Health Benefits of Tea Flowers and Mindfulness Exercises

The Use of Flowers and Herbs in Eastern and Early Western Medicine:

Eastern medicine and even early Western medicine utilized the various benefits experienced through the use of herbs and flowers. Today, many of these benefits are combined in blooming tea, a tea brewed from tea balls or tea flowers.

What is a Tea Flower?

A tea flower is the same as a tea ball, hand sewn leaves of usually green or white tea that surround a colorful flower that blooms when you drop it in hot water. Thus the name blooming tea. Both flowers and tea are healthy and tasty.

What kinds of Flowering Tea are there?

There are a variety of these tea balls made from different tea leaves and containing different flowers, each with a distinct and beautiful effect. The flowers that bloom within the tea balls enhance the benefits of drinking tea while providing aroma that is therapeutic as well. Each variety of flower has its own special benefits that include many antioxidant qualities.

Herbal versus "True" Tea:

All types of "true" tea (as opposed to herbal tea) come from the same plant - Camellia sinensis. Herbal teas come from various herbs that may be brewed like tea, but are not from the same plant as real tea. The major difference between black tea, green tea, and oolong tea is how the leaves are processed after they are picked.

Green and White Tea:

Both Green and White tea contain polyphenols. Phenols (a chemical compound containing an aromatic benzene ring with a hydroxyl group (OH) attached) are potent antioxidants that attach to free radicals in your body helping to neutralize the free radical negative effects.

White tea seems to have more polyphenols and is considered a cancer-fighting antioxidant. Research at Pace University has shown that white tea extract may actually help retard the growth of bacteria that cause staphylococcus infections, pneumonia and dental cavities. Researchers say that white tea may destroy the disease-causing organisms.

Compounds in white tea have also been found to be effective in enhancing skin cells' immune functions and in protecting the skin from harmful effects of the sun.

Green tea offers many health benefits for those who drink it regularly. Besides offering antioxidant benefits, green tea is believed by many to be excellent as a weight loss supplement Regular use of green tea is an accepted, healthy habit..

Flowers in Blooming Tea:

There are a number of flowers and flower combinations used in tea flowers. Their flavors and aromas vary and enhance the experience through color and beauty thus accommodating your mood.

Benefits include the presence of antioxidants that, as in green and white tea, reduce levels of damaging free radicals that in turn help prevent aging and aid in a number of other areas of health. Flowers are caffeine free whereas green and white tea contain caffeine.

A few of the types of flowers used in blooming tea include osmanthus, lily, jasmine, rose, chrysanthemum, magnolia, globe amaranth, peony, carnation and others. To understand more about the health benefits of tea flowers and where to obtain them, visit A Tea Flower Moment.

Mindfulness and taking tea:

In today's hustle, bustle world, where each day we must deal with a damaged economy and violence whether in the media, on the street or at home, stress has become a major factor in our deteriorating health. Stress reduction is important due to the damaging effects it has on our bodies.

Stress causes the inappropriate release of adrenaline which in turn causes the heart to beat faster and harder, shunts blood to certain organs and muscles at the expense of other organs, and changes hormones, specifically cortisol, a hormone that is important in fat, sugar and protein metabolism. A simple habit started hundreds of years ago in England and thousands of years ago in Asia, combined with making the most of the moment through mindfulness exercises can combat the effects of stress.

A Tea Flower Moment is a website dedicated to helping people navigate their daily stresses without experiencing the often devastating effects of stress. By teaching mindfulness exercises, giving helpful daily tips on mindful living and encouraging the healthy daily habit of enjoying the beauty of blooming tea in a peaceful environment, you combine goodness for your body with goodness for your soul.

A Tea Flower Moment Club offers membership for monthly shipments of tea flowers to encourage keeping the daily healthy habit and mindfulness exercises. Products for creating the perfect environment and for enjoyment of the moment are also part of the website. Visit today.

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

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Peppermint Tea - Why Drinking it is Good For the Health

Peppermint is a popular herbal tea that is characterized with its strong minty aroma and distinctive taste. It is also known today as mint tea. It is a favorite of many because it does not only have a great taste but it also offers relaxing experiences and various health benefits.

The menthol content of peppermint gives the tea its minty aroma and its superior flavor. Peppermint contains volatile oil, vitamin B, calcium and potassium. The tea is associated with several health benefits because of the healthy properties of peppermint.

Peppermint tea promotes digestion and helps ease diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome as well as stomach cramps and stomach aches. Its menthol flavor helps us to get away with bad breath and relieve us of headaches. It could even help ease cough and colds as well as mild asthma. Sore throat can also be done away through gargling with peppermint tea. Bacteria, fungi, and viruses produced by diseases are also suppressed because of its menthol content. Muscle pains and chronic complaints are also prevented by drinking peppermint tea. It can also be used to treat skin diseases by using it in baths. A decongesting therapy can also be done by inhaling the steam of peppermint tea. Drinking this herbal tea simply offers quite a long list of health benefits.

Tea made from peppermint is prepared by either using dried peppermint leaves or fresh peppermint leaves. It can also be mixed with honey or lemon juice. It is done by adding dried or fresh peppermint leaves to hot or boiling water and then steeping it for several minutes before straining.

Peppermint tea is easily prepared and it offers a great deal of health benefits besides its refreshing taste and aroma.

My name is Darren and I love to drink Coffee & Tea. If you love herbal teas then I think that you will find the information about peppermint tea available on my website of great interest.

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English Tea, With Fall Colors

By M.H.REED

The annual fall display of foliage entices many who celebrate the season to drive into the “country” for an up-close look at leaves that have turned from green to brilliant copper, bronze and gold. But a ground-level view can be limited — often one cannot see the dazzling forest for the trees.
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To take in miles and miles of the splendid show at one glance, from the comfort of a well-appointed aerie, consider making a reservation for Sunday afternoon tea, offered between noon and 3 p.m. at 42, the restaurant on the 42nd floor of the Ritz-Carlton Westchester.

A traditional three-tiered server comes stocked with tea treats. At the top are delicious scones, house-made jam and clotted cream. The middle tier is for savories, an assortment of dainty cut sandwiches made with high-quality breads; well-seasoned fillings might include curried chicken salad with raisins, Black Forest ham with Gruyère, and egg salad and cress. Sweets fill the bottom tier — perhaps miniature lemon curd or custard tarts, buttery cookies and chocolate bonbons. Assortments change from time to time.

