Benefit of drinking green tea

Benefit of drinking green tea: The proof is in -- drinking tea is healthy, says Harvard Women’s Health Watch

Although tea drinking has been associated with health benefits for centuries, only in recent years have its medicinal properties been investigated scientifically. The October issue of Harvard Women's Health Watch recognizes the healthy power of tea while helping readers get the most out of their cups.

Tea's health benefits are largely due to its high content of flavonoids — plant-derived compounds that are antioxidants. Green tea is the best food source of a group called catechins. In test tubes, catechins are more powerful than vitamins C and E in halting oxidative damage to cells and appear to have other disease-fighting properties. Studies have found an association between consuming green tea and a reduced risk for several cancers, including, skin, breast, lung, colon, esophageal, and bladder.

Additional benefits for regular consumers of green and black teas include a reduced risk for heart disease. The antioxidants in green, black, and oolong teas can help block the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol, increase HDL (good) cholesterol and improve artery function. A Chinese study published recently in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed a 46%-65% reduction in hypertension risk in regular consumers of oolong or green tea, compared to non-consumers of tea.

The October issue provides a few tips to get the most out of tea-drinking:

Drinking a cup of tea a few times a day to absorb antioxidants and other healthful plant compounds. In green-tea drinking cultures, the usual amount is three cups per day. Allow tea to steep for three to five minutes to bring out its catechins. The best way to get the catechins and other flavonoids in tea is to drink it freshly brewed. Decaffeinated, bottled ready-to-drink tea preparations, and instant teas have less of these compounds. Tea can impede the absorption of iron from fruits and vegetables. Adding lemon or milk or drinking tea between meals will counteract this problem.http://teahealth1.blogspot.com/2010/03/benefit-of-drinking-green-tea.html

Meet some of the Mount Fuji Team

Meet some of the Mount Fuji Team: Mount Fuji International has unique links to food producers in the Shizuoka Prefecture and is totally commited to boosting the profile of this unique and special region. Meet the Baba San family, this family run company has been making sweets for over 165 years and is now on it's 8th generation. The recipe's that they use has not changed since they started. Catechin which is in tea is the main part that provides the heath poperties, so if it can be extracted then you can have an easier way to gain the health benefits of green tea in a more concentrated form. http://teahealth1.blogspot.com/2010/03/meet-some-of-mount-fuji-team.html

What İs White Tea

Look for White Tea to Become the Latest Hot New Food Trend

White tea has arrived in North America. While Chinese tea drinkers have been hip to white tea’s benefits since the Ming Dynasty, until recently it was virtually unknown outside of Asia. Not anymore. Today, everyone from chefs to medical researchers is praising white tea’s delicate flavor and purported health benefits. Market researchers predict consumers will soon share their enthusiasm, turning white tea into one of the hottest new food trends.

But, what is white tea? Most tea aficionados know that all tea comes from the same source: the Camilla Sinensis tea bush. Whether a tea leaf winds up in a cup of green, black, or oolong tea depends entirely on what happens after it is plucked. Black tea derives its dark color and full flavor from a complex fermentation process that includes exposing crushed tea leaves to the air for a strictly defined number of minutes. Tea leaves meant for more mellow tasting green tea are not fermented at all, but merely withered in hot air and quickly steamed or pan-fried. A gentle rolling and final heating stabilizes the tea’s natural flavors. Oolong teas fall somewhere in the middle: partial fermentation gives them a distinct reddish colour and a “flowery” flavor.

So, where does white tea fit into the picture? White tea is made from immature tea leaves that are picked shortly before the buds have fully opened. The tea takes its name from the silver fuzz that still covers the buds, which turns white when the tea is dried. The exact proportion of buds to leaves varies depending on the variety of white tea. For example, White Peony contains one bud for every two leaves, while Silver Needles, the crème de la crème of white teas, is made entirely from downy buds picked within a two day period in early Spring.

Of course, an exotic appearance alone doesn’t explain white tea’s sudden surge in popularity. The secret lies in what happens after the buds are plucked. Tea leaves destined to be sold as white tea undergo even less processing than green tea leaves. Instead of air-drying, the unwithered leaves are merely steamed.

The result? A pale tea with a sweet, silky flavor. People who have tried both note that white tea lacks the “grassy” aftertaste so often associated with green tea. Furthermore, studies indicate that white tea is better for you. Leaving tea leaves so close to their natural state means that white tea contains more polyphenols, the powerful anti-oxidant that fights and kills cancer-causing cells, than any other type of tea.

