Grow Organic Herbal Teas at Home

Growing Herbs Will Result in a Choice Organic Herbal Tea!

Growing herbs for tea is becoming very popular. Organic herbal teas are easy to grow at home. Many grow herbs to add flavor for cooking, while others grow herbs to improve or promote good health. Whatever your reason, herbs added to a cup of tea or brewed alone makes a refreshing and flavorful drink. Picking herbs for your choice organic tea from the garden is always an adventure for the senses.

I love being able to go into the garden to decide what I might enjoy as my tea today. Seeing my herb garden brings me such pleasure. As I bend down, the scent of the herbs is in the air. As I pick the herbs for my tea, the scent becomes stronger and the oil from the plants stays on my hands as I wash the leaves to prepare my tea.

It is important when using fresh herbs for tea that you take time to rub the leaves to release their fragrant oils.

The aroma of my brewed tea fills the house as I allow my tea to steep. Yes, it is a simple pleasure I enjoy often.

I grow many herbs in my garden. Some of them I keep in planters to bring indoors during the fall and winter months. I do take time and dry many of my herbs for future use for cooking as well as for tea. This way I have my home grown tea all year round.

When making a cup of tea with fresh herbs, you use about the equivalent of one tablespoon for each cup of tea you are brewing. When you use your dried herbs, you use about one teaspoon for each cup of tea you are brewing. Allow each to steep about three to five minutes before removing the herbs.

Growing herbs is easy and you do not need a lot of space to do it. A window sill and a sunny spot is a perfect place to grow your favorite herbs. I do grow several pots of my favorite herbs so that I never run out!

More grow organic herbal teas at home. Growing herbs will result in a choice organic tea.

Here are a few herbs that are great as a stand alone tea or as an addition to already brewed tea:

Mint is one of my favorite herbs. This is a hardy plant that will take over your garden, so I always plant it in pots to keep it under control. There are so many varieties of mint today I have a hard time choosing which to grow. Peppermint, spearmint, orange mint, lemon mint and even chocolate mint are just a few of the choices! I always grow spearmint and every year I get adventurous and try another variation. I have not been disappointed by any of my choices. I always enjoy green tea plus any mint for a great glass of ice tea.

Chamomile is a must for any tea gardener. This is an herb that you use the flowers instead of the leaves to make tea. Its apple like flavor and scent has been brewed for centuries to calm and promote relaxation. It is also a tea that has properties that soothe the throat and enhances the immune system.

Lavender is something grows too large to be put on a windowsill. It is a very aromatic herb that promotes sleep and relives headaches. Lavender has a sweet, floral taste that goes well with mint for a flavorful cup of tea. This is another tea that is made with the flowers of the plant.

Lemon balm has a unique lemon with a touch of mint flavor. For centuries many drank lemon balm tea to enhance and promote longevity. Today many drink lemon balm tea to treat colds and flu and to lower blood pressure. It is said that it is also known to aid indigestion. Lemon balm is another herb that goes well with mint.

Growing Herbs at home is fun and inexpensive. It is easy to grow organic herbal teas that result in a choice organic teas right from the garden! It doesn't get any better than this.

Connie Bednar has been a tea enthusiast all her life. She enjoys sharing information about loose leaf tea and so her web site http://www.your-cup-of-tea.com was born. Learn more about herbal teas here on her website Take the time to sign up for "Tea Note Speaker" her newsletter while you are there and take advantage of her complimentary tea e-course.

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The History of Tea: Health and Healing Properties

For more than 4000 years now, tea has been a faithful staple in many cultures and countries around the world. Used as a sustaining liquid for those suffering from infectious disease, there are many believers who have always asserted that tea holds powerful healing properties.

In some cases, they believe that tea can actually cure ailments and sickness. New emerging studies are elevating these assumptions from myth to scientific reality, providing significant evidence that tea is indeed a source of health and contains legitimate healing properties.

Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, second only to water, and in many parts of the world, green and black teas are mass produced from the plant Camilla Sinensis. Because of the way the beverage is brewed, it is also one of the safest beverages made on the planet. This is because it is made with boiling water until it is sterile. It is this process that eradicates just about every type of bacteria or virus commonly found in water.

For centuries, tea has not only helped promote health, it also has served as a as a social outlet (tea time), battlefield sedative (the British for years served their wounded tea on the battle field as a way to calm them), and has played a major role in at least one revolution (the Boston Tea Party).

Pirates used to raid tea ships and bounties were put on these pirates’ heads, sometimes even surpassing the bounties placed on pirates that raided gold and silver ships. Rumor has it that this beverage was so popular in England and the colonies that during the American War for Independence, tea was still served in many of the thirteen colonies under a collection of aliases.

Throughout this time, however, tea was also believed to possess qualities that promoted good health and it was believed that tea could help a sick or injured person heal. For centuries, this was merely attributable to antidotal experience, with no scientific foundation on which to base those beliefs. Recently, however, detailed research done by an array of colleges, universities, and research centers have focused on teas positive properties.

Japan and China initially carried out the lion-share of this research, which primarily focused on their tea-of-choice: green tea. Europe and the United States, though, have begun to get in on the act, focusing on green and black tea and the results have been nothing short of astounding.

Not only have many of the alleged healthful properties been certified, researchers have also identified other, previously unknown qualities of tea that have proven that the beverage possesses qualities that can fight cancer, ward off tumors, and prevent the introduction of free radicals into the body.

This results of these tests indicated that because teas possess a high level of the antioxidant tea polyphenols, it is a great disease fighter. Research has shown that not only can tea fight cancer and ward off tumors and other defects; it also is can reduce the risk of heart disease.

As researchers have discovered these properties, they also have been able to map out the chemical composition of tea and pinpoint what they believe are the critical properties of this near wonder-drug.

These findings have allowed researchers to begin to understand what makes tea so effective in healing and promoting health. The most productive tests have come in the form of multi-disciplinary approaches, which consider data from epidemiology and field studies, laboratory tests in animals and historical accounts that are compared to current testing results.

Researchers have tested tea against many different ailments and the results have shown that it is one of the most effective methods that a person can employ to ensure that they are able to adequately fight against any of these sicknesses. The jury, however, is still out, as tea’s potential is only just now beginning to be understood.

Jon M. Stout is the Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. Golden Moon Tea carefully selects the finest rare and orthodox teas, which are processed slowly and handcrafted with extreme care. At their website, you can learn more about their current tea offerings, including their exceptional green tea, white tea, black tea, oolong tea (also known as wu-long and wu long tea) and chai. Visit http://www.goldenmoontea.com for all details concerning the Golden Moon Tea Company's fine line of teas.

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Important Health Benefits of Taking Green Tea Supplements

The Chinese have been drinking green tea for its health benefits for thousands of years and it's easy to see why. It packs a punch when it comes to preventing aging and disease. The best way to enjoy the benefits green tea. Here are 5 of the most important health benefits of green tea.

1. If you take a green tea supplement every day, you will greatly reduce your risk of getting cancer. The catechins prevent cancers of the stomach, breast, colon, and kidney and are beneficial for treating solid tumor cancers.

It is thought that green tea's cancer-fighting benefits come from its ability to prevent new blood vessel growth in tumors and inhibit tumor cell proliferation.

2. It is very helpful in any weight loss program because they speed up the metabolism of fat and calories. It also works as a mild appetite suppressant for some.

3. Green tea improves your cognitive performance thanks to the mild dose of caffeine it contains. By taking a supplement every day, you will notice that you can think much more clearly.

4. It will help prevent skin aging due to exposure to free radicals because of the powerful antioxidants they contain. It also protects your skin from harmful UV-A rays.

5. You can take it to prevent digestive problems like diarrhea, Crohn's disease, and vomiting.

6. Drink it or take a supplement in order to prevent Parkinson's disease.

7. It prevents the formation of blood clots, lowers your LDL cholesterol level, lowers your blood pressure, and protects you against heart disease.