Pots of black, green or herbal tea are replenished often.

While English tea time is later in the day, and 42’s service may not be quite as grand as that of London’s Palm Court at the Ritz, 42 offers a matchless view and, at $37 (plus tax and gratuity), rings in at half the price. M. H. REED

42, at the Ritz-Carlton Westchester, One Renaissance Square, White Plains; (914) 761-4242; 42therestaurant.com. Afternoon tea, Sundays, noon to 3 p.m.

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Coffee Consumption May Help Alzheimer's Patients

From a previous DHB alert you've heard about research linking caffeine and Alzheimer's patients, now another study offers very promising results - moderate caffeine intake reverses memory loss in mice bred to develop Alzheimer's.

The caffeine also reduced the level of beta-amyloid protein (a hallmark protein found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's) in both the blood and brains of the mice. The study is set to appear in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and brings high hopes of trials that could begin on humans very soon.

Alzheimer's, for those fortunate enough not to know about this life altering condition, is an irreversible and progressive disease that destroys thinking and memory.

In the end, patients don't have the ability to do even the simplest everyday things, cooking, dressing, driving a car, making decisions, running errands.

This isn't the normal forgetfulness of aging... rather the limitations are such that they interfere with your daily life. In the majority of cases Alzheimer's symptoms show up after age 60. Recent estimates have as many as 2.4 to 4.5 million Americans living with this awful disease.

This highly promising work builds on earlier studies by the team of researchers at the Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center that found caffeine intake in early adulthood prevented the onset of memory problems in mice bred to develop Alzheimer's disease.

The team became interested in caffeine's potential for treating Alzheimer's after some Portuguese researchers reported that those with Alzheimer's had consumed less caffeine in the last 20 years than those without the disease.

There have been several uncontrolled trials that reported moderate caffeine intake might protect against normal memory decline due to aging, though this latest work is more highly controlled, allowing experts to isolate the effects of caffeine on memory.

"The new findings provide evidence that caffeine could be a viable 'treatment' for established Alzheimer's disease, and not simply a protective strategy," researcher Gary Arendash, PhD, a neuroscientist at the University of South Florida, says in a news release.

"That's important because caffeine is a safe drug for most people, it easily enters the brain, and it appears to directly affect the disease process."

In the work, 55 mice bred to have Alzheimer's symptoms were divided into two groups; one was given 500 mg (equal to 5 eight-ounce cups of regular coffee, 14 cups of tea or 20 sodas) of caffeine in their daily water supply after they started to exhibit memory problems. The other group of mice got plain, de-caffeinated water.

After 2 months the caffeine-drinking mice did much better on tests of their memory and thinking skills. The skills were the equal of normal mice without dementia who were the same age.

The mice who drank water without the added caffeine, the control group, kept doing poorly on the tests of thinking and memory.

The brains of the caffeine-drinking mice also saw the level of beta-amyloid, the protein that forms the sticky clumps of plaques found in Alzheimer's patients brains, cut almost in half.

Taking things one step further, the team also studied long-term caffeine intake in normal mice, but after 10 months of treatment with caffeine, there wasn't an improvement in their memory or thinking skills.

The investigators suspect that the caffeine might help to restore memory by reducing the enzymes that are needed to create beta-amyloid. Caffeine might also help to reduce inflammatory changes in the brain that might also lead to an over-abundance of the protein.

Researchers cannot tell us what begins the Alzheimer's process, though experts know that the damage begins 10-20 years before any symptoms appear on the outside.

If you've noticed changes in you, or someone you love, know that early diagnosis gives you the heads up - helping you preserve as much cognitive ability as possible.

While you can't repair the deterioration process that's happened silently over the years, you can learn more about treatments (or clinical trials) that can give you a chance to hold on to your brain function for months or even years.

Early diagnosis for Alzheimers patients also gives you the time to plan... to make your own choices about where you'll live, as well as make financial and legal decisions you want to have control over before a condition like Alzheimer's makes this impossible.

Next just head on over to the Daily Health Bulletin for more information on how coffee consumption effects your health, plus get 5 free fantastic health reports.

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Choosing a Coffee Table

The humble coffee table is one of the last things we usually think of when decorating a house, but it provides an important social function as well as being a big part of the decoration of the living room. For those reasons alone you spend a little bit of time trying to find the perfect coffee table for your house.

The first thing you think about when buying any kind of table is your budget. This is because not only will it narrow down your options, but it goes a long way to deciding on what kind of material you can afford. For example if you're thinking of buying a cheap wood coffee table then your budget wont have to be as much as if you are buying a solid oak table which costs a lot more.

You should also think about the function you want your coffee table to provide. For example, do you want it to just be a decoration, or do you want it to provide another function as well such as storage space? These are all questions that you need to answer before you even start looking for a coffee table.

When you actually go to start looking, I always find it helpful to look around on the Internet first just to get an idea of the prices on the market at the time as well is what you can expect to pay for different kinds of material. A little bit of extra research can save you a lot of money in the long run.

You can find out more information about buying a new oak coffee table as well as the traditional square coffee table by using the links provided.

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

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Green Tea Weight Loss - The Healthy Drink

Green tea weight loss drinks are becoming more popular by the week, as more people realize the health benefits of drinking it. Tea is the most widely consumed beverage on earth and has an over 4000-year history as a health promoting drink - and now the green tea weight loss benefits are boosting its consumption even more.

The tea plant, technically known as Camellia Sinensis, produces green, black and oolong tea. The difference in the type is a result of the different ways in which the tea leaves are processed after harvesting.

The majority of the tea currently available in Jamaica and the world is black tea. Although all these three varieties have health benefits, green tea is far more superior to the others in this regard. Medical research has confirmed what the Chinese have been saying for centuries: that green tea contains special health preserving and revitalizing power.

Antioxidants - Green tea contains a group of compounds called polyphenols. They are powerful antioxidants which are responsible for the therapeutic properties of green-tea. One of these substances, called EGCG for short, is 200 times more powerful as an antioxidants than vitamin E. Green tea contains much more antioxidant than black tea.