Need another reason to drink white tea? A 2004 study at Pace University concluded that white tea can help your body’s immune system fight off viruses and dangerous infection-causing bacteria. The same study concluded that fluoride-rich white tea helps prevent the growth of dental plaque, the chief cause of tooth decay.

Of course, nothing in life is perfect. Expect to pay more for white tea than other tea types - up to $25 US for a 2-ounce tin (40 to 50 cups) of Silver Needles. And, while many tea shops are starting to carry white tea, shopping online is still your best bet for the more upscale varieties.

Link:http://teahealth1.blogspot.com/2010/03/what-is-white-tea.html

Tea Consumption - Tea Health

Tea Consumption
Because of the importance of pure water for good health, the act of boiling water is an essential task in many parts of the world. History tells us that Emperor Shen Nung was one of the first people to discover the importance of boiled water, as well as having discovered tea. Today, the consumption of tea is just as important as the consumption of drinking water. On average about 2½ million metric tons of tea are produced worldwide. Some of this tea is retained by producing countries for internal consumption, while the rest is traded either directly to value-added resellers in other countries or bought through auction on the open market. India and China are the largest consumers of tea on the basis of total leaf used, and this consumption is largely from internal production.
These countries are the largest producers of tea, as well. The UK is the largest per-capita consumer of tea averaging about 3.5 to 4.0 cups per day.

Green Tea Extrack

Quality control Because green tea extract products have numerous and varied characteristics, evaluation of their quality should be based not only on two or three specified marker components but should include many other test factors appropriate for evaluating multi-component systems.Our researchers have isolated the biologically active compounds in green tea extract and have developed assays to assure an unvarying final product with uniform potency and purity. We make extensive use of HPLC, TLC and electron microscopy to make sure that every lot of raw material is of the species desired and is free of all pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer, heavy metals and organic contaminants.In this way, we closely monitor and control all factors in the production of green tea extract preparations, from the selection of raw tea leaves to the manufacture and packaging of final product, employing state-of-the-art quality control at every stage to assure a final product of the highest quality.The high, uniform quality of our products is made possible by a stringently controlled manufacturing process that aims to assure quality at each step in the analysis, inspection and production process, and which includes specialized technology and know-how in the selection, storage and processing of raw materials. Manufacturing operations are conducted in full compliance with strict governmental standards and employ highly advanced technologies.

Our commitment ZJCOF’s excellent reputation in the green tea extract market can be attributed to the company's rigorous ethical orientation. Dedicated to making green tea extract and purified EGCg better known and more widely available for the well-being and health of people around the world, ZJCOF can provide consumers with high-quality green tea extract and purified EGCg products which are standardized, efficacious and proven to be safe.

Covering the Basics-Oolong Tea

There's one question I get asked on more-or-less a daily basis, and it is this: What is the deal with Wu Long slimming tea? The term "wu long" is almost always used, and the word "slimming" appears just about every time as well.

It's actually a good question, and I don't get tired of answering it. My punk-rock roots are showing: every time I answer this question I get to save someone from being scammed by an evil corporation.

But let's back up. Let's discuss what exactly this tea is, how it's made, and how it tastes, and then we'll talk about diets.

First of all, "wu long," while accurate, is not the preferred term. Coming from the Chinese "wu"--"black"--and "lung"--dragon--the tea is more commonly termed "oolong" in the West--in fact, is considered the standard.

The production of oolong requires that the leaves be processed directly after picking. First the leaves are wilted in the sun for a short period of time. They are placed into baskets and shaken, which bruises the leaves. The juices in the leaves are now exposed to the air, which begins the process of oxidation. The leaves are then spread out to dry. After a period of time--less than 2 hours for Chinese oolongs, longer for Taiwanese oolongs, the tea is fired, which stops the fermentation process.

Oolongs are traditionally fired into hot woks and cooked very quickly. After that is done, the leaves may be further fermented, and then fired again. Ultimately we have crisp, dry leaves.

Oolong tea is often scented with jasmine flowers. Jasmine flowers are picked, and the tea leaves are steamed in order to hold scent well. (Often, green tea leaves are used for this process, but the process of scenting partially oxidizes the leaves, causing them to be considered oolong.) Jasmine flowers bloom at night; they are picked early in the day and mixed in with the tea at night, when they open and release their scent. The scent is infused into the leaves, and the process is repeated over a couple of nights. So. Now that we've gotten that cleared up, let's take a look at the infamous Wu Long Tea Diet. The pitch, if you're going on any of several sketchy sites online, is that here is a rare tea imported directly from a special mountain in China that will make you lose so many pounds in so many days. It'll burn fat and trim your waistline. Only this tea will do, so act now!