This list of benefits of green tea is only the tip of the iceberg. There are far more health benefits. In order to enjoy these benefits to the maximum as well as other benefits in disease and aging prevention, you should take a it that contains many more ingredients than just green tea.

Why take only a pill when you can take a supplement that combines green tea with many other anti-aging ingredients? For example, black cumin, alfalfa, biotin, folic acid, and calcium, to name a few other ingredients will provide far more health benefits.

Moreover, a supplement that contains all of these ingredients working in synergy together will have enhanced effectiveness. So what is stopping you from looking for green tea supplements. With the right combination of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, herbs, and more, you will be able to put off aging and disease for years to come.

I have been an educator for 20 years. I am also an ailment and herbal expert.
Click Here: http://www.best-supplements.info

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AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract

Need an added push to get your weight loss goals in gear? AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract is a distinctive mix of green tea and ginseng extract. From the name itself, you realize that AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract is a drink that will provide you countless health and weight loss benefits.

AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract is drawn from the lightly steamed leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract has a vast following among a distinct group of weight loss enthusiasts, who are herbal tea drinkers.

AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract contains catechin polyphenols that help change fats into heat energy through thermogenesis. According to research conducted by Swiss and American scientists, the green tea in AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract promotes a remarkable four percent increase in the body's total energy use. This energy use translates into a weight loss benefit of up to 10 lbs. a month.

The low quantity of caffeine found in AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract increases the body's metabolic rate. This caffeine content is not excessive enough to create any damaging side effects usually associated with caffeine-based products. AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract is therefore a safe product to use. Unlike ephedra, AriZona Diet Green Tea will not raise your heart rate or cause heart palpitations and other cardiovascular complications. If anything, AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract will even prevent that from happening. Studies conducted on the benefits of polyphenols present in AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract explain that they help lower cholesterol levels in the body. AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract helps keep the balance between the LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterols. Besides that, it has been noted that drinkers of AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract are less likely to develop a stroke compared to those who drink other drinks.

AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract is also excellent for preserving the complete well being of the body. The antioxidants found in AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract help stop free radicals from harming the body by making it vulnerable to diseases and aging. With its immune-boosting properties, AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract keeps you feeling young and healthy.

AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract also contains the amino acid Theanine. This substance in AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng works as a mood-enhancer and stress-reliever. Adding to the role of AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract, as a promoter of good health and well being.

Ginseng in AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract can improve the immune system, lower blood sugar levels, and lessen the risk of certain cancers. It improves adrenal function, physical performance, and mental alertness. All these make ginseng the perfect companion for green tea in AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract. Other ingredients in AriZona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng Extract are Chromium for fat and sugar metabolism, citric acid, and all-natural flavors.

If you want to read more about AriZona Diet Green Tea, Please visit http://www.GreenTeaDietSite.com.

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Green Tea VS White Tea

Undoubtedly you've heard of green tea. But white tea? What is that?

White tea is getting more and more attention so it's appropriate to examine what white tea is, exactly, and how it compares to green tea.White tea is minimally processed, just like green tea. It is harvested just before the buds open and the buds still have white hair on them, thus the name "white tea."

White tea has a sweeter, lighter taste than green tea. Like green tea, you should steep it in water that is below the boiling point.White tea has slightly less caffeine than green tea (15 mg as opposed to 20 mg). The varieties of white tea include:

*White peony.
*Golden moon.
*Silver needle.
*White cloud.

Such poetic names.

White tea even has a more polyphenols (antioxidants) than green tea does. Here's a list of all the wonderful things antioxidants do for you:

*Inhibit growth of cancer cells
*Reduce high blood pressure.
*Protection against getting a stroke.
*Improved blood flow to the heart.
*Reduce cholesterol.
*Inhibit the formation of blood clots in artery walls.
*Maintains even blood sugar levels.
*Lowers the risk for osteoporosis.
*Enhances immune function and helps fight infections.
*Inhibits the growth of bacteria that can cause gum disease, cavities, and bad breath.