Caffeine - a stimulant which is present in the green variety in much smaller amounts than in black tea or coffee. In small amounts, it can be an excellent energy enhancer, but it is best to limit one's intake as excess caffeine consumption may be unhealthy.

Others - this tea contains over 500 aromatic oils as well as small amounts of several vitamins and minerals.

Health benefits

Cardiovascular disease - the tea lowers the 'bad' cholesterol while increasing the good cholesterol. It reduces blood pressure, reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and acts as a blood thinner.

Cancer - in laboratory experiments, green tea extract prevents cancer of the lung, the liver, prostate and the skin, esophagus and colon Human studies suggest that drinking two or more cups of this tea a day reduces the overall risk of cancer by 10 per cent

Longevity - Studies conducted on Japanese women showed that greater than average drinkers had a lower mortality rate than other women. Researchers believe this to be due a stimulating effect of tea on the immune system.

Oral health - Researchers show that drinking green tea protects the teeth and gums from disease. The polyphenols in tea inhibits the growth of cavity forming bacteria. So, you might like to consider making it your favorite drink. I personally recommend a convenient instant herbal concentrate which can be used hot or cold and also contains additional health promoting herbs. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Green tea has many health benefits, but with the newly claimed weight loss benefits it's easy to see why it's gaining in popularity. To discover more about the green tea weight loss benefits check out my weight loss tips blog today and claim your free report.

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

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Wu Long Tea Qing Cha - The Blue Green Wonder Tea

Wulong tea is grown in the province of Jujian in China, and in Taiwan, and it is largely the most popular tea being served in China. It is said to have properties that no other tea can match.

Wu-Long means "black dragon," and the legend tells us that a farmer who was looking for new flavors in his garden, was lost in thought when he saw spring out of a tea bush an enormous black snake of dragon. He was convinced that this was a sign from higher up. Quickly he grabbed a few leaves from the bush to taste them. This was the first Wu-long tea.

In fact Wu-long tea, sometimes spelled wulong or Oolong is the same as any other tea. Black tea, green tea, white tea, all come from the same bush. The differences in flavors are due to several reasons, first the land and geography as well as climate of where the tea is grown. Secondly the fermentation process that tea is subjected to during drying. Wulong tea is not permitted to ferment totally, but it is more fermented that green tea, that has no fermentation whatsoever.

It is brewed from entire leaves that were never broken, has a subtle taste with a nutty flavor, a hint of honey and hazelnut. Of course when we say that it has a nutty taste, it does not imply that it was brewed with nuts. It means that the natural flavor of the tea can remind us of chestnuts.

Besides its wonderful soft, flavor with a hint of chestnut, Oolong tea as do other green teas has some very definite health advantages. One of the most noted health benefit was made popular by Oprah Winfrey as it is a weight loss wonder.

Besides weight loss and weight control it has proven to be an asset in fighting disease like cancer, Parkinson, diabetes, heart related diseases, and much more. It is not a magic pill, but it can help.

People who have used Wu-long tea for weight loss have discovered, it's taste and the other benefits of green tea, and have continued using tea for medicinal reasons as well as for pleasure.

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

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Tea

Tea is soothing, a quality to be craved in these stressful days. It is more subtle than coffee and meant to be sipped, not gulped. A cup of tea has less caffeine than a cup of coffee — half the amount or less.

From a single evergreen plant, camillia sinensis, come the thousands of nonherbal teas consumed around the world. The variety depends on where the tea is grown and how it is gathered and processed. Some variables that determine the type of tea are whether the tea is made from long leaves or short leaves, early buds or later pickings; whether the leaves are whole, broken or rolled and, most important, whether they are allowed to oxidize.

The finest teas are consistent-looking and fresh. Because tea readily picks up foreign aromas and fades in contact with light, teas should be sold and stored in containers that are airtight and opaque. Shops that keep their teas in glass canisters are as bad as those that display coffee in open burlap bags. In the proper container tea can last up to six months. But it should never be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

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Black teas are dark, tannic teas made by allowing the fresh green leaves to wither and darken through oxidation (the term used in the tea business is fermentation). The process takes about a day, after which the leaves are dried by warm air. Black teas include winy Keemun and smoky Lapsang Souchong from China, Ceylon teas from Sri Lanka and India, Assam and Darjeeling, the exquisitely delicate tea grown in the Himalayan foothills. Traditional blends like English breakfast are made of black teas.

All Japanese and many Chinese teas are green teas, prized for aroma and finesse. They are processed by lightly drying the leaves. Some green teas are whole-leaf while others, including Chinese gunpowder, are made from leaves rolled into little balls, hence the name. Japanese matcha is powdered green tea. Green teas should be sipped plain, without the addition of sweeteners, lemon or milk. One exception is Moroccan mint tea, made by pouring sweetened green tea over lightly crushed fresh mint leaves.

Oolong teas are elegant whole-leaf Chinese teas partly withered and oxidized, something of a cross between green and black tea. Most that are exported are called Formosa, from Taiwan.

The best flavored teas are made with natural ingredients and essences, not harsh artificial flavors. For centuries tea has been infused with jasmine or rose petals for flavoring, and sometimes sold with the dried buds still in the tea. Earl Grey is flavored with oil of bergamot, a type of Chinese orange.

Verbena, chamomile, lemon grass, peppermint and linden are some of the more popular herbal teas, or infusions. Herbal teas are often believed to have curative properties.

Making a good cup of tea is simple. First, heat the teapot by filling it with water that has just come to a boil. Discard this water, and place 1 teaspoon of loose tea per cup in the teapot (the amount may vary according to taste). Pour in fresh water that has just come to a boil, 6 ounces for each cup. Allow the tea to steep for 3 to 5 minutes; then, pour it through a strainer into a cup or mug. Some types of green tea should be made with water that has cooled down a bit. Using a tea bag eliminates the strainer, but it is still best to make the tea in a teapot so the water stays sufficiently hot.

When tea is made, the leaves release their caffeine first, so the amount of caffeine can be reduced by pouring off all the tea after 30 seconds, then adding fresh boiling water to the leaves or the tea bag. Christopher Smith for The New York Times

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Does Tea Really Keep Us Healthy?