On a sidenote, my personal theory for why the term "wu long" is used instead of the more standardized "oolong" is to increase the exotic aura and prolong the sense of rareness. Adagio and most other companies have an "oolong" section, but they don't have one labeled "wu long." The tea isn't rare. I can tell you that for a fact, and I can prove it to you by taking a walk a few hundred feet away and picking up as much of it as I can carry.

I made this point clear very often, but this is one that can never be repeated too often: all tea is made from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. Whether you get green, white, oolong, or black tea depends on how you process it. There will be different amounts of antioxidants and other chemicals in different varieties--but for the most part, the difference is negligible. If you're drinking tea for health benefits, you don't need to drink a specific kind--just pick a kind that you like. On that score alone, the "wu long tea helps you lose weight" is inaccurate--you'd be able to get the same benefits from drinking any tea.

But what exactly are these benefits, as far as weight is concerned? Like any fad diet, the results look much better on paper than they do in real life. I'll say this quite frankly: you are not going to lose a significant amount of weight from drinking tea. Tea does speed up the metabolism. The number that I usually see is around 4%. That translates to roughly 8 pounds a year. Which is, of course, nice--but it's nowhere near the miraculous results that are usually bandied about. Drinking tea will be a nice (and delicious!) supplement to a healthy and sane diet and exercise plan, and it certainly can help you avoid those periods where you stay at a certain weight, but on its own it won't do that much. Anyone who tells you differently is selling you an inferior product at about twice what you ought to be paying for it.

There are, while I'm on the subject, several herbal teas that you can buy which claim to be weight loss teas. Stay away from those--while oolong or wu long or whatever you like to call it will never be harmful, your average weight loss tea can be. Those usually work by being strong diuretics and laxatives, so you'll drop a lot of water weight quickly, but not only will you have to deal with problems related to dehydration, many of them can mess up your digestive system irrevocably. Cutting out fats and sweets and switching to non-soda drinks (which tea can help you do!), plus getting out for a walk every so often is a much healthier--and effective--method.

So now that we're drinking oolong, what should you try first? By far our most popular is the Jasmine #12, which is one of the scented teas. It's also known as Dragon Pearls, and it comes rolled into tiny balls of sweet-smelling leaves. When you add water to them, the pearls unroll into leaves.

Wuyi Ensemble is a darker, non-scented oolong that I'll admit to hating at first. It grew on me and it's one of my favorites now. It's got a very strong but not bitter taste to it. The most recent TeaChef contest used Wuyi as the secret ingredient, so if you're a cook, you'll find some handy recipes to go with the tea.

Ti Kuan Yin is a grassy-tasting oolong which is named after the Chinese Goddess of Mercy. A story, which I rather like, tells of a poor farmer who tended a run-down temple dedicated to her. After many months of cleaning and sweeping and lighting incense, the goddess appeared to him and, in gratitude for his service, gave him a gift: a tea plant. The farmer cultivated the plant and such is this tea's origin.

But my personal favorite oolong is Oolong #40, which is a very dark and rich oolong. Oolong #40 is a Taiwanese Oolong. In the tea world, these are known as "Formosa" teas, coming from the Portuguese word for "beautiful." Portuguese explorers and sailors, upon discovering the island, apparently liked what they saw, and their adjective stuck.

Oolong does not have a blanket method of preparation as black teas do, as there are darker and lighter oolongs. For lighter teas, like the Jasmine #12, you'll want to use a teaspoon of tea steeped in 180 degree water for about five minutes. Darker oolongs, like the Wuyi, get steeped in boiling (212 degree) water, for closer to seven. Remember that all of Adagio's tins feature temperature and time guidelines on their fronts, so you'll be able to tell easily! While all teas can hold multiple infusions, oolong teas are particularly good for this--many people say that oolongs don't mature into their full flavor until the second or even third infusion, so experiment!

Green tea is also touted as a healthy kind of tea, but as we're keeping the "all tea comes from the same plant" mantra in the back of our minds, we know that it's got the same benefits as all other types of tea, so the information on dieting that I've just given you is equally valid. But still, green tea is an important and popular facet of the tea world, and it deserves its own look. Next month, I'll be examining just what makes green tea so special.