Pace University conducted studies in 2004 that show that white tea is even more effective than green tea in killing bacterial viruses. It's also especially effective in killing staph infections and killing the bacteria causes tooth decay.

The bottom line is that both teas are comparable and very, very good for you. Pick the one that you like the best and drink up!

If you want more free, fun info before you start drinking up - or if you already a diehard tea drinker - visit my website.

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Chinese Green Tea Diet - Healthy Way To Lose Weight

What is the secret of Chinese Green Tea Diet? The Chinese have known about the health benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression. Today, the study showed also the benefits of green tea for dieting.

People who drank a bottle of tea fortified with green tea extract every day for three months lost more body fat than those who drank a bottle of regular oolong tea. Researchers say the results indicate that substances found in green tea known as catechins may trigger weight loss by stimulating the body to burn calories and decreasing body fat.

1. HEALTH BENEFITS

Ranged from cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, high cholesterol levels, cariovascular disease, infection, to impaired immune function.

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.

2. BENEFITS OF CHINESE GREEN TEA DIET

New evidence is emerging the benefits of green tea for dieting. Green Tea helps to increase the body's metabolic rate and energy expenditure to help promote reductions in weight and body fat. This boost to the metabolism promotes a more active healthier lifestyle while helping you to loose the weight.

Green tea weight loss extracts can be consumed in many ways including as regular tea plus it can be purchased in liquid or tablet form but whichever way it is used it has an excellent record as a calorie burner.

Karel Micek is weight loss enthusiast and you can find more information about the clinically proven green tea ingredients by clicking here - Benefits Of Green Tea For Dieting

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karel_Micek

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An In-depth Guide To Taiwan Oolong Tea

High Mountain Oolong Tea

Oolong tea is referred to as semioxidized tea resembling a ball-like form produced from Qingxin Oolong varietals. Tea plantations located in The Central Mountains of Taiwan are major areas of production for the world famous oolong tea. Oolong tea gives off a strong unique varietal fragrance and tastes rich, smooth and is enjoyable. In addition, it carries a strong pleasant aftertaste.

The majority of first grade Taiwan high mountain teas are oolong teas. This is especially true for teas made from tea plantations located 1600 meter above sea level. Some of the most well known high mountain oolong teas harvested from the higher altitudes include Dayuling oolong tea, Li Shan oolong tea, Shanlinxi oolong tea, Alishan oolong tea and Wuling oolong tea.

Dayuling oolong tea mostly comes from tea plantations located between 2300 and 2600 meter above sea level. The plantations are located at one of the highest tea regions in Taiwan or arguably in the world. The unique tea growing environment allows Dayuling oolong tea to be rich and smooth in taste and is predominantly one of the finest oolong teas in Taiwan. Li Shan oolong tea is harvested from plantations between 2000 and 2400 meter above sea level. This tea growing environment also makes Li Shan oolong tea a first grade tea. Alishan oolong tea comes from plantations 1200 meter above sea level. It is one of the most famous oolong teas in Taiwan. Alishan oolong is extremely popular especially among foreign tourists from mainland China.

Milk Oolong Tea (Jinxuan Oolong)

Milk Oolong tea refers to semioxidized tea with ball-like form made from Jinxuan varietals. It comes with an unique delightful creamy fragrance and light refreshing milky taste. In addition, it leaves a satisfying milky aftertaste. The tea is highly recommended to be a great initiation to quality Taiwan Oolong teas.

Milk Oolong tea is produced from both high and low altitude tea plantations. High altitude milk oolong has a richer and smoother taste, but the low altitude allows the tea to be fresher and more economic. Milk oolong is particularly popular among female local tea drinkers in Taiwan and it is definitely a great choice for everyday tea drinking.

Four Season Oolong Tea (Sijichuan Oolong)

Four Season oolong tea refers to semioxidized tea resembling a ball-like form made from Sijichun varietal. It carries a smooth, floral and mild taste without any bitterness or dryness. The tea is highly recommended to be a great initiation to Taiwan tea.

