How Natural Is Green Tea?

How Natural Is Green Tea?

Green tea leaves have for many years been used throughout Asia continent as a natural medicine for poor digestion, body aches and pains, headaches and general improved wellness.

Very little processing is required to produce green tea. In most cases the leaves are dried immediately after harvesting or briefly treated with steam prior to drying. There are a few types of tea that are also lightly roasted. Because of this minimal processing, the leaves keep their green color and more importantly they keep the very valuable ingredients that contribute to their healing properties. Green tea leaves contain caffeine, tannins, essential oils, proteins, vitamins, minerals and trace elements such as fluoride, zinc and potassium.

Green tea is naturally found to be rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are used by the body to protect cells from free radicals (unstable molecules found in our cells) damage. Too much damage, over time, could lead to diseases which includes cancer. As part of our body cell renewal, antioxidants attach themselves to free radicals and this results in the neutralization these molecules. Drinking green tea frequently has been linked (confirmed by research) with the prevention of cancer; it lowers high blood cholesterol, prevents harmful blood clotting and acts to minimize the risk of strokes.

Green tea is very good for arthritis sufferers because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

As reported earlier, Green Tea has some caffeine which helps invigorate and improve concentration.

Green tea is also antibacterial. The tea contains the trace element fluorine whichs helps to fight tooth decay. It is suggested that just one cup of tea a day will be beneficial in the prevention of decay. Green tea is also ideal after dinner as a palette cleanser.

Many Naturopaths recommend green tea to cleanse the body. It is a useful addition to all types of detoxification diets. It contains no calories, no carbs and is referred to as the 'fat eater' in China due to its cholesterol-lowering properties.

Green Tea is fantatic for quenching your thirst, and can be enjoyed at any time of the day - either hot or cold. Sometimes lemon juice is added, or the tea is poured over ice to produce a really refreshing drink.

How to prepare Green Tea:

Put one level teaspoon of tea leaves per cup; then Boil your water and then let the water stand for a couple of minutes - allowing it to cool slightly. Pour the water over the green tea and leave the tea to brew.

Brewing the tea for 2-3 minutes will give you a mild tasting but highly stimulating tea.

Brewing the tea for 4-6 minutes yields a less stimulating and stronger tasting tea.

Important: The caffeine in green tea may cause heart palpitations in some sensitive people. To reduce the amount of caffeine in your tea, put one teaspoon of leaves in your cup, pour a little bit of hot water over it and allow it to stand for 30 seconds then strain. Now use the leaves to prepare your tea as usual - or of-course buy non-caffeine Green Tea, which is available in many health food stores.

By: Keith Woolley.

Herbal Tea Remedies

Herbal Tea Remedies - Everything You Need To Know!

Herbal teas have been around almost as long as humans have had access to hot water and herbs, which has been a rather long time. Tea has been known in places like China for centuries, and archaeologists believe that even prehistoric man made teas for drinking and soothing ailments.

It is also clear that the uses of water infused with herbs have long been known in tribal cultures around the world, and have been handed down throughout the generations in almost every society. Herbal teas have traditionally held a very important place in natural medicine, before science was able to diagnose and treat with antibiotics and other modern methods. Those who had the knowledge of herbs and how to make herbal teas were highly respected, as their teas had the ability to greatly aid those who suffered from various ailments.

Herbal teas are still very useful today, especially for people who want to limit their chemical intake, and enjoy nature's methods of healing.

From sleeplessness, to period pain, to detoxify the body and help clear the mind, herbal teas have multiple uses. You'd be surprised what effects even common herbs can have on your body. For example, the nettle plant is known to have a positive effect on the bones, skin, nails, and hair. Parsley can help if you're bloating or retaining water, and peppermint is an excellent aid to the digestion.

It is not just ailments of the body that herbal teas can help with, but some are also excellent for the mind. If you are feeling stressed, a tea made from chamomile and rosehips can help you to feel more relaxed. There are also teas containing the herb valerian, which can help you to sleep. Herbal teas can even aid with weight loss. An infusion of blackberry leaves, myrtle leaves, sage, juniper berry and nettle leaves can help you flush your system and control the urges to snack and eat all the time.

Of course, herbal teas are no substitute for medical attention. You should never try and use an herbal remedy when you are seriously sick. Most practitioners agree that herbal teas are an excellent supplement to treatment, and a great preventative, but they will not cure your ills alone. You should also exercise caution when trying new herbal teas, as some people are allergic to certain herbs, and you may have a nasty reaction.

Apart from these common sense measures, you should feel free to enjoy the great tastes and positive effects that herbal teas have. Try blending your own if you're feeling adventurous, or purchase some from the health store. Many experts believe that herbal teas are best made from loose tea leaves, but there is certainly nothing wrong with using herbal tea bags if the convenience suits you better.

Drinking herbal tea is an excellent way to maintain your health, experience new tastes, and be part of a legacy that has stretched throughout human history.

By: Munya Chinongoza

Green Tea Differs From Black Tea

Green Tea Has More Antioxidants Than Black Tea

Processing green tea differs from the way black tea is processed. Antioxidants in the tea leaves are nearly exhausted after black tea is processed whereas in green tea, almost all of its antioxidants are left in the leaves after processing.

Antioxidants in an apple

Antioxidants are active when an apple is sliced. You must have noticed that after slicing an apple, its flesh slowly turns into brown. That is because the apple's flesh is reacting to oxygen when it is exposed to air. This reaction produces free radicals and could create a chain reaction.

All fruits have antioxidants. Different types of fruits have different types of antioxidants. This is nature's defense for the fruit from oxidizing.

Let's get back to the apple. When free radicals are formed in the exposed flesh, the antioxidants in the apple quenches these free radicals to prevent a chain reaction. All of the exposed area of the flesh reacts to oxygen and therefore all these areas forms free radicals which are then quenched by the apple's antioxidants. Chain reaction cannot continue to the inside flesh as antioxidants quench these free radicals.

The discoloration you see in the exposed flesh are the result of molecules which reacted to oxygen. Scrape off that layer and you will see what the antioxidants in the apple has accomplished. It stopped the oxidation from going further inside the flesh.

Black Tea Processing

The following are the basic processing of black tea.

1. Harvesting
2. Withering - the leaves are spread and left to dry.
3. Rolling - the leaves are twisted and rolled either by hand or machinery. This process breaks or cracks the surface of the leaves exposing it to oxygen.
4. Oxidation or fermentation - the leaves are left to dry for several hours until it is about 80% dry.
5. Drying - the leaves further dried by applying heat without burning the leaves. This stops the oxidation process.

Just like the apple when the membranes of the leaves cracked in the rolling process, it exposed the insides of the leaves to oxygen. The free radicals produced are quenched by the antioxidants inside the tea leaves. Therefore those antioxidants that quenched the free radicals are already spent and will not be available in the finished product.

Green Tea Processing

This process differs a little bit from the way black tea is processed.

1. Harvesting
2. Withering
3. Drying

As you can see, the steps that can oxidize the leaves, rolling and oxidation, are omitted leaving the antioxidant content of the leaves almost intact.

Which do you prefer?

Now that you have seen the difference in processing and the final outcome of antioxidant content, what do you prefer? Tea with more antioxidant content? Others prefer the stronger taste of black tea against the milder taste of green tea. Others prefer green tea because of its healthful benefits.

How to get more antioxidants from tea

Our body can absorb only a small percentage of the antioxidants in tea. By combining it with citrus juices or vitamin c, our body's absorption of the antioxidants in tea can multiply more than 5 times.

By: Feel Good Article Source: www.articlesnatch.com