What does the research say about coffee and health

Question

Coffee and health: What does the research say?

What does the research say about coffee and health? Is coffee good or bad for me?

Answer

from Donald Hensrud, M.D.

Coffee has a long history of being blamed for many ills — from the humorous "It will stunt your growth" to the not-so-humorous claim that it causes heart disease and cancer. But recent research indicates that coffee may not be so bad after all. So which is it — good or bad? The best answer may be: It doesn't seem to hurt, and it may help.

Recent studies have generally found no connection between coffee and an increased risk of cancer or heart disease. Why the apparent reversal in the thinking about coffee? Earlier studies didn't always take into account that known high-risk behaviors, such as smoking and physical inactivity, tended to be more common among heavy coffee drinkers.

However, the research appears to bear out some risks. High consumption of unfiltered coffee is associated with mild elevations in cholesterol levels. And another study found that two or more cups of coffee a day can increase the risk of heart disease in people with a specific — and fairly common — genetic mutation that slows the breakdown of caffeine in the body. So, how quickly you metabolize coffee may affect your health risks.

Newer studies have also shown that coffee may have benefits, such as protecting against Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes and liver cancer. But this doesn't mean you should disregard the old maxim "Everything in moderation." Although coffee may not be harmful, other beverages such as milk and juice contain important nutrients that coffee does not. Also, keep in mind that coffee accompaniments such as cream and sugar add calories and fat to your diet. Finally, heavy caffeine use — such as four to seven cups of coffee a day — can cause problems such as restlessness, anxiety, irritability, sleeplessness and headaches.

Coffee Health Risks

Despite 20 years of reassuring research, many people still avoid caffeinated coffee because they worry about its health effects. However, current research reveals that in moderation—a few cups a day—coffee is a safe beverage that may even offer some health benefits. The September issue of Harvard Women's Health Watch weighs the pros and cons of this popular beverage and eases the concerns of moderate coffee drinkers.

The latest research has not only confirmed that moderate coffee consumption doesn't cause harm, it's also uncovered possible benefits. Studies show that the risk for type 2 diabetes is lower among regular coffee drinkers than among those who don't drink it. Also, coffee may reduce the risk of developing gallstones, discourage the development of colon cancer, improve cognitive function, reduce the risk of liver damage in people at high risk for liver disease, and reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease. Coffee has also been shown to improve endurance performance in long-duration physical activities.

For those who drink coffee to stay alert, new research suggests that you'll stay more alert, particularly if you are fighting sleep deprivation, if you spread your coffee consumption over the course of the day. For instance, if you usually drink 16 ounces in the morning, try consuming a 2-3 ounce serving every hour or so. Again, moderation is the key.

However, as the September issue notes, coffee is not completely innocent. Caffeine, coffee's main ingredient is a mild addictive stimulant. And coffee does have modest cardiovascular effects such as increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and occasional irregular heartbeat that should be considered. Studies have been largely inconclusive regarding coffee and its effect on women's health issues such as breast health, cancer, and osteoporosis. But, the negative effects of coffee tend to emerge in excessive drinking so it is best to avoid heavy consumption.

Is Lipton Iced Green Tea actually tea?

(HealthCastle.com) A few of our readers who read our 7-Up article wrote to us about Lipton Iced Green Tea. They know that green tea contains polyphenols, which give tea its antioxidant properties. But they are not sure if Lipton Iced Green Tea is actually green tea or not.

Lipton Iced Green Tea: shockingly long ingredient list

We went to the Lipton web site and looked up the ingredient list of their Iced Green Tea. We naively anticipated the list to contain water, green tea and perhaps some sort of added sugars. However, the list is shockingly long.

"Water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, green tea, sodium hexametaphosphate, ascorbic acid, honey, natural flavors, phosphoric acid, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, calcium disodium edta, caramel color, tallow 5, blue1."

More like Soft drink than Green Tea!

With 200 calories, 13 teaspoons of added sugar and a long list of artificial ingredients, Lipton Iced Green Tea is more like a bottle of soft drink than tea.

To make your own natural iced green tea, brew green tea leaves in a jar of water. Then cool it in the refrigerator. Serve it as is or add citrus juice or honey to your preference. lipton Green Tea actually Green tea health

Ultra Lean Green Tea

There is a reason why Ultra Lean Green Tea is #1 among all weight loss green tea products. We actually believe that Ultra Lean Green Tea is the best and most effective weight loss product in the market. Ultra Lean Green Tea offers fantastic results. Ultra Lean Green Tea is excellent in every respect from the test to the cost, to it’s effectiveness.