Most of Four Season oolong tea comes from low altitude,1000 meter below sea level, tea plantations. The tea is fresh, tasty, economic and available in large quantities. All of these characterisitcs make the tea a great candidate to be an everyday tea to enjoy with friends and family. In fact, it is one of the best selling teas in Taiwan. The Mingjian tea region is where the majority of the production of the fresh Four Season oolong tea occurs.

Jade Oolong Tea (Cuiyu Oolong)

Jade oolong tea refers to semioxidized tea resembling a ball-like form made from Cuiyu varietals. It gives off a jasmine fragrance and tastes refreshing, mild and smooth. In addition, the tea leaves a sweet pleasant aftertaste. Jade oolong tea is highly recommended to be a great initiation to Taiwan teas.

Similar to Four Season oolong tea, the majority of Jade oolong tea are produced from low altitudes tea plantations ,1000 meter below sea level. The tea is fresh, tasty, economic and available in large quantities. It is highly recommended to be a perfect everyday tea. Jade oolong tea is one of top and best sellers among Taiwan teas.

Pouchong Tea

Pouchong tea is slightly oxidized and mostly produced in the Pinglin Township near Taipei, Taiwan. It is processed and rolled into stick-like form in contrast to oolong tea which appears in ball-like form. Pouchong is a popular and excellent choice of quality Taiwan Oolong teas. It gives off a floral fragrance and tastes rich, mild, smooth and pleasant. In addition, the tea carries a great reputation for its strong pleasant aftertaste.

Pouchong tea is known as wenshan pouching tea among locals in Taiwan. Wenshan tea region has been one of the most important tea regions for over a hundred years and it is still a popular and major tea producing region.

Wenshan pouching tea is prepared by strictly following old fashioned tea processing methods. Local tea farmers make sure every step of the tea processing is fully completed before moving on to the next step to ensure that the tea produced can be at its highest quality.

Wenshan pouching tea is old-fashioned in almost every aspect even when it comes to pricing. On the rest of tea regions in Taiwan, tea is sold mostly according to place of origin, season, and reputation of the tea. There is no doubt that these three can almost guarantee that the tea has to reach a certain level of quality. However, taste affects just slightly on its price. If the tea harvest came from a bad season of weather, customers may still have to pay the same price to enjoy the tea; simply because the tea is produced from a region with an excellent reputation. In contrast, wenshan pouching tea is mainly sold according to its taste and quality. You may see wenshan pouching teas coming from the identical place of origin and seasons are sold at different prices. Sometimes ten times the difference!

Many tea varietals are produced in the Wenshan region, such as Qingxin Oolong, Jinxuan, Sijichun and Tikunayin. After years of tea production experiences, local tea farmers realized that Qingxin Oolong is by far the best to make first grade pouching tea due to its unique fragrances. Qingxin Oolong has now become the most popular candidate in producing pouching tea.

When the attention is placed on oolong tea, do not overlook the pouching tea as well. The fragrances are preserved which allows the local tea farmers to enjoy the old fashioned methods of producing this type of tea. Give it a try for yourself and you will understand why pouching tea is popular among the locals in Taiwan!


About The Author
Ray Lee is the founder and webmaster of http://www.ishopo.com For more detailed information on Taiwan teas, please visit http://www.ishopo.com

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Introducing Taiwan Tea Varietals

The environment of Taiwan is ideal for growing tea. Many of tea varietals grown in Taiwan came from China just like ancestors of most Taiwan residents have. Some varietals adjust well and turn out to be popular and others gradually disappear. In the following article, I will briefly describe some of usual tea varietals in Taiwan.

Qingxin Oolong varietal

Qingxin Oolong is the most wide spreading and oldest varietal in the tea history of Taiwan. Depending on locations of tea plantations, Qingxin Oolong varietal grow differently. In the low altitude tea plantations, the tea leaves are thinner. In contrast, the tea leaves are thicker when planted in higher altitudes.

