Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts

Green Tea- a Healthy Alternative to Soda

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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
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How to make hot tea - Simple recipe

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The type of tea varieties is amazing as amazing and wonderful as the taste of tea leaf. Tea beverage is drunk in many forms with or without milk all over the world. The number of tea recipe for tea lovers is ever expanding and hot tea consumers all over the world are making tea recipe that makes teas taste better and flavored. The high tea party offers many type of recipe of this wonder hot beverage that comes from Assam and the premium Darjeeling tea estates of India that stand certified as of 100% pure quality.

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
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Drink Green Tea Every Day

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Mike extols the amazing health benefits of drinking green teas, rooibos teas, and yerba matte.

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Protective Antioxidants - Is Green Tea Really Better For You?

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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.

ASKME BLAX

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Finding the Best Green Tea to Drink

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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.

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Caffeine in Green Tea

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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.

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The Antioxidising Benefits of Green Tea

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People have been drinking green tea for centuries now. This is probably one of the oldest beverage preparation in history. Have you ever wondered why people drink green tea until now? Well, studies have proven that drinking green tea has a lot of health benefits. For one, it is well known to have antioxidising benefits. The animal kingdom needs oxygen in order to survive and that includes the humans.

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.

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Green Tea - Why Drink It?

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In Asia, green tea is quite popular. For many generations, the tea has already been a part of family gatherings and even their day to day lives. There are various reasons why Asian people loved to drink green tea. Aside from its excellent taste, you can also derive some health benefits from drinking green tea. Recently, medical communities and the western countries have recognized the benefits of drinking green tea. There are various reasons why individuals should drink tea and these reasons are found in this article.

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.
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Green Tea and Caffeine

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It is very important to give proper attention to one's health especially in today's times. There are individuals who encounter problems with caffeine and as you know, green tea does contain caffeine. You can see a lot of advertisements on television about the positive effects of drinking the said tea but for those individuals who can't take caffeine, they should be extra careful.

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?
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Green Tea Fat Burning Benefits

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More and more people are getting hooked up with green tea. Especially those that belongs to the category that is a bit larger than life. Green tea has been proven to loosen that weight gaining body. Overweight is becoming a problem in major growing countries. As a person grows heavier and bigger, their risk for acquiring a disease is incredibly higher. But because of the impressive effects of green tea, gaining weight can no longer be a health threat.

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.
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Green Tea for Improved Fertility

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Health is the greatest treasure a man could have. The human body needs proper nutrition and rest in order to function to the fullest. On other people’s point of view, having a healthy body means higher level of productivity, and improved level of fertility, it also means increased level of resistance on certain kinds of diseases and illness present in the modern time. With today’s high cost of living, having a healthy body is a must.

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.
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Green Tea: The Miracle Weight Loss Drink

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Do you want to shed off those extra pounds you're carrying? Do you want to have a healthier looking body? Nowadays, people are so into diet fads, such as the high protein low carbohydrate diet that they don’t know that this is not very healthy for the body. It may slim you down, but you will put so much strain in your kidneys and liver that the insides of your body may not be as healthy as you might think it is. If you really want a healthy body and also a slimmer one, then eat the right kinds of food and drink green tea.

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.
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How to Brew Green Tea?

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To experience the utmost health benefits, green tea is preferably brewed rather than fermented. Fermentation is most likely used in black tea but never in green tea. There are basically three important reasons why brewing is used in 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.
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Identifying the Different Kinds of Green Tea

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Green tea is categorized in many forms. Aroma and flavor is based on the cultivation and processing of green tea. Below are the different kinds of green tea to give you further information.



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.
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