So you are likely wondering what makes Ultra Lean Green Tea so effective. There are many answers to that question and it is difficult to know where to start. First, Ultra Lean Green Tea is a powder that tastes great and is simply added to your water, favorite juice, iced-tea or any drink. Many other green tea products are taken as a pill, but with a powder you body doesn’t have to digest the outer layers of the pill in order to let the ingredients do their job. With a powder you can get the active ingredients into your blood stream quickly so they are working after just your first sip. Did we already tell you that it tastes great as well? Now you should know just how Ultra Lean Green Tea works. EGCG is the main ingredient found in green tea. This ingredient is a powerful calorie burner that helps to destroy or burn fat cells by the thousands. There is over 375mg of pure green tea extract in Ultra Lean Green Tea and it also has tons of anti-oxidants which help to fight off cancer cells.

There is an even greater advantage that Ultra Lean Green Tea has compared to its competitors. It contains Citrimax ™ and Advantra Z ™. These two ingredients make the most powerful fat burning and energizing combination in the world when combined with EGCG in the Ultra Lean Green Tea’s pure green tea extract to help you feel good. You can reduce your appetite and gain energy without getting exhausted or having the crash that you get with many so called energy drinks due to the Citrimax ingredient. The Advantra Z will help to stimulate and increase the speed and effectiveness of your metabolism so you burn more fat and prevent your body from storing fat cells. Muscles rely on protein and the building blocks of protein are amino acids. There is a premium amino acid blend in Ultra Lean Green Tea to help you build lean muscle while energizing your body and helping you to feel better. You can even lower your cholesterol with Ultra Lean Green Tea and reduce your risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Our test subjects lost weight fast with Ultra Lean Green Tea, faster than nearly any other product we’ve tried. From just the free trial, many tests saw as much as fifteen to twenty pounds of weight loss. You cannot ignore the benefits of green tea and Ultra Lean Green Tea is fast gaining media attention. In fact one of the most renowned doctors in the world, Dr. Perricone, was on the Oprah show and promised her that is she replaced coffee with green tea in the morning she could lose at least ten pounds in six weeks. You can find many positive articles about green tea studies at CNN, WebMD, Fox News, the BBC and other sources.

The information given above is just the tip of the iceberg. In every way we have been amazed by Ultra Lean Green Tea and this is a major accomplishment since we are a review site that tests weight loss products all the time. We can confidently say that you will not be disappointed with Ultra Lean Green Tea. The manufacturers themselves are so confident in their product that they are giving you a thirty day free trial. They are giving you a generous thirty day supply unlike other free trials which are usually just fourteen days. You just need to pay the small shipping and handling fee of $5.95 and then you can sit back and enjoy the wonderful benefits of Ultra Lean Green Tea as it transforms your body, energy and even your life.

Here are a few authentic testimonials sent by people who consumed “ultra lean green tea”:

“With a healthy lifestyle and exercise it has helped me. I feel great and I’ve def lost some weight. I just wanted the free trail to help “junpstart” my diet and weight lost. I’ve only been taking it for about a week and it’s been pretty good.” – Kathie

“I love this tea – it really helped reduce my appetite and I had extra energy. It helped me to get motivated to work out more. The results are definitely worth giving it a try!” – Cherise

“I started the free trial last week and am really enjoying it. I think it tastes good, I’m not hungry and I have more energy.” – Sarah

Green Tea Weight Loss Pill

Extensive research has shown that weight loss on the green tea diet is to be expected by adding green tea or a green tea pill to your diet. This article will reveal the truth about why weight loss is possible on a green tea diet and where you can find out more information about a green tea diet and pill that's right for you.

A green tea weight loss pill is one of the best means of losing weight if you are serious about losing unwanted inches and pounds safely without resorting to desperate ploys to achieve your weight loss goals. Studies have confirmed without a shadow of a doubt that Green Tea is a fantastic, 100 percent all natural, chemical free way to weight loss as green tea greatly increases your metabolism and in addition to that also enhances your body's natural fat burning processes. Green Tea can greatly increase your chances of weight loss in ways that you may not have imagined plus you get all the health benefits that go with green tea.

