Benefits of Green Tea
Buddhadragon
Ehipassiko & Carpe DiemSamsara Veteran
Our last monthly Literature & Art meeting was held at Isabel's house.
A couple of days later, she called me because one of the participants had emailed her to thank her for the wonderful lecture on green tea.
"The meeting was supposed to be about [Spanish novelist] Ana Maria Matute. Can you please tell me at what moment of the meeting you managed to sneak in your sermon on green tea???" she almost barked at me over the phone.
Well, as the host of the event, Isabel had spent a lot of time in the kitchen getting the supper ready, so....
Anyone who has spent ten minutes with me knows I'm a doomed green tea junkie.
The perpetual tea-mug-on-the-go in my left hand whenever I'm out and about gives me away, and I can leave my lipstick behind, but never my tea-wallet.
I once commented here how I prepare a healthy energy drink for my son (which we call "Green Bull") with multivitamin juice and a dash of pure matcha green tea.
I drink litre and a half a day of organic matcha blend, jasmine green tea and pure sencha.
I drink it with no frills, or add a squeeze of lemon and stevia if the tea of choice is too bitter.
And I adore the Golden Ninja tea mug by Teaeve with lid for on the go.
Green tea provides the highest protection against different sorts of cancer, helps in weight loss, is chockfull with antioxidants, and boosts the immune system.
Just wanted to share my passion with the forum and spread the good health!
http://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-green-tea/
http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/benefit_of_drinking_green_tea
http://draxe.com/matcha-green-tea-burns-fat-and-kills-cancer/
Comments
Thanks for this reminder. I'll up my consumption of green tea. I've gotten into a black tea groove for awhile, though I have plenty of green tea in the house.
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Black tea is not quite the same.
The processing in green tea keeps the antioxidants intact.
Black tea is not as healthy.
I don't think cockneys would be allowed to drink something healthy like that...
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You mean ''elf-y"...!
Thanks for the tips. Oh, and tell Isabel to go boil her bag....
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Maybe we could get it under the National 'Elf? You'd probably have to be under the doctor though.
You naughty cockney! I'll send you to the corner with a kettle of black tea...
And yes, @federica, Isabel is pouring water over her tea-bag, though not boiling.
Two days ago, she asked me to place an order of matcha tea for her...
I have pasted some beautiful tea-related haikus by Japanese poet Issa (18th/19th century), who apparently found much inspiration in tea for his poems:
New Year's gift of tea--
where did you go
on your journey back to me?
morning-glories
softly floating...
in the teacup
plum blossom scent--
for whoever shows up
a cracked teacup
the tea smoke
and the willow
together trembling
Some interesting links dealing with the relationship between Buddhism and green tea:
http://tea-charaku.com/history/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_tea_ceremony
Kia Ora,
I'm a Oolong chai drinker myself "Tie Guanyin" and I have a breakfast tea ceremony every morning....
"In the family tree of Chinese teas, Oolong Tea which is semi-fermented, lies between un-fermented Green Tea and fermented Black Tea (called Black Tea in the West but actua lly known as Red Tea in China). The range of fermentation varies from 8% to 70%. Oolong is sometimes written as Wulong but the meaning is the same: Oo (Wu) means Black and Long means Dragon. Oolong Tea is also known in China as "Qing Cha". "
http://www.thechineseteashop.com/oolongtea.html
Metta Shoshin .
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I love green tea iced.
No sweetener or cream/milk...throw in a couple of berries.....ahhhhh....
Black tea still has many antioxidants, just different from green tea. Green and white tea are higher in catechins while black tea is higher in theaflavins and thearubigens. These compounds have different health benefits, but are still very good for you.
The only thing is not to put milk or cream into your tea. Even coconut milk. The fats and proteins make the antioxidants harder for your body to dissolve.
I also love it as ice cream....after a nice sushi platter.
Black tea still has many antioxidants, just different from green tea. Green and white tea are higher in catechins while black tea is higher in theaflavins and thearubigens. These compounds have different health benefits, but are still very good for you.
The only thing is not to put milk or cream into your tea. Even coconut milk. The fats and proteins make the antioxidants harder for your body to dissolve.
White tea is very interesting! I discovered it a little while ago, and I love it.
I'm doomed, though. I can't really enjoy tea without milk.
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Here is how I make tea, takes a few hours but that is quick for alchemists . . .
http://yinyana.tumblr.com/day/2012/12/30
:screwy: .
Wow, @lobster! That warning that your alchemist's tea could be lethal if instructions are not followed correctly makes me cringe.
A tea that takes 6 hours to prepare... I usually like to drink a mug when winding down and without much ceremony.
Do you really ever drink that tea or is that one of your mistifying jokes?
@Shoshin: I drink Green Chai. Only sort or green tea I spoil with milk, because the chai mixture tastes so good as a latte.
@Glow: Black tea I can't enjoy without milk and some sort of sweetener, but I seldom drink it, anyway, only when ill.
Red "Pu-erh" tea is also very healthy, as is white tea.
Apart from the usual antioxidant and polyphenol content, they seem to aid in weight loss.
http://www.teavivre.com/info/pu-erh-tea-health-benefits/
http://www.whiteteaguide.com/whiteteahealthbenefits.htm
Kia Ora @DhammaDragon,
Sorry my mistake I meant to say "char"(British slang for tea) not chai...I don't take milk with Oolong char....
Metta Shoshin .
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Nuffink like a nice cup of tea!
Green tea health benefits are really promising. The only question I have is that (for those who drink more than 1-2 cups a day): wouldn't it cause sleep problems?
Some people claim it interferes with their sleep.
I drink litre and a half a day, yet sleep like a baby.
People react differently to caffeine.
Forgot to add: for anyone having green-tea-induced sleep problems, the usual recommendation is to ingest the daily intake before 4 p.m.
I drink litre and a half a day, yet sleep like a baby.
People react differently to caffeine
You are lucky.
That's right, it's not good to get over-stimerlated in the evening. :hair:
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Actually, I wonder if it's all not in the head.
I have drank coffee after dinner all my life and never had sleeping problems.
Every time I gather with a friend for a coffee, she tells the waiter "Please bring me a herbal tea because if I drink coffee in the afternoon, I can't sleep well at night."
My question is: isn't she programming herself not to sleep just by saying it out loud all the time -and actually buying into the belief?
@DhammaDragon, I also can sleep after drinking coffee unless I drink a whole pot of ultra strong or something like that.
Know and acknowledge your mind/body complex. Be aware it changes. For example my body used to be several sizes smaller.
Babies on caffeine, not good.
My ideal beverage is water, however I drink coffee, about one a day at the moment. Green tea with vanilla is my fav but no green tea drinking at the moment. Black tea varies too. Sometimes none, sometimes several. Had a very pleasant pomegranate and fruit herbal tea the other day, with natural fruit rather than 'fruit identic' flavourings (which means chemically synthesised).
I am addicted to water and air, perhaps it is karma . . . :buck: .
Well, drinking a mug of matcha and a coffee after dinner does not prevent me from dozing off in front of the TV in the evening at nine o'clock...
That was ace - thank you
! I love herbal teas!
My go-to tea is Constant Comment Green Tea - It's taken me a long time to find a tea that I like, because for one, it ain't coffee, and tea has the consistency of dish water to me. I've tried so many it's ridiculous!
I've just bought a large bag of organic 'phoenix eye' jasmine tea - I'm addicted to it!
Whatever tea you prefer, always bear in mind the "organic" recommendation.
Especially with green tea, they can be full of pesticides and fungicides, otherwise!