Tag Archives: Green tea

21 Jan

Green Tea – Top 5 Health Benefits And Tea Quality Guide For Dummies

Traditional cups for drinking green tea

Green tea has become quite popular these days. In some countries there is a long tradition of drinking it  but in others the tea drinking trend has only surfaced in the recent years. With gaining popularity green tea has made its way into supermarkets and health food stores around the world not only simply as tea but also as an ingredient in other foods and products. Everyone is looking for a way to look younger and to counteract some of their less healthy habits and green tea promises just that. How can it do that? Here you will find top 5 benefits of using it, how to tell the top notch green tea from a low quality one and a few preparation ideas. But first – a little history.

Where Does Green Tea Come From?

Green tea was originally grown and cultivated in ancient China. Neighboring Asian countries picked up this habit and today also use different varieties of green tea on a regular basis. The tea plant itself is known as Camellia Sinensis. The trick to making green tea is the amount of oxidization. Leaves can be dried differently to produce many different types of tea but when the least oxidization is used we get green tea. You could say that green tea is the most natural tea of them all (check this article if you want to learn more about this).

The effects of it have been noticed and studies a long time ago. For instance – Zen priest Eisai wrote The Kissa Yojoki which can be translated as as Book of tea in 1191. This book discusses the positive impact that green tea has the bodies’ organs. Asians used it for easing the after effects of liquor, better brain function, and to prevent urinary problems.

Picking green tea

Ancient Asians relied on green tea for easing the after effects of liquor, better brain function, and to prevent urinary problems.

Why Is It A Super Food?

Green tea is considered a super food because it is packed with antioxidants and polyphenols. These give it life extending capabilities. A study done in May 2006 by the Yale University studied people that drink a liter and half of green tea each day. Now we all know that smoking is bad for your health. A funny thing that this study discovered is that people in Asian countries who smoke and consume several cups of green tea a day at the same time have minimal rates of cancer and heart disease. People that smoke back here in the west have much higher rates of these diseases.

So, what are the top 5 benefits of green tea:

  1. Green tea drinkers can benefit from a decreased risk of heart disease,
  2. better artery function,
  3. blockage of bad cholesterol,
  4. and improved good cholesterol levels.
  5. Switching from sodas or highly sweetened drinks to green tea is good way to lose weight. The tea has the ability to increase metabolism and block the absorption of sugar which makes the process even easier.

 

Traditional cups for drinking green tea

Green tea drinkers can benefit from a decreased risk from problems caused by heart disease, better artery function, blockage of bad cholesterol, and improved good cholesterol levels.

Other Uses

It’s not only good when you drink it, there are other uses for green tea – you can also use it externally. For instance you can use tea bags to remove puffiness around the eyes and to exfoliate dead skin off the face. Several salons and spas have entire product lines that are made with green tea as the primary ingredient.

A Few Tips For Green Tea Drinkers

Many companies have concentrated formulas of green tea sold in capsule or liquid form for those that are looking to burn fat as part of a weight loss regimen. But I cant really see the point in that. You can just drink tea everyday and you will be fine. Here are a few tips for all the enthusiastic new green tea drinkers:

  • If you are trying to lose weight and can not drop the sweet taste completely (I drink unsweetened tea all the time and its all good) try using stevia instead of regular sugar. Stevia is an example of a sweetener that is natural and does not have negative side effects that are associated with chemical based sweeteners. Or use honey. And try to use less and less of it, you will get used to the less sweet taste.
  • Make a gallon of green tea and drink it all the time. If you want to improve the taste of the tea, place cut lemons or other fruit into the tea while it cools down. This way you can add flavor to it.
  • Since green tea bags are tiny you can have them with you all the time and use them to make a quick hot beverage. There are many places to get a cup of hot water for free. Drop the tea bag in it and you are set.
  • On the other hand, almost every place you go now serves green tea. Just remember to order it.

Making green is not exactly rocket science, but still here is a nice video that explains how to prepare it. Things to remember:

  • don’t use boiling hot water, water should be around 180F/80C
  • use the best tea possible (video mentions 1st, 2nd and 3rd cut, a bit more on that and tea quality later)
  • wait 3-5minutes.

 

The Tea Quality – What Makes The Best Green Tea Out There?

First cut tea, second cut tea, third cut tea

Tea grows in places that allow the tea leaves to be picked many times during the season. But the ones that are picked during the first harvest are always the best. And are therefore called 1st cut. One picked next are called 2nd cut and so on. The first cut tea leaves are the tenderest and have the highest levels of theanine, caffeine, antioxidants and aromatics oils.

Number of leaves harvested

How many leaves are plucked from the top? Less leaves make tea more expensive but the leaves at the end are the tenderest. You can pluck just the bud, bud and one leaf, bud + 2 leaves, bud + 3 leaves etc…with each additional leaf the concentration levels of theanine and antioxidants decreases.

Tea leaves state

The less destroyed and crumbled the leaves are the better.

How fresh are the leaves

Fresh, this years tea is of course better than one that is a few years old.

As you see the can be quite a difference between green teas. On one hand you can have freshly picked first cut top leaves and on the other hand you can have 3rd cut leaves, crumbled and mixed with black tea that are 2 years old, sitting on the shelves of supermarkets worldwide. They will all do you good but there is quite a difference between the first and the second option. This explains different prices when it comes to green tea.

