| | | Green tea

From WikiVerde

'Its liquor is like the sweetest dew from Heaven,' said Lu Yu in the eighth century classic, 'The Classic of Tea' (trans. F. Carpenter.) The Chinese have been using green tea as a medicine for millenia. Recently, the health benefits of this soothing drink have also been heavily promoted in the West. These may include reducing high blood pressure, boosting the immune system, lowering high cholesterol, and even helping to prevent cancer.

How It All Started

Green tea has existed for over 5000 years. China and India were the first two countries to cultivate this tea. Green tea has also been used as an ancient medicine in India, China, Japan and Thailand. Some of its uses are to control bleeding, blood sugar, regulate body temperature, heal wounds, and to help in digestion.

1 What is ‘Green Tea’?
2 Brewing Green Tea
3 Green Tea's Healing Powers
4 Possible Side Effects
5 Sources

What is ‘Green Tea’?

All tea, whether green or black comes from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant. The secret of green tea lies in the process of its manufacturing. The leaves of green tea are steamed, and not oxidized like other teas. Today, tea drinkers are beginning to opt for green tea over the traditional black tea because of the health benefits associated with it. Although all tea is supposed to be good for health, this process means that the natural ingredients of green tea are preserved.

The Variety

There are various green teas available in the market today. There is the Chinese Green Tea, the best of which are those that are picked in early spring. Organic Green Tea is another form of Green Tea. The two most respected tea farms of this kind are found in India, and these are the Oothu Tea Estate (the first of its kind in the world) and the Makaibari Tea Estates. Apart from these two, India also has a small amount of Green Tea production. The Japanese also grow Green Tea and some of the best green tea that they have is grown in Uji and Shizuoka.

Brewing Green Tea

Green tea is delicate and needs to be handled likewise. Making a perfect cup of green tea can take a while to master. If the leaves are not handled in a proper manner then the polyphenols that are noted for their benefits to health can spoil the flavour. While brewing a cup of green tea, it is best to follow the instructions on the package. Do not over brew. However, here are some instructions that will hold good for all green tea.

A single tea bag per cup.

The kettle should be filled with cold water and then brought to a boil. Once this is done the water should be kept for 3 minutes. Now pour the hot water into the cup over the tea and allow it to stand for 3 minutes. Discard the tea bag and let the tea cool for an additional three minutes.

A cup of green tea is ready for consumption.

One could also try brewing the tea with a thin slice of ginger and lime or with some mint. Add a teaspoon of honey and stir. Green tea can also be combined with fruit juice and a bit of honey. This needs to be blended and poured over ice before serving.

Green Tea's Healing Powers

Green tea contains polyphenols called catechins which are powerful antioxidants that help to destroy free radicals which damage the body at the cellular level. It relaxes the artery walls, which may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks and stroke. It also may reduce the clogging of the arteries which increases the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol. This may be the reason why the incidence of heart disease in Japan is so low even though a large percentage of Japanese people are smokers.

The ancient Book of Tea, Kissa Yojoki which was written in 1191 by a Zen priest called Eisai elaborates on the positive effects of green tea on the 5 vital organs. Study and research on green tea has come a long way since. Today we know green tea to be helpful in treating a wide spectrum of ailments:

Atherosclerosis – Studies show that the antioxidant present in green tea could help prevent atherosclerosis, especially diseases of the coronary artery.

High cholesterol – Research shows us that the consumption of green tea raises the levels of HDL or good cholesterol. Polyphenols present in green tea prevent cholesterol from being absorbed by the intestines.

Cancer – Population based studies also indicate that green tea may help prevent cancer. A study at Rochester University showed that this chemical together with another one found in green tea, which is similar to flavenoids, helps to inhibit a molecule which sticks to cells and activates genes playing an important role in developing cancer.

Bladder Cancer – Studies show that women who drank tea, both green and black were less likely to develop bladder cancer. Studies also show that patients with bladder cancer who drank green tea had a five-year rate of survival that is better than those who did not.

Breast Cancer – The polyphenols present in green tea suggests that they control the growth of breast cancer cells. In a study quoted in the International Journal of Cancer 2003 more than 1000 women with an Asian background were tested to see if green tea lowered the risk of breast cancer. Those who drank green tea had 43% less risk of developing breast cancer than those who drank none. Their risk decreased even more if they drank a lot of green tea.

Ovarian Cancer – Studies conducted on Chinese patients with ovarian cancer revealed that women drinking a minimum of a cup of green tea a day survived much longer than those who did not. As is visible, green tea does have its benefits for patients suffering from cancer. However some studies have shown conflicting results. Research is still ongoing before any conclusion can be arrived at for other forms of cancer.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease – Green tea helps reduce the inflammation that is associated with an ulcerative colitis and with Crohn’s disease.

Diabetes – From the time that green tea was discovered it has been used in traditional medicine. One of its uses has been that of controlling blood sugar. Green tea is said to help prevent diabetes and control its progression once developed.

Liver diseases – The properties of green tea are also said to protect the liver. It prevents the liver from being damaged by toxins like alcohol. Green tea is also said to help with the curing of hepatitis.

Weight Loss – Last be not the least, green tea also contains properties that help boost the metabolism, thereby helping to burn fat.

Other important and healthy ingredients in green tea include theanine, which counteracts the stimulant effects of caffeine in the tea and may help protect nerve cells in the brain thus lengthening the life of the cells; GABA which may suppress high blood pressure; carotene, which is also found in carrot, and promotes better vision; and riboflavin which may help promote the formation of red blood cells and antibody production.

Green tea also contains fluoride which builds in tooth enamel helping to make the teeth resistant against acids in the mouth. One cup contains .03-.05 mg of fluoride which is an optimal amount according to dentists for preventing the growth of plaque. It also prevents bad breath caused by acidic bacteria in the mouth.

Possible Side Effects

While green tea is known for its medicinal properties it also has some adversary effects on the human body. Green tea contains caffeine, and too much of it can cause insomnia, irritability, dizziness and heart palpitations. Overdoses can also cause vomiting, appetite loss and headaches.

Patients with any kind of kidney disorder, psychological disorders, stomach ulcers and heart problems should not have green tea. Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers should also stay away from green tea.

Green tea is known for its active ingredients, and it is because of this that patients on medication should consult their doctor before consuming green tea.