Sencha

Sencha is a Japanese green tea, Sencha - Its name means infused tea. This is the every day green tea of Japan. You can find it in some form in most Japanese households. Sencha have the strongest potency of all Japanese teas in Vitamin C, and Vitamin B2 (aka Riboflavin, which helps formulate the red blood cells). This tea contains a moderate to high caffeine level.

Sencha, literally meaning, ‘roasted tea’, pertains to the past processing methods used to make this most popular of all Japanese green tea. Today, sencha is initially steam treated before further processing with hot-air drying and finally pan-frying. Over three quarters of all tea now produced in the Japanese tea gardens is in fact graded as sencha, a tea selected for its pleasant sharpness and fresh qualities complementing a leaf of high uniformity and rich emerald colour.

Green tea from the Shizuoka region of Japan. Sencha translates as 'common,' but there is nothing ordinary about this exquisite 'spider leg' tea. The latter refers to the leaves' long, slender shape. Our 'Sencha Overture' is a wonderfully delicate second flush (summer) tea whose soothing taste and fresh green scent make it a perfect everyday treat.
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Slimmers try out green tea study on 2007

Slimmers try out green tea study on 2007
Scientists at the University of Nottingham are trying to find out if drinking green tea can aid weight loss.
Researchers are recruiting 220 volunteers as part of a 12 week study which will look at how flavanols in the tea affect fat tissue.
Half of the group will drink a cup of green tea twice a day, while the others will be given a placebo drink.
Those taking part will be aged 18 to 55, healthy, but slightly overweight and will be examined regularly.

Ancient discovery

Professor Ian Macdonald who is leading the research programme, said: "We are not giving our volunteers a diet, although dietary advice can be provided at the end of the 12 week period.
"We want to see if green tea affects the amount of body fat someone has, and in particular whether it affects the fat around their waist."
Results of the experiment are expected to be released in 2008.
The tea, discovered in China nearly 5,000 years ago, has long been thought to have health benefits.


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Japanese Green Tea - A Look at Sencha And Gyokuro

Green tea, which is the second type that goes through the least processing, is most common in both China and Japan. Each country along with each Province or region produces some very interesting varieties, each with their very own characteristics! There is never only one type of green tea. There are in fact hundreds! In this article, we will have a look at the two very popular Japanese green teas.

About Japanese Green Tea
Japanese green tea differs when compared to its Chinese cousins. The way it is grown, cultivated, processed, and even the way it tastes remains distinctively separate. Green tea in Japan is just as popular as coffee is in America, and the Japanese people are very fond of this beverage. Although many tons are produced each year, nearly two percent of that is ever exported. As you can imagine, the Japanese are big tea drinkers! Did you know that Japan is one of the largest smoking nations, yet has the least amount of lung cancer cases? Could it be that the free radical combating power of green tea is responsible?

The liquor produced by most Japanese greens are usually a bright yellowish green, with higher quality varieties yielding an even more brillant green. The taste is generally more on the vegetal side, and is not as mild as with most Chinese varieties. It is more sensitive to boiling water and can easily burn and go bitter, so careful preparation is needed when steeping. Most Japanese teas only take about two minutes to release all of their flavor.

Now let us have a look at the two most popular varieties...

Sencha
Sencha, meaning "infused tea" or "roasted tea", is the most common variety processed in Japan. Even though it has one name, there are hundreds of sub varieties, some which can cost hundreds of dollars for just one pound! This tea can make one feel relaxed and calm when consumed due to its high levels of Theanine, a natural amino acid. The taste as mentioned above will be on the vegetal side, but once the palate adapts will offer a sort of sweetness. This tea is far from tasting bad, if it did, would most of Japan's population drink it?

Although one of Sencha's meanings is referred to as a "roasted tea", today it has become practice to steam the leaves before allowing them to be air-dried and finally pan fired. Once completed, small dark green leaves with a powerful fresh scent is revealed. Before the processing, most leaves are harvested in the month of April, since it is this flush that offers the highest quality. While it is being grown, Sencha is subjected to a lot of sunlight; unlike the next tea we will discover...

Gyokuro
This variety of green is considered Japan's finest, and is closely related to Sencha. Also, if you thought Sencha can be expensive your wallet may become a bit more shy at some of the prices Gyokuro is sold for. It is not unheard of for folks to spend over a thousand dollars for a pound of the rarest tea!