Drinking tea goes back about 5,000 years ago as evidenced by archeologists. There are indications that China and India were the first countries to drink tea. It is believed that Portuguese Jesuit Father Jasper de Cruz in 1500s had his first taste of tea and was able to trade with China for the tea.

Finally tea came to America by Peter Stuyvesant in the 1600s. It was soon after that England discovered the tea. You might remember the Boston Tea Party when the colonists rebelled against taxes imposed upon them without their consent and threw the tea in the Boston Harbor.

For many years there have been many studies on the benefits of drinking tea. There continues to be research regarding tea and the benefits. Scientists study the white, green, and black teas and believe they may help you live a long and healthy life.

Teas contains flavonoids which are compounds that have antioxidant properties. Green tea is made of unfermented tea leaves which causes the highest concentration of antioxidants called polyphenols. The antioxidants fight free radicals. Free radicals cause aging, cancer and other disease.

China uses this tea to treat depression, insomnia and nausea. Green tea also contains caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline which have stimulant effects. Usually 2 to 3 cups of green tea per day are recommended.

Many in the medical profession support the benefits of the tea and recommend it to many of their patients because they too believe that many diseases could be prevented by including it in your diet.

I have found this resource for Free Trial of Green Tea and would like to share it with you.

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Coffee Or Green Tea - Which is Right For Me?

By Shade Delong

For some people, the only perceived drawback to drinking this popular beverage is the fact that it is as stimulating as coffee. But what do you really know about it? Have you ever wondered? In this article, we will take a look at the real facts.

The green tea caffeine content is substantially lower than that contained in coffee and in other teas. In reality, it contains 20 mg for 100 ml of tea. It is important to understand that many popular foods, including chocolate, contain this substance. In fact, a can of cola contains approximately 45 mg, an energy drink contains around 80 mg, and a chocolate bar contains 10 mg.

Because of its a gentler effect, this infusion is an especially good choice for an afternoon or evening beverage. In addition, the way our bodies absorb the caffeine is mitigated by the tannins it contains. We tend to get a long slow boost from it instead of a sudden jolt. Green tea caffeine can provide a pick me up without making you jittery or potentially keeping you awake when it's time to sleep.

Loose leaves contain less than grounded bagged leaves. Most leaves can be infused two or three times, with fewer stimulants making it into each cup. By the time you drink that last infusion, you may feel only a very mild lift.

For some people with heart issues, high blood pressure, or who are sensitive to stimulants, the stimulant contained may not be the wisest choice. If you are concerned about this, maybe try taking an extract instead. Most varieties of the extract are made from a decaffeinated version. Furthermore, their go-anywhere format is convenient in addition to the many other health benefits if offers. As with any new remedy, whether prescribed or over the counter, it is always a good idea to consult a physician before adding a something new to your diet, especially if you are pregnant or nursing.

Green tea caffeine can help with weight loss by increasing your metabolism, balancing out your blood sugar, lowering your appetite, and giving you a little lift!

If you're interested in learning more about this effective alternative to your morning coffee, including its countless benefits, please visit my website today at http://www.superior-supplements.com

Shade Delong has worked as a researcher in natural products and homeopathic supplements for several years. She shares her knowledge on her Website at http://www.superior-supplements.com where you can find more information about this topic and about numerous others. Visit the site today to learn how you can be the very best you can be!

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Tea Instead of Coffee

It's never too late to make your daily cup tea instead of coffee. Your body, mind, and spirit are thirsting for it. And when you commit to drinking several cups of tea each day you'll be nursed back to the kind of health God intended for you to have.

For your body, the health benefits of tea are becoming well-known, and they're many. Tea will ward off major diseases like heart disease and diabetes. It will also prevent the common killer cancer.

And tea will stop tooth decay and even keep your mouth clean so there's no more bad breath. For this reason it's truly a social drink, meant to be shared by friends close to one another. Try talking over coffee and you'll need to keep your distance.

Your mind is also begging you to switch from coffee to tea, and to do it soon. You yearn to be stimulated without the stress, to be awake and aware and yet calmed and soothed at the same time. Tea can do that. Coffee never will.

If you rely on coffee in the morning to get you going, you're going to rise to a peak, granted, but only in the beginning. After as short as just a week or two you'll only maintain baseline and nevermore get extra energy. And you'll crash hard halfway through the day. Tea won't do that.

Coffee typically fuels the Western or American Angst, a skeptical outlook devoid of faith but heavy on the alarm. Many Americans would rather base their views of the world on being shocked with disbelief, driven by coffee, than on being amazed with the trustworthy assurance of tea.

Therefore tea is a spiritual blessing, while coffee is little more than a curse. Tea is morally pure while coffee is of dubious merit. Tea is indeed the Tree of Life, while coffee is--you guessed it--the forbidden fruit.

So get yourself some tea. Do it today. Start with it and see how it goes. Compare it to the coffee that's been ruining your life. See how much better it is. You'll want to stick with the tea, making a total commitment. And you'll thank yourself again and again.

Come Celebrate the Spirituality of Tea.

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

Jason Witt - EzineArticles Expert Author

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Do you make healthy tea?

Tea is much that is refreshing and makes the body healthy, but also the need to remember that the tea can also poison the body if one is present. How to continue? easy just served tea directly in the drink immediately, do not be too long terken free air can be a toxic hazard to the health of us.

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Why We Pay Any Price for a Good Cup of Coffee

What is the appeal of the coffee shop? What makes people go to coffee shops everyday? Why do people pay the outrageous amounts of money for a cup coffee they can just as well make at home?

Simply enough, it's because people just love coffee! They love the taste and the smell of the hot liquid craved by so many. It's that "eye-opening" sensation you get from that first cup of coffee of the day. Of course, everyone has a favorite so the tastes and smells of the coffees and blends will vary from person to person. But from the first sip to the last, people love coffee. Some might argue that it's the stimulating affect of the caffeine of the coffee bean that keeps them coming back again and again; however, those who drink decaf still can't seem to get enough either!

Another reason people love coffee is the social factor: people love people! A coffee shop is a great place to meet people and socialize. You walk in for a cup of coffee in the morning and your chances of running into someone you know are very high. Who's not happy after they their first cup of coffee?