This is how weight loss on the green tea diet works. A person's body burns fat naturally through a process called thermogenesis. If a person doesn't drink Green Tea their body's energy is usually expended at a rate of only 10 percent a day. On the other hand, simply by adding Green tea to your weight loss efforts you can greatly increase this natural fat burning process by around 40 percent and burn fat much faster than originally achieved. If you couple your Green Tea weight loss efforts with a sensible exercise program and eating you will find yourself well on your way to achieving your weight loss goals through simply adding Green Tea to your diet.

There are a large number of ways that you can use Green Tea in your weight loss efforts including by taking a green tea pill. One easy method of using Green Tea in your weight loss program is by simply taking green tea in liquid form. There are many other choices and products available for Green Tea available both online, in the supermarket, in drugstores and in your local health food store. Green Tea is also readily available and accessible in tea bag form and also in loose leaf Green tea form. If you drink green tea it is important to bear in mind that you don't brew Green Tea too long as you will be decreasing its healing capabilities much like occurs with overcooked vegetables.

Another fashionable method for including Green Tea in your weight loss plan is to find a Green Tea dietary supplement in Green Tea pill form. There are a large variety of Green Tea dietary pills and supplements available for purchase. You need to find the perfect Green Tea dietary supplement which contains a large amount of EGCG which increases your metabolosm and also your ability to burn fat through its antioxidant capabilities.

Numerous Green Tea weight loss and dietary pills also contain other ingredients that will also greatly help weight loss on the green tea diet. Hoodia is a recent Green Tea weight loss product that has been proven to promote and increase weight loss even more. Further, chromium picolinate also promotes a leaner body and the caffeine in Green Tea will also help increase your natural fat burning capabilities by over 40 percent.

If you are serious about weight loss then you have nothing to lose but weight by adding Green Tea to your weight loss program. MOre often than not, it is hard to lose weight. However, when you add Green Tea to your weight loss program you will be amazed at the results. Weight loss on the green tea diet is possible and if you are after a weight loss remedy then I strongly recommend adding green tea to your diet asap.

Copyright 2007. Wait! Are you after more green tea secrets to improve your health? Learn all the health benefits of green tea today. Green tea has many health benefits and helps with many medical conditions including cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, hypertension, diabetes, weight loss and a lot more. Learn all about green tea including the different green tea products available including gum, perfume, shampoo, pills, creams and weight loss teas PLUS buy your green tea products direct from my website at a discount now. PLUS get FREE instant access to the secrets of green tea via email.

Green Tea Weight Loss

About Green Tea and Weight Loss - The No-Nonsense Truth

Consider the following - One pound of fat (2.2 kg) is equivalent to approximately 3500 calories. Whether using green tea for weight loss or any other method, in order to lose one pound of fat over the period of a week, a person must maintain a calorie deficit of 3500 below their normal "set point", that "set point" being the amount of calories consumed in one's diet where a person neither loses nor gains fat. This calorie deficit can come through the modification of diet, through exercise, or a through a combination of both. In the case of a pound per week weight loss, that works out to a needed calorie deficit of 500 calories per day.

Research by Japanese and other researchers(1) suggest that if the average person were to drink five cups of green tea a day, they would burn an extra 70 to 80 extra calories through an effect known as thermogenesis - the process of heat production in organisms. While much of the thermogenesis effect in green tea is derived from caffeine, studies also suggest(2) that thermogenesis in green tea occurs to some degree beyond its caffeine content from epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG.)

Regardless, 70-80 calories per day does not quite come close to the 500 calorie deficit needed per day to lose a pound a week, and for sure it's nowhere close to the calorie deficit needed to lose "inches per week" from one's waistline as some green tea web sites would have consumers believe. According to the research, if a person were to change nothing outside of adding five cups of green tea to their diet per day, then over the course of 43 days one could expect to lose 1 pound. Over the period of one year, one could expect a loss of about 8 pounds. Yes, there is some correlation between green tea and weight loss, unfortunately it's not on the level many would have you believe.

Clearly, drinking green tea alone is not going to be satisfactory for significant weight loss. Still, green tea can still be quite useful as a weight loss aid. The extra 80 calories per day can be just what a person needs to tip the scale from a calorie surplus to a calorie deficit, especially when following a balanced nutrition and exercise regime.

Something That Really Works...

If you are serious about losing weight, even though you should not expect the pounds to melt off as some will claim, we still definitely do recommend green tea as a complement to a sound nutrition and exercise regime, not only for the slight metabolism boost it will give you, but more importantly for the many other documented health benefits.

