a very enticing smell that can’t be found in fermented beverages.
If you wanted to have a good green tea, brew it. Although, if you keep on wondering why you’re green tea tastes a bit strange compared to other great tasting brewed green tea, maybe there’s something terribly wrong with how you prepare your tea.
Brewing green tea is easier contrary to what people think. To learn more on how to brew the best green tea, read the instructions below.
Step 1 – Water
Choosing what kind of water to use is a very important detail that you have to take note of. Ideally, manufacturers would prefer brewing green tea using soft mineral water or natural water. If you can’t afford purchasing bottled water daily, you can take into consideration tap water. Here, you would know how tap tasteless water can be converted into one soothing beverage. If you’re planning to use European bottled water, don’t. It’s because this kind of water are considered as hard water that is not suitable for brewing green tea.
Step 2 – Chlorine-free
Chlorine must not be mixed with the process. To remove it, just leave your water in your pot for a couple of hours before finally boiling it.
Step 3 – Boiling process
Depending on how much water you have put will be the time it will boil. The more water, the more time it will take to boil. When you have noticed that the water is already boiling, take off the lid of the pot and let it boil continuously for a few minutes more.
Step 4 – Temperature
It is said that correct temperature of boiling water will vary on the kind of tea that you are about to use. This is the moment when extraction of polyphenols take place.
Step 5 – Steep
Let your tea leave steep for about three to five minutes. With longer steeping time, the polyphenol level increases while if steeping time takes only for a couple of seconds, it will result to bring about more caffeine in the tea. The moment the caffeine content in your green tea is increased, it will result to a decreased polyphenol content which is one of the main reasons why antioxidants are made.
There is an additional knowledge regarding brewing.
Tea leaves
Research shows that it is better to brew green tea leaves that are smaller because of the fast infusion. Choosing large leaves or ones that are tightly curved can have a longer infusion time.
Teabags or loose leaves?
It is more advisable to use loose green tea than green tea teabags. Loose green tea enables polyphenols to freely float inside your cup of green tea instead of locking them inside your teabag.
Identifying the Different Kinds of Green Tea
Hoji-cha – using a high temperature, over-sized leaves are roasted. Upon roasting, Hoji0cha has a very distinct small that is recognizable even from afar. Leaves are darkish brown, after brewing, the liquid looks similar to black draft beer. Preparation of Hoji-cha is crucial to keep the aroma even after brewing. A large earthenware pot is used with large numbers of tea leaves inside it.
Konacha – also known as powdered tea, Konacha is considered as the most delicious and delicate green tea. With its reasonable price, anyone can enjoy its marvelous taste and enticing aroma. Agari is another term given to Konacha which is drank with Sushi and is very much popular in Kanto District.
For preparation, use cloth or paper tea bags or a tea strainer for making Konacha. To thoroughly enjoy Konacha, boiling water must be poured into the pot very quickly.
Gyokuro – leaves of Gyokuro are picked or cultivated from trees that are under shade. Once shooting leaves begin, you’ll notice an entire field covered with reed shade. Because spread straws cover the field, cultivators had the capacity to control photosynthesis to a level that maximizes vitamins to the desired quality. These are done to add up to the nutrition aspects of the tea. With high amino acid level, Gyokuro has richer taste; lesser tannin makes it taste more refined and a bit milder.
Sencha – deriving its name from the way it is drunk, Sencha is steamed first. Then, it is hand-rubbed and afterwards, dried. Sencha is considered as the most popular green tea that comprises about 80 percent of tea production in all of Japan. The tree, wherein leaves are taken from, are not covered to accumulate an increased level of caffeine, amino acids, vitamins and tannin. Leaves of Sencha are beautifully thin shaped and have a glowing shade of green. Rubbing is the secret in Sencha’s true taste. Upon pouring, Sencha has a distinct yellow color that has an aroma that is refreshing and light with a slight taste of bitterness and sweetness going together in harmony.
Maccha – this came from Gyokuro shaded leaves. Although, the process of hand rubbing isn’t included in the preparation. Leaves are only dried and steamed. Deep green and foamy thick appearance would let you think of how bitter the taste would be but that wouldn’t be the case because Maccha has subtle bitterness and mellow sweetness. Maccha flavor is deepened because of its preparation that is stone-ground resulting to a powdered state that contains all vitamins and nutrition needed by the body.
Yanagi – also know as river willow, Yanagi is a product of fallen rubbing products which came out flat and turned into numerous folds. Because of their appearance that looks like a willow leaves after rubbing, that is where Yanagi derived its name. it has a less lingering and lighter taste compared to Sencha. And also compared to Sencha, Yanagi leaves are naturally longer.
These assorted kinds of green tea are drank preferably that is basically based on the nutritional content that drinkers can benefit from or sometimes, just because of the aroma and taste.
Top 10 Green Tea Benefits
Drinking green tea is a traditional treatment. But even so, it’s paving its way into helping out a lot of people regarding their weight, diet and health. There are a lot of studies that shows how green tea has inhibited or reduced the growing risk of cancer.
China’s health history was pretty much a breakthrough because of green tea. It is considered as a very important historical plant that can from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis and is produced through special processing.
What so special about green tea? The secret lies in catechin polyphenols which contains a very powerful antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCE). This specialized antioxidant not only inhibits cells causing cancer but also kills it in the process without even harming adjacent healthy tissues. It has also been proven that green tea can be very effective in decreasing cholesterol levels and inhibits the abnormal accumulation of blood clots.
Aside from those mentioned above, here are some of the numerous benefits derived from green tea.
1. Researchers have claimed that green tea can be the reason for cancer prevention and even the treatment of disease.
2. Can be able to teat cardiovascular diseases and rheumatoid arthritis.
3. Reduces the risk of the effects of esophageal cancer.
4. Used traditionally to treat multiple sclerosis.
5. Treat immune function that is impaired.
6. Used to prevent having Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
7. It is claimed through intensive research that daily consumption of green tea can prevent tooth decay. It is found out that green tea can fight and kill bacteria that are one of the leading causes of plaque.
8. It can result to decreased risk of heart attacks and heart diseases by reducing thrombosis formation.
9. Improves the ratio of good cholesterol against bad cholesterol.
10. Lastly, it is said to increase fat oxidation and metabolism inside the body. That is why it is used by many who wanted to lose weight without even compromising the health.
The difference of green tea apart from other Camellia Sinensis plant extracts is the way it is processed. Leaves of green tea are steamed or brewed that gives more reason for EGCG not to be oxidized. Black tea, on the other hand, is made through fermentation. The process of fermenting the leaves of black tea can covert EGCG into compounds that aren’t even close to the effectiveness of the original compounds found in green tea in terms of fighting and preventing numerous diseases.
Caffeine in green tea?
Aside from its many advantages, green tea can have one slight so-called "disadvantage" and that is its caffeine content. Caffeine can cause a sleeping disorder that makes a person experience difficulty in sleeping which is also known as insomnia.
However, compared to coffee, green tea has less caffeine. With proper consumption, people can decreased the undesired caffeine content in their green tea.