A coffee shop is a great place to have a business meeting. You could meet either for breakfast, lunch or after work and it's not as formal as the boardroom. A coffee shop is also very convenient for college students. Most coffee ships are open around the clock; there's always one on campus (or just around the block). And who doesn't need the caffeine to keep the creative fires burning!

Coffee beans and blends and other coffee condiments make great gifts. Different coffee types and accessories can put a smile on a gift recipient's face.

For many people, stopping at the coffee shop is just part of the morning ritual they couldn't do without - almost like putting on socks. It is a quiet time to relax before starting the day, a time to stop and read the paper, think about plans for the day, or make a few decisions. Life is busy and hectic, and time for a coffee is time to relax and unwind or to get charged up for the day ahead.

Other than the love of coffee, the socializing and the rituals, going to a coffee shop is just plain easier than making the coffee at home. You don't have to worry about grinding the beans or working the coffee maker. You don't have to wait for the coffee to be ready. You don't have to clean up. All you have to do is walk in off the street, place your order, and in minutes you have a great tasting cup of coffee just like you wanted. What could be better?

Source: Free Articles

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Coffee Gifts - Top 5

Looking for a gift for a coffee drinker in your life? They are probably just about tired of getting the same old coffee mug. But, if coffee is their way of life, there are many gifts that you can give them to allow them more convenience and better flavor. Here are some things that you should think about.


* Grind Out An Idea. Does the coffee drinker in your family like to purchase fresh coffee beans and then grinds them before bringing them home? If so, then why not purchase a coffee grinder for them. Use web consumer reviews to help you choose the best one because there are many. These are fairly straightforward pieces of equipment. But, going with a low end version is not going to be a good choice for gourmet coffee beans.

* The Coffee Gadget. There are many gadgets out there that are just amazing. There are those that are made for coffee too. To find them, look at your options on some of the coffee websites. For example, an excellent choice would be a coffee mug/burner that plugs into the cigarette lighter of your car. If your coffee lover takes his coffee to work or drives a lot, then this is the ultimate. It keeps coffee hot and fresh while you are driving. You can even find single cup coffee makers that will actually brew a cup of coffee from the cigarette burner.

* Nothing Says Love Better Than Chocolate. What does chocolate and coffee have to do with each other? Let's face it. They are just born for each other. Gourmet chocolates are an excellent compliment to coffee. If you don't want to go that route, look for those candies that are made with espresso in them for an even bolder taste and experience.

* Pack A Basket. Pack a gift basket with coffee varieties, with chocolates, with a variety of creamers and maybe even a mug. They are sure to take full advantage of this as coffee drinkers.

* Coffees from around the world? Many coffee drinkers love the richness, the flavor and the aroma of coffee. But, there are hundreds of different flavors. They come from all over the world and can offer more pleasure to the taste buds than you would have thought. You could provide them with a selection of coffees from around the world. If they like gourmet blends, then go for those. The good news is that there are many great options offered online. You literally can get a great cup of coffee on some of the online coffee markets!

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Green Tea - Is it Really Useful For Our Health?

Almost everybody knows about this plant. There are many scientific laboratories that analyse this plant. This product is tea.

Tea is bush plant. It is mainly produced in hot and subtropic countries. It is refined after picking process. Tea has four kinds:green, red, yellow and black

The less refined type is Green tea. Because of this, it doesn't lose necessary elements and vitamins, so people take advantage of this type of tea more than the other types of tea.

Many people can say that, what the green drink can do for a person. As if they know everything about this plant. To tell the truth, actually we don't know everything about the benefits of this incredible product. It looks like a new remote control of TV set. There are so many buttons on that, so we can spend quite much time to learn all of them. Simply, it is enough for us to know just the most necessary buttons. So, our attitude to the Green tea is like this. Even, there is such condition that, many experts consider that to drink such tea is dangerous for our lives. But it is not like this.

In reality, green tea is grandiose and useful crop. It is very rich with protein. Depending on the varieties of tea leaves, drink may contain from 15 to 25% protein. Because of our poor knowledge about green tea, we don't know how to use this excellent product and instead we turn it into harmful product.

Losing weight is one of the greatest problems nowadays. Science is very weak to prevent and help this disease. But, people who busy with this problem can help. But, there is a frequent question for people who suffer from overweight. Is it really possible to use green tea for weight loss?

According to the researchers, flavonoids in green tea extract improve the digestion system, moreover, scientists have discovered strong antioksidants in this type of tea, which it can defend the genetic features of cells. Moreover, this drink is stronger in comparison with the antioksidants like E and C. Scientifics prove that, if a person drinks at least three cup of green tea everyday, he lose minimum 80 calories per 24 hours.

for more information visit http://green-tea-purity.info/

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

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10 Health Benefits of Black Tea

Black Tea is made from the same plant as green tea and white tea. Black tea doesn't mean tea without milk, and white tea doesn't mean tea with milk. The difference is the way the tea leaves are processed after picking. Green and white teas are hardly processed at all, whereas black tea is fully oxidized.

Here are 10 health benefits of drinking black tea:

1. Studies continue to show that tea is very good for you, and has some amazing health properties that cannot be ignored.

2. Black teas contain antioxidants which prevent the damage caused by free radicals which can lead to numerous diseases.

3. Drinking black teas can help to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, as it helps to expand the arteries, which increases blood flow to the heart.

4. Research has shown the black tea can be used in the fight against cancer. Properties of the tea slow down the growth of cancerous cells without destroying healthy cells.

5. Tea is also believed to help to delay the aging process. Nowadays there are many anti aging creams and lotions that contain tea extracts to help the skin look younger.

6. Drinking black tea can help to burn fat and speed up metabolism. This makes it an ideal drink for those who are looking to lose weight, or who exercise regularly.

7. Drinking tea such as black and green tea helps to reduce bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol

8. Tea contains fluoride, which can help to prevent tooth decay by strengthening tooth enamel.

9. For those people with diabetes, drinking tea can help to decrease glucose levels, which can reduce the risk of cataracts, and other conditions brought about by diabetes.

10. Investigations have shown that the benefits of black tea are lessened when milk is added. So, in order to take advantage of the amazing health benefits of this tea, it's recommended that you don't take your tea with milk or sugar.