Qingxin Oolong tea trees are relatively weak and less productive. The varietal is mostly hand picked instead of machines due to potential damaging effects from machines. Teas made of Qingxin Oolong come with unique varietal fragrance enjoyed by numerous tea drinkers. Popularity makes the teas more expensive than other teas varietals.

Jinxuan varietal (Milk Oolong varietal)

Jinxuan varietal is also known as Taiwan Tea # 12 among Taiwan local tea lovers. It is a new varietal developed by tea researchers in Taiwan around 1985. The varietal is mostly grown at tea plantations located below 1600 meters above sea level.

Jinxuan tea trees are productive and solid. Most of the jinxuan varietals which are planted at high altitude mountain areas are hand-picked to produce first grade milk oolong tea. The varietal is also perfect to be harvested by machines without being damaged. It can be used to produce a variety of teas including Pouching tea, Baihao Oolong tea, Tikuanyin tea and Jinxuan oolong tea.

Cuiyu varietal (Jade Oolong varietal)

Similar to Jinxuan tea, Cuiyu varietal is a new varietal developed by tea researchers in Taiwan. Both varietals were announced around 1985. It is also known as Taiwan Tea # 13. Cuiyu varietal is mostly found at low altitude tea plantations.

Cuiyu varietal is similar to Jinxuan in terms of productivity and solidness. These varietals are perfect for machine harvesting. Jade oolong tea is oolong tea made with Cuiyu varietal. The tea gives off a jasmine fragrance with rich flavor.

Sijichun varietal (Four Season Oolong varietal)

Sijichun is a new varietal that appeared in the Taiwan tea market around 1990. Unlike Jinxuan and Cuiyu, the varietal was accidentally found on a tea plantation by local tea farmers in Muzha. Sijichun in Chinese means evergreen, which reflects the characteristic of the varietal solid, fast growing and productive. Mingjian tea region in Taiwan is currently the largest region that grows this type of tea leaves.

Tikuanyin varietal

Tikuanyin varietal adjusts poorly to new environments and grows slowly. Muzha and Shimen are two major regions that grow tikuanyin varietals in Taiwan.

The process of making tikuanyin tea is much more complicated and takes longer than making others. Tikuanyin tea can be made with varientals like jinxuan and tikuanyins. However, only the tea that is made with tikuanyins varietal entitles zhengcong tikuanyin.

Baimaohou varietal

Baimaohou literally means “white fur monkey” in Chinese. The Oriental Beauty oolong tea made from this varietal has a dense amount of white buds on it; hence the meaning white fur monkey. Baimaohou varietal is extremely limited in quantity causing tea from the varietal to be very rare and expensive.

Damanzhong varietal

Damanzhong literally means “extremely slow” in Chinese. It is not difficult to guess that the varietal actually grows incredibly slow as its Chinese name reflects. Similar to baimaohou, Oriental Beauty oolong tea made from the varietal also carries a great amount of white buds. This varietal is mainly dedicated to producing first grade Oriental Beauty oolong.by: Ray Lee

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Learn About Taiwan High Mountain Oolong Tea

Taiwan is an island located in East Asia off the coast of China. It is bound to the east by the Pacific Ocean. The island is approximately 245 miles long and 90 miles wide. When the portuguese explorers first saw the island, they were impressed by its beauty. Therefore, they named the island formosa. Oolong tea is mostly produced in Taiwan, Southeast China, Vietnam and Indonesia. Among them, Taiwan is the most improtant oolong tea production area. Taiwan Oolong tea has been popular worldwide for over 150 years. It is alos known as Formosa oolong tea. The finest quality and grade of oolong tea are mostly high mountain oolong tea which means the tea that grows from 1000 meters above sea level to approximately 2600 meters. As a matter of fact, growing tea on high mountain areas costs much more than planting on low altitudes. It is one of the reasons why prices of high mountain teas are proportional to its tea plantation altitude. One Taiwanese kg (1 Taiwanese kg is equal to 600 grams) of first grade high mountain oolong tea can sell between 60 USD to 300 USD or more in the Taiwan market. Although it is expensive, Taiwan high altitude tea is still loved by the local tea drinker in Taiwan as well as tea drinkers internationally.