Sooo…now what? Start drinking green tea! Try replacing coffee with green tea for starters. By drinking it daily we are constantly providing our bodies with antioxidants so try to make it a habit!

30 Sep

Super Green Foods

These days, it is difficult to go anywhere without being reminded of the necessity of eating healthy. As we continue to be bombarded by fast food where more emphasis is placed on making it as cheap as possible than trying to make it in any way healthy, and the trend in home cooking is toward prepared meals using preservatives and artificial flavors, it is becoming more important for individuals to take steps on their own to ensure that they get healthy foods into their diet. Fortunately, doctors have identified a number of super green foods that are extremely healthy and provide numerous nutritional benefits. Unlike other green foods such as vegetables, these items are grasses and grains that can be served as ingredients in a meal. Increasingly, men and women are finding the benefits of taking dietary supplements including these organic products to obtain the benefits to their health without having to work them into an everyday diet.

Wheatgrass

One example of these perfect food products is wheatgrass. When broken down nutritionally, wheatgrass consists of over twenty percent protein. This makes it an excellent supplement for people who need more protein in their diet, which includes a significant portion of the population. It has been used as an organic supplement for people suffering from low energy problems. Some people with gluten allergies who have restrictions on the wheat products they can eat think that they are not allowed to take wheatgrass supplements. This is not true, however. Wheatgrass does not contain the gluten that wheat grains have, making it perfectly safe for gluten allergists.

Alfalfa

Alfalfa is another one of the super foods, a nutritional heavy hitter that is seeing increased popularity as a dietary supplement. It has been discovered as a natural cholesterol reducer and has been shown to reduce atherosclerotic plaque when added to the diets of monkeys, making it potentially helpful for people suffering from clogging arteries. One doctor listed the organs that are assisted by the inclusion of alfalfa in a diet as including the kidney, the liver, the prostate, the digestive organs and the reproductive organs.

Green tea

Another green superfood that is showing up in guidelines for improved dietary health is green tea. Green tea has been shown to have cancer-fighting effects. This is because green tea is full of a number of items that can not only attack cancer cells at the molecular level, but can offer protection to the DNA of healthy cells in the body, preventing them from getting cancerous. Green tea is also believed to have benefits in cardiovascular health as well, and is also listed as helping with a laundry list of concerns, including dental health, skin care, and osteoporosis.

These and other super green nutritional aids are gaining momentum in the dietary supplement industry as a natural alternative to chemical additives that may do more harm than good in the long run. Nutritional experts everywhere agree that adding natural ingredients into your food and dietary supplements is vital to improving your long-term resistance to disease and overall heath. By adding these and other super green foods to your dietary intake, you can ensure that you too reap the benefits of an increasingly green diet.

30 Sep

Superfoods List

While there are many foods that contain benefits for a person’s health, certain foods are commonly referred to as “superfoods” because they contain multiple beneficial properties and are especially dense in nutrients. A superfood may be good for metabolism and weight loss, may help with digestion, may be good for the heart and blood pressure, may help to prevent disease and may even help to improve mood and concentration. Often, the items included on a superfoods list will boast a combination of these benefits.

So, without further ado, here is a list of seven popular, easily attainable super foods:

1. Beans

According to Dr. Perricone, who regularly appears on Oprah, “Beans are extremely beneficial in an anti-diabetes diet because they rank low on the glycemic scale…” meaning that they help to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. For anyone, diabetic or not, beans provide an excellent source of fiber and protein while remaining low in fat. Beans come in a variety of options, including: black, pinto, kidney, garbanzo, soy, navy and many more. They are found in the cooking of almost every culture around the world and are extremely versatile in their recipe options.

2. Yogurt

Yogurt contains naturally occurring probiotics, which are excellent for digestion and overall health. Yogurt also contains calcium, which is good for bones and may prevent the onset of osteoporosis, and contains protein, b-vitamins, potassium and magnesium.

3. Salmon

In 2002, the American Heart Association recommended eating 2 servings of fish per week. Salmon is relatively low in fat when compared to most meats, and is an excellent source of protein and fatty acids. Canned salmon is an inexpensive alternative when fresh salmon isn’t in the budget or widely available.

4. Broccoli

This green vegetable is an excellent source of calcium, vitamins a and c and fiber, which aids in digestion and weight loss. Eating a variety of green vegetables is believed to keep your heart healthy and aid in cancer prevention.

5. Dark Chocolate

The cocoa found in dark chocolate is an excellent source of antioxidants and caffeine, which can stimulate endorphins and improve mood as well as concentration.

6. Green tea

It is widely known that green tea has powerful antioxidants and naturally occurring caffeine, which, like chocolate, aids in energy and concentration. Some studies have also shown that people who drank green tea lost more weight than their counterparts who followed the same diet but did not drink green tea.

7. Avocados

This nutrient dense fruit is delicious as well as good for you! Avocados contain the healthy, monosaturated fats, which are known to promote “good” cholesterol. They are also high in fiber and contain potassium and magnesium.

While superfoods are often recognized for being packed with the above benefits, it is still advisable to include them in an overall balanced diet, which includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and proteins.

In addition to being healthy, these foods are delicious and easy to prepare and enjoy. Best of all, the items on this superfoods list are readily available in the aisles of a store near you.