There are so many different loose teas to choose from that you won't get bored. As well as black, why not try white and green tea? Many people don't make these sorts of teas properly, which is why some people don't like loose tea. By using a tea machine, you can ensure that you are getting the water temperature and the steeping time right, you can be reassured that you are getting the health benefits of black tea.

Drinking just 3-5 cups of black tea daily can bring about all these health benefits. If you drink tea already, why not change to black or green tea, and see if that improves your health and well being. By starting to drink black, green or white tea today, eating healthily, and getting regular exercise, you can dramatically reduce the risks of serious medical conditions. If you're not currently a tea drinker, what are you waiting for?

Choose from a range of Black Tea Green Tea and other loose gourmet teas, and discover the revolutionary Tea Machine at Fine-t.co.uk. Buy online in confidence, and find out more about tea, and why it's so good for you.

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

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Trend Spotting - Coffee is the New Lunch

Times change. "Green is the new black." Who could have imagined that two clashing forces - the Fashion Media and Birkenstockers - would stand united by this simple phrase? Surpassing its creators' wildest dreams, "green is the new black," has brought these disparate groups together. No doubt about it, the environment is on everyone's lips and minds.

But in the corporate world, there is another trend ready to make the jump from fringe to mainstream. We're not talking about a life-changing phenomenon. Not another Kyoto Accord, but a milestone, nonetheless. "Coffee is the new lunch."
There, you have it. A simple concept, but one charged with implications.

Blame it on the economy, or clever Starbucks marketing or scientific research on coffee's antioxidant properties. Or maybe cappuccino has been waiting in the wings ever since martini glasses disappeared from Power Lunch tables? The point is, everyone's going for coffee. Not as in "break," but for networking and deal making and sharing information - the business of doing business.

Lunch itself is still around - in food courts, cafeterias and even park benches at this time of year. But when it comes to one-to-one meetings, "coffee" is at the forefront. There are some practical reasons for this shift to coffee shops. Compared to sorting out a lunch menu, ordering coffee is a breeze; a coffee shop is also neutral territory. When you consider the distractions of lunch at a restaurant, plus the time factor and the cost - this change of venue makes sense. Especially when you're just getting to know someone - rather like a first date.
What took us so long to make the transition?

The time is ripe to establish a few coffee-culture guidelines:

• Location counts. Pick a spot near a potential client's office, not across town.
• Plan on one hour, tops.
• Be Prepared. Not in the official Baden-Powell sense, but notebook, pen, your company brochure, some conversation starters and background on the person you're meeting.
• Punctuality reigns. There is no excuse, short of a tsunami, that is acceptable. But just in case, be sure to exchange cell phone numbers.
• Business attire mandatory. Whether you've just left your home-office or are on the way to meet your trainer, jogging suits are for the gym. Period.
• Dedicated tea drinker? No worries - plenty of choices from Earl Grey to chamomile. If you're the host, be certain to suggest a top-of-the-line Mochaccino, or one of its relatives, to your guest before placing your own modest order.
• Frappuccino , mocha latte, or macchiato ¬- frazzled by all that barista lingo? Check this out for confidence building: www.coffee-illuminated.com/how-to-order-coffee.html
• The protocol of who pays is simple. If you extend the invitation, you pick up the cheque - or in this case, pay the cashier. And remember the tip jar.
• Turn off your cell phone and forget about it. Off limits. Same for texting. Nothing goes on the table except your cup. The one and only one exception - you're a doctor on call.
• Follow-up. Acknowledge the meeting and send an e-mail within a day or two.

So, when you realize you've just said; "Nice to meet you," and you meant it - the next step is simple. "How about coffee next week?" That's it. Nice and easy, in less than five minutes, you've made a cappuccino-connection.

Diane Craig
Image and Etiquette Expert
http://www.corporateclassinc.com

Diane Craig, President of Corporate Class Inc., is a leading image and etiquette consultant. For over 20 years she has provided corporate consultations, helping hundreds of men and women realize their professional and personal goals. She is a sought after speaker at national business meetings, regularly gives comprehensive workshops to corporate groups, and offers private consultations on business etiquette, dress and dining.

Recently, Diane launched a new Teleseminar: The Look of Success by Diane Craig

Learn how to:
• Develop your own individual look of success
• Project a powerful first impression
• Achieve a polished, professional appearance
• Master executive dress code secrets
• Gain confidence, poise and respect
• Create a wardrobe-building strategy
• Maintain your new, self-assured appearance

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

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Coffee Bean Roasters - Which Brand Should I Choose?

Do you know that the more bitter the coffee tastes, the longer ago the coffee beans had been roasted? Instead of drinking burnt-tasting coffee, you can save both money and time by roasting your own coffee beans. The beauty of roasting your own coffee beans by means of a coffee bean roaster is that you can control the degree of roast that is applied to the coffee beans; thereby you can control the taste of the coffee you brew yourself.

Once coffee beans are roasted they become more susceptible to loss of flavor and aroma. Even when they're vacuum packed, freshly roasted coffee beans worsen over time, therefore can you imagine when you see them sitting in bins for days on end? Well, it happens more frequently than you think. That's why streetwise coffee bar owners will roast their green coffee beans in small batches throughout the day to preserve that rich aroma and flavor you pay a premium for.

If you're a coffee lover, you'll be pleased to know how fast and simple it is to roast your own special batch at home. There's a favorite saying among coffee lovers, that life's too short for bad coffee. Truer words were never spoken, especially after you've experienced the flavor of coffee prepared from freshly roasted gourmet coffee beans.

Although you can certainly roast coffee beans using just an old fashioned crank style popcorn popper, it can take a while and produce uneven roasting. A speedier and greater option is to use a home coffee roasting machine. Two of the most popular types for home use are the radiant heat drum roaster and the fluid bed roaster.

Most people will be happy to get started with the fluid bed roaster. They are simplified and easy to use and to clean and will work as if it were a hot air popcorn popper. Using heated air, the beans are circularized within a roasting chamber for steady and quick roasting. Most fluid bed coffee bean roasters have a glass roasting chamber that you can watch the beans as they roast and check to see if they are roasted to your liking.

For those who enjoy a more hands-on professional coffee roasting experience, the radiant heat drum roaster may be a better selection. The quality of the freshly roasted bean using a drum coffee bean roaster equals that of the professional roaster. Be aware though, that many machines of this type can emit a lot of smoke while roasting, so special ventilation might be required.