High mountain oolong tea typically is more rich, smooth and fragrant and you can brew it more times before it loses its flavor. The popular representatives of Taiwan high mountain teas include Dayuling Oolong tea, Li Shan tea, Shanlinxi Oolong tea, Alishan Oolong tea and Wuling Oolong tea.

There are certain advantages for high mountain tea plantations such as great amount of sun light, sufficient amount of rain, extreme temperature difference between day and night and heavily fertilized soils perfect to grow tea. Also, the high potential of foggy afternoons hinders and makes the production of first grade high altitude tea difficult.

During regular days, it does not take extra efforts for tea farmers to take care of tea plantations. However, things are a lot tougher during the harvest seasons. Tea farmers often need to hire tea pickers which are paid by case by case basis with transportation included. Higher wages are paid as the higher the altitude of tea plantations. Normally, experienced pickers can collect around 3 to 5 Taiwanese kg of raw tea leaves per hour by hands. Tea picking begin really early in the morning. It is the best time for the tea pickers since raw tea leaves weigh more due to morning dew. However, the leaves picked during this time period is not the best in quality. First grade high altitude tea often requires raw tea leaves to be picked between 10AM to 3 PM. This is because the high temperature at noontime allows the leaves to hold less water. You may be wondering why doesnt the tea pickers pick during just this time frame? The reality is that tea pickers are limited in quantity and are paid by the number of cases they can fill. If they are allowed to work only during the best picking time zone, which is the hottest parts of the day, they will not be able to pick enough raw tea leaves to make enough money.

First grade high altitude tea is not abundant because tea planting skills, tea processing skills, weather, location of tea plantation and seasons all affect the taste of tea. In the high mountain areas, the afternoon weather usually becomes foggy. This allows for the withering of raw tea leaves, which is one of tea processing steps, to be more difficult and causes the leaves to be less fragrant.

The goal of growing tea in high altitude mountain locations is to produce richer and smoother quality teas. Even with the high labor costs and limited amount of quantities which seem unavoidable, the teas produced and picked from the high altitude locations is worth the added expense for the enjoyment and relaxation of the everyday tea drinker. by: Ray Lee

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Green Tea and Cancer - How Does it Work in Protecting the Body?

Green tea and cancer prevention is something that many of us are aware of. There have been many studies linking the catechins in green tea to many different kinds of cancer prevention but how does it work?

EGCG the amazingly strong antioxidant that seems to be the main compound for this protective role basically attacks the cancer cells in four ways:

1. It blocks off the development of new blood vessels
2. It turns off the growth genes in the cells
3. It turns on the suicide genes
4. It inhibits the overproduction of COX-2, an enzyme that is responsible for many diseases including oncology, cancer, diseases.

Green Tea and Cancer Protection

The types of tumors that green tea has been associated in helping to prevent include, prostate, colon, oesophageal, stomach and other forms of gastric tumors.

Italian scientists firmly believe that men who are prone to getting prostate cancer should include green tea as part of their daily intake of food as a precautionary measure to provide protection against getting the disease.

Decaffeinated Option

A friend of mine introduced me to the decaffeinated form of green tea that she takes daily. It is part of a multi-nutritional supplement that has the most amazing plant based chemoprotective nutrients including resveratrol, ginko biloba, milk thistle and many more in fact they contain over 70 such ingredients to give your body optimal health.

I love taking mine now and I must say that since I started taking them I have noticed that my energy levels have improved and so has my skin.

For more information about green tea and cancer prevention visit my website www.total-supplements.info today.

Karen is an holistic therapist, health and nutrition researcher. Visit her site to find out what ingredients work best to battle the causes of aging and promote optimal health, one is green tea extract and discover her recommendations to her clients.

You may use this article or any parts of it as long as you include my name and website address.

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