Now unlike Sencha, Gyokuro (or jade dew), spends a portion of its life in the shade under special tarps that are designed to keep the leaves out of direct sunlight. This results in leaves that turn out even darker than Sencha, and produce a cup that is slighter sweeter and with more of a fuller body. Like all Japanese tea, Gyokuro requires a careful steeping temperature or else the flavor can be compromised. In fact, it is recommended that it steeps at a cooler level than Sencha. This may seem like a small nuance, but it is crucial for that perfect cup!

This tea has many sub varieties as well, and like Sencha, will be set at different prices according to the way it was processed, and even which tea farm it came from. But even an average-priced cup would please the taste buds! This green tea is fancied by many the world over.

Japan does process other varieties of tea, but it is Sencha and Gyokuro that are the two most popular. Others are, "Matcha", "Genmi Cha", and "Houjicha" (sometimes spelled "hojicha"), and while they may not cost as much as some of our top two contenders, will each produce a cup that is truly flavorsome and unique!


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Caffeine Content in Green Tea

Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world next to water. It has a history that spans centuries, and it is still widely consumed in many countries in Asia. Generations of people have enjoyed green tea because of its health benefits. Today, it has gradually gained popularity in many western countries as people look for a healthy alternative to coffee, without all the caffeine.

Low Caffeine
Green tea contains about 30mg of caffeine per 8oz. (240ml) cup. Compare this to a cup of regular brewed coffee, which contains around 100mg. In a report published by the John Hopkins University of Medicine, it was revealed that of the 80-90% of the North American population that consumes caffeine, on average 280mg is consumed per day. This caffeine comes from consuming coffee, tea, soft drinks and chocolate products. The university also reported that an over-consumption of caffeine (over 200mg), could result in nervousness, anxiety and an upset stomach. If we follow the recommendations to consume up to and not over 200mg of caffeine, that equates to 2 cups of coffee, or about 1 cup of coffee and a couple of cans of soft drink. With this guide in mind, we can safely consume 5-6 cups of green tea a day.


The report also suggests that despite the low caffeine content in green tea, people with anxiety disorders, insomnia and pregnant women should reduce their intake or stop consuming green tea altogether.

Green Tea for Health
These days you can often find decaffeinated green tea in your supermarket or specialty stores. Unfortunately during the process of removing the caffeine from green tea, the flavour is also altered. This is why in Japan, where so many people drink green tea, that decaffeinated green tea is almost impossible to find in any supermarkets or stores.

It is also thought that by removing the caffeine content in green tea, much of the health benefits are also lost from the polyphenolic content.

There are some simple ways to reduce the caffeine content in green tea. The first way would be by brewing the leaves or tea bag for just 1 minute (compared with the normal 2 minutes). The other way would be to just discard the first cup of brewed tea, and drink the second and third brewing only.

Moderation is the key to consuming anything in life, and the same can be said for green tea. The great thing with green tea is it contains so many healthful properties and still contains the right balance of caffeine, so we can refresh and energize without experiencing the irritability and anxiety which can often happen with coffee.


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Green Tea lowers the risk of Heart Disease

Greek scientists have found that regularly drinking green tea can significantly reduce cardiovascular-related morbidity and mortality.

According to a study published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, green tea improves the function of endothelial cells that line the blood vessels and prevent the progression of atherosclerosis.

A Greek study suggests that a few cups of green tea a day can help to keep heart disease away. During the study, researchers at the Athens Medical School in Greece gave 14 healthy volunteers either green tea, diluted caffeine or hot water and measured the function of endothelial cells that line the circulatory system. The measurements were taken at 30, 90 and 120 minutes after consumption of the allotted drink.

The main factor reviewed by the researchers was dilatation of the brachial artery as a result of increased blood flow. This function is associated with endothelial function and is known to be a predictor of heart disease risk.

Researchers found that dilatation of endothelium-dependent brachial artery increased by 3.9 percent in the people who consumed green tea. This facilitated the flow of blood in the arteries and reduced the pressure on the heart.

Similar effects were not seen with caffeine or hot water, the researchers led by Dr. Nikolaos Alexopoulos reported in the latest issue of European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation.

Previous studies have shown that black tea is beneficial for