Coffee bean roasters are available in many variations and range in price from under $100 to nearly $1,000, all depending on the sum of beans that you want to roast at any given time. You can find coffee bean roasters in online retail sites and stores all around the country.

Please visit http://moredetailswith.com/premiumcoffee/general/techniques-to-brew-best-tasting-coffee to find out more about How to Brew Best Tasting Coffee. It's full of fun and you will be abundantly rewarded with the rich aroma and rich after-taste of the world's best coffee.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Kang-pang_Chan

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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.

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

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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.

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

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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

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

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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.

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

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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.

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

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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

Article Source: http://www.ishopo.com/HelpPages/Knowledge_Taiwan_Oolong_Tea.aspx?kid=Taiwan_Oolong_Tea

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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.

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

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5 Things You Need For Perfect Green Tea Every Cup

Green tea has many health benefits and these are well documented. From helping to lose weight, to helping to fight cancer, and from helping to prevent arthritis to helping to prevent heart attacks. It's no surprise then that people are drinking green teas for health reasons, as well as for the taste and enjoyment of the tea.

If you've tried green tea and didn't like it, then it might be because the tea wasn't made properly. The usual complaint is that that it's too bitter. This can be due to the fact that the water used to make the tea was too hot. If the tea was made with water at the right temperature, then it might have been left to brew for too long, which also affects the taste.

So, what do you need to make the perfect cup of green tea every time?

Presumably you already have a kettle and a cup, so the only items you'll need are:

1. Green Tea

Choosing the right tea will make a difference. You might already know which teas you like, or may have never tried it before. Green Tea can be purchased from many places, and once you've found an online store that sells many different teas, you can try other teas too. It's worth getting a good quality tea, especially if you are drinking it for the health benefits.

Depending on the supplier's recommendations, you can assume that you'll use around teaspoon of tea per cup of water.

2. Teapot

A glass or steel teapot is ideal for making green tea in. This will give the tea and water plenty of room to infuse. Alternatively you might want to use a coffee cafétière if you are just making one cup of tea.

3. Thermometer

You'll need a thermometer to make sure that the water you use is at the right temperature for green tea. It needs to be around 80-85ºC, so not boiling. If boiling water is used, then the tea will be burnt, and so taste bitter, and not nice to drink.

4. Timer

A timer is used so that you can make sure that the tea is brewed for the right length of time. You could use a kitchen timer or a stopwatch. Around 2 - 2½ minutes is all it takes to steep green tea. If it is left for longer then it won't taste as it should do.

5. Tea Strainer

A tea strainer is used so that the tea leaves are kept out of the cup when you pour the tea into a cup. You might prefer to use a metal ball that goes in the tea pot, to infuse the tea. This means that the tea is kept in one place so that you don't need to use a strainer.

Alternatively, if you want to take all the hassle out of making green tea, you could use a Tea Machine. All you need to do is to tell it what sort of tea you are using, and the tea machine does the rest, so that you have the perfect cup of tea every time. You don't need to worry about water temperatures or steeping times. If you drink a lot of green tea, or drink different teas, then this machine could prove to be invaluable, so that every cup of tea you make will taste just like it should do.

Discover a range of Green Teas and the amazing Tea Machine at Fine-t.co.uk. Take the hard work out of making Green Tea, and make sure that every cup of Green Tea you make is just perfect.

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

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Green or White, Choose Tea

"Better to be deprived of food for three days than tea for one."

Chinese Proverb

A half a million years ago some ancient and bold adventurer threw caution to the wind - and then threw tea leaves into a pot of hot water and drank the brew. The rest is a storied history of tea, a history of power and money made from selling it, a history that has always included the belief that, above all, drinking tea insures a long and healthy life. In this case it turns out that the rumor is true.

Tea contains powerful anti-oxidants, substances that scavenge for free radicals. Free radicals damage DNA and are considered to be co-conspirators in the formation of cancer. Tea contains polyphenols, very powerful anti-oxidants, called catechins. And the most powerful (and studied) of these is epigallocatechin gallate, otherwise (and mercifully) known as EGCG.

Tea is processed in several different ways, but all teas are made from the leaf of the same plant. White tea is picked as an immature bud and is unfermented. Green tea is picked as a mature leaf and is unfermented. Black and Oolong teas are made from mature leaves that are fermented to varying degrees. It is the fermentation process that destroys some of the polyphenols, like EGCG, and this is why the unfermented white and green teas are better for you.

Though not yet fully understood, the health benefits of white and green tea appear to be substantial. In 1994, a paper published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute revealed that Chinese women who drank green tea had a 60% lower risk of esophageal cancer, a very common and deadly cancer in China.

And at the University of Purdue scientists reported that green tea reduced the growth of cancer cells.

And at the University of Kansas scientists reported that EGCG was twice as powerful an anti-oxidant as resveratrol, the protective substance in red wine that lowers risk for cardiac disease.

Finally, in 2004 Pace University scientists concluded that white tea could help the body's immune system.

Researchers are just beginning to understand and appreciate the health-promoting benefits of polyphenols, like those found in white and green tea, but while we wait for additional studies and more information about the specific mechanisms by which white and green tea impart their beneficial effects, it can't hurt to drink 1-2 cups of white or green tea daily, especially in the morning so that the mild dose of caffeine found in these teas has a chance to wear off by the end of the day.

Play it safe and add white or green tea to your defensive arsenal. Live long and prosper, healthfully.

(c) 2009, Dr. Kathleen Ruddy. All rights reserved. Reprints welcomed so long as article and by-line are not edited and all links are made live.


About The Author
Dr. Kathleen Ruddy is the Founder and President of the Breast Health and Healing Foundation and a breast cancer surgeon who is dedicated to finding the causes of breast cancer and using that knowledge to prevent the disease. For breaking news about breast cancer visit http://drktruddy.wordpress.com/ and sign-up for the blog feed today.

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Green Tea Extract and Immune Health

Green Tea helps to stimulate immune health, which is your body's first line of defense against disease and infection! The immune system consists of white blood cells, or leukocytes. The main organs in the immune system are the bone marrow, spleen, thymus and lymph nodes. Incredibly, your bone marrow manufactures 1 billion white blood cells every day!