That said, in case you have not yet had the fortune to come across a *real*, no-nonsense weight loss program that will work for just about *anyone*, one that will put you back in control of things once and for all, one that *will* work, here is one we highly endorse. Why this program? The 45 year old webmaster of this site has personally lost and kept off 35 pounds of fat since May 1st, 2007 by following this no-gimmick system and has never felt better! You may freely contact him directly if you have any questions about it. Change your life today!

Green Tea Health Benefits

What's with all the hype about green tea health benefits?

Ordinary tea, as most people know it, comes from the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant. There are three main types of tea: green tea, oolong tea, and black tea, categorized according to their oxidation levels (called the fermentation process). Green tea is steamed, baked, or pan heated to prevent oxidation and thus the leaves remain green. Unlike green tea, oolong tea is partially fermented, and black tea is fully fermented.

So why is green tea getting all the attention in the science world? It's mainly because of the antioxidant epigallocatechin-3 gallate ( EGCG ), the main component considered good for one's health which is preserved in green tea but lost in oolong and black varieties when fermented. Antioxidants are thought to prevent free radicals.

Free Radicals - What exactly is a free radical?

A scientific explanation: In essence, a free radical is any molecular species capable of independent existence, that contains one or more unpaired electrons not contributing to intermolecular bonding, and is, in that sense, "free". They are produced by oxidation/reduction reactions, in which there is a transfer of only one electron at a time, or when a covalent bond is broken and one electron from each pair remains with each atom. Thus, a free radical has an unpaired electron.

Many free radicals are highly reactive, owing to the tendency of electrons to pair; that is, to pair by the receipt of an electron from an appropriate donor or to donate an electron to an appropriate acceptor. Whenever a free radical reacts with a non-radical, a chain reaction is initiated until two free radicals react and then terminate the propagation with a 2-electron bond, with each radical contributing its single unpaired electron. The free radicals of special interest in aging are the oxygen free radicals (OH., H., O2.-). These free radicals often take an electron away from a "target" molecule to pair with their single free electron; this is what is commonly termed oxidation. The term reactive oxygen species is used to refer to these oxidants and the oxygen free radicals.

In the human body, oxidized free radicals are believed to cause tissue damage at the cellular level, causing damage to our DNA, mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell), and cell membrane, and have often been referred to as one of the causes attributed to aging, cancer, heart disease, and other human ailments harmful to one's health. While the green tea ion of free radicals is a normal part of metabolism at the cellular level, things such as excessive alcohol intake, smoking, and various chemical exposures only serve to increase the amount of free radicals present in the body. To prevent free radical damage the body has a defense system of antioxidants.

Antioxidants - What exactly is an antioxidant?

Antioxidants are molecules which can safely interact with free radicals and terminate the chain reaction before vital molecules are damaged (as in Vitamin C), or seek out and scavenge free radicals ( as in Vitamin E ). This is where it can be noted that research has indicated that one of the main antioxidants found in green tea ( epigallocatechin 3-gallate a.k.a. EGCG ) has been found to be much more powerful than both Vitamins C and E. Compared to other known antioxidants, EGCG was found to be 100 times more effective than vitamin C, 25 times more effective than Vitamin E and twice as powerful as resveratrol at neutralizing free radicals.

What makes green tea so special?

What makes green tea so special?

The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the "French Paradox." For years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet. In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.

Why don't other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.

Green Tea Straight Up

Green Tea Straight Up

Taking weight loss supplements that contain green tea extract probably won't hurt, unless you have liver problems.

But the best way to get the most out of green tea -- even if your main goal is losing weight -- is to drink it.

"Taken altogether, the evidence certainly suggests that incorporating at least a few cups of green tea every day will positively affect your health," says Diane McKay, PhD, a Tufts University scientist who studies antioxidants. "It's not going to cure anything and it shouldn't be consumed as a drug, but it can complement the rest of the diet."

McCullough bears the same reminder: eat your fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, and nuts -- and go ahead, drink as much green tea as you want.

"I don't think it can hurt to drink it. I'd focus on dietary sources rather than supplements because there are several compounds in green tea that might need to be consumed together. We just don't know yet," she says

Green Tea and Weight

Green tea and its extract have been shown to fight obesity and lower LDL "bad" cholesterol -- two risk factors for heart disease and diabetes -- but in very limited studies. One study in the Netherlands and a study in Japan showed that green tea did both.