The Immune System

There are different types of leukocytes such as neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, lymphocytles, monocytes and macrophages. These patrol the body and protect it from germs and other foreign bodies. Each of these targets specific pathogens like parasites, bacteria, fungi, allergies, pathogens, virus, tumor cells, and other foreign bodies. Leukocytes are found all over the body and in the bloodstream. These natural sentries of the body have an in-built memory system that helps the body to become immune to a second attack.Cellular life is very intriguing! There are about 200 kinds of cells in your body and your body is engaged in a continuous process of replacing old cells with new ones. Every second there are about 50 million cells in your body that die and are replaced by new ones. This process is so controlled that your body has the right number of cells of each type at any given time.Sometimes cells commit suicide, which is called apostosis. Apostosis is the body's way of self-destroying cells that are not normal. Abnormal multiplication of cells could be caused by free radical activity and can lead to cancer.It is interesting to note that all the cells in your body recognize each other. Cells that belong to one organ or tissue also recognize each other and this is what keeps cells from the same organ or tissue together. Leukocytes recognize cells that are abnormal or are foreign to the body. Leukocytes quickly work to prevent them from invading your system.This is basically how the immune system works. It is therefore very vital that we take pro-active measures to support the function of our immune system.

Immune Health and Nutrition

Immune health works at the cellular level where basic health begins. Cellular function is supported by good nutrition. The relationship between nutrition and immune health is explained by Dr. George L. Blackburn, M.D., Ph.D., associate director, division of Nutrition at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. He says, "Nutrition plays an important part in maintaining immune function. Insufficiency in one or more essential nutrients may prevent the immune system from functioning at its peak."David Katz, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Yale Prevention Research Center in New Haven, Connecticut reinforces this, "There's no question the immune system fundamentally is influenced by overall health-and a balanced diet is key. Not only are essential nutrients critical for the production and maintenance of key germ-fighting cells in the immune system, but a balanced diet also has a strong effect on vascular function, and the immune system is dependent on blood flow. The bloodstream is the route along which infection-fighting cells travel throughout the body to where they're needed."Doctors and nutritionists recommend that you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, avoid saturated fats and red meat, and exercise regularly to help nutritionally support immune health.

Green Tea and Immune Health

Because immunity is battled at the cellular level, antioxidants play a key role. Consuming foods that are rich in antioxidants helps your body manage free radical activity. Dark-colored fruits and vegetables usually have the highest antioxidant value. Drinking green tea can significantly help boost your immune health.Green tea is rich in antioxidants, especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). In vitro and animal studies show that green tea may considerably support immune health. These studies indicate that green tea may be beneficial for immune health in many ways:

Green Tea Shows Anti-Viral, Anti-Fungal and Anti-Bacterial Properties.

In vitro studies suggest that EGCG inhibits the adenovirus from replicating itself. This virus is one of many that are responsible for causing the common cold according to studies conducted at the University of Sherbrooke in Canada and also at the University of Florida. The latter study indicated that Green Tea drinkers had an enhanced ability to fight common colds and flu because of an increase in a specific type of immune cells known as interferon gamma T cells. The study showed that Green Tea drinkers had a 28% increase in interferon gamma T cells with a 26% increase in the secretion of antigens as opposed to those who did not consume Green Tea.(1,2)EGCG also helps to inhibit the influenza virus from replicating and also exhibits antifungal properties.(3-4)

Green Tea Helps to Protect the Liver

Green tea protects the liver by stimulating the immune system because of the action of powerful antioxidants reducing the damage done by toxins due to excess alcohol consumption and cigarette smoke. The result of such studies indicates that a dietary supplement of Green Tea can help to reduce early toxin-induced liver injury by neutralizing oxidative stress.(5-6)

Green Tea Helps to Promote the Production of Immune Cells.

Tea polysaccharides (TPS), one of the main components in green tea, stimulate the production of cytokines in the bone marrow. Cytokines are used in cellular communication and are critical to the body's immune response to pathogens.(7)A balanced diet along with plenty of fruits and vegetables, and exercise will help support good health. With numerous studies that strongly suggest Green Tea's beneficial effects it only makes sense to protect immune health through Green Tea supplementation. Instead of reaching for coffee, substitute your coffee drinking with cups of Green Tea. Six cups of green tea a day is said to increase your immunity 5 times faster than plain coffee. You can brew fresh cups of Green Tea every day, but supplements like Green Tea Plus are convenient and packed with antioxidant power. Green Tea Plus contains 6 times the antioxidant power of a freshly brewed cup of Green Tea.

References:

1. Inhibition of adenovirus infection and adenain by green tea catechins, Antiviral Res. 2003 Apr;58(2):167-73. PMID: 12742577
2. Specific Formulation of Camellia sinensis Prevents Cold and Flu Symptoms and Enhances T Cell Function: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 26, No. 5, 445-452 (2007), American College of Nutrition
3. Antiviral effect of catechins in green tea on influenza virus, Antiviral Res. 2005 Nov;68(2):66-74. Epub 2005 Aug 9. PMID: 16137775
4. Multiple effects of green tea catechin on the antifungal activity of antimycotics against Candida albicans.J Antimicrob Chemother. 2004 Feb;53(2):225-9. Epub 2003 Dec 19. PMID: 14688042
5. Green tea extract protects against early alcohol-induced liver injury in rats, Biol Chem. 2002 Mar-Apr;383(3-4):663-70. PMID: 12033455
6. Imai K, Nakachi K. Cross sectional study of effects of drinking green tea on cardiovascular and liver diseases. BMJ. 1995 Mar 18;310(6981):693-6.
7. Epigallocatechin Gallate Modulates Cytokine Production by Bone Marrow-Derived Dendritic Cells Stimulated with Lipopolysaccharide or Muramyldipeptide, or Infected with Legionella pneumophila, Experimental Biology and Medicine 230:645-651 (2005). Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine

New Vitality is a health supplements company. It develops supplement products which are carefully formulated under the guidance of an elite panel comprised of renowned doctors, nutritionists, chemists and researchers. Whether you want a nutritional supplement, pet health supplement, a personal care product or a health care product, New Vitality is a one-stop shop for all needs.

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