In the Dutch study, participants who drank caffeinated green tea lost more weight, but even those who typically drank the decaf variety saw a decrease in their waistlines and body weight. Researchers speculated that the caffeine helps with fat oxidation.

In the Japanese study, 240 men and women were given varying amounts of green tea extract for three months. Those who got the highest amount lost fat and weight and had lower blood pressure and lower LDL "bad" cholesterol.

Is Green Tea Good for Your Heart

Is Green Tea Good for Your Heart?

It seems to be, but there are conflicting results of a few epidemiological studies conducted in the East and West.

In a study that involved 500 Japanese men and women, researchers found that drinking at least four cups of green tea every day may be related to the reduced severity of coronary heart disease among the male participants.

A Dutch study of more than 3,000 men and women found that the more tea consumed, the less severe the clogging of the heart's blood vessels, especially in women.

As Goldberg suggests, lifestyle and overall diet are critical to the outcomes of these studies.

But green tea's antioxidants are dilators, she says, because they improve the flexibility of blood vessels and make them less vulnerable to clogging -- and antioxidant-rich blueberries and pomegranates do the same.

"I think people should know these are important studies, that everyday foods that are an option may actually have health benefits," Goldberg says. "I think green tea, because of its antioxidant value, may have heart benefits, but it's not something we regularly prescribe to people, because there isn't as much evidence as there is in exercise's ability to improve heart health."

Green Tea vs. Cancer continued

Green Tea vs. Cancer continued...

Still, it's difficult not to be intrigued by a few human studies that have shown that drinking at least two cups of green tea daily inhibits cancer growth.

One of them, a study conducted in Japan that involved nearly 500 Japanese women with Stage I and Stage II breast cancer, found that increased green tea consumption before and after surgery was associated with lower recurrence of the cancers.

Studies in China have shown that the more green tea that participants drank, the less the risk of developing stomach cancer, esophageal cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer.

Finally, a recent analysis of 22 studies that probed the correlation between high tea consumption and reduced risk for lung cancer concluded that by increasing your daily intake of green (not black) tea by two cups may reduce the risk of developing lung cancer by 18%

Green Tea's Powerful Antioxidants

Green tea's antioxidants, called catechins, scavenge for free radicals that can damage DNA and contribute to cancer, blood clots, and atherosclerosis. Grapes and berries, red wine, and dark chocolate also have potent antioxidants.

Because of green tea's minimal processing -- its leaves are withered and steamed, not fermented like black and oolong teas -- green tea's unique catechins, especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), are more concentrated.

But there's still a question of how much green tea you need to drink to reap its health benefits. EGCG is not readily "available" to the body; in other words, EGCG is not always fully used by the body.

"We must overcome the issue of poor bioavailability [and other issues] in order to get the most out of their benefits," says Tak-Hang Chan, PhD, professor emeritus in the department of chemistry at McGill University in Montreal. Chan has studied the use of a synthetic form of EGCG in shrinking prostate cancer tumors in mice, with success.

Green Tea vs. Cancer

Marji McCullough, ScD, RD, the American Cancer Society's strategic director of nutritional epidemiology, says human studies haven't yet proven what researchers like Chan have discovered in the lab: green tea's EGCG regulates and inhibits cancer growth and kills cells that are growing inappropriately.

"Epidemiologically, one of the challenges is finding populations that drink enough green tea and have for a long time," she says. "With cancer, it's always difficult to find the exposure time," or the point at which cancer cells begin to develop.

Health Benefits of Green Tea

It's difficult not to gush about green tea.

More than a decade's worth of research about green tea's health benefits -- particularly its potential to fight cancer and heart disease -- has been more than intriguing, as have limited studies about green tea's role in lowering cholesterol, burning fat, preventing diabetes and stroke, and staving off dementia.

"I believe in green tea based on everything written about it," says Katherine Tallmadge, RD, LD, a nutritionist and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "Green tea, white tea, black tea -- I like all of them."

Still, real-world evidence is lacking; most of the consistent findings about green tea's health benefits have come out of the lab.

The few large-scale human studies that have focused on green tea's impact on heart disease and cancer are promising, but many of those were conducted in the East, where green tea is a dietary mainstay. The outcomes are likely influenced by other lifestyle factors such as high consumption of fish and soy protein, says cardiologist Nieca Goldberg, MD, a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association and medical director of the New York University Women's Heart Center.

But Goldberg agrees with other health professionals: green tea has important antioxidants and compounds that help in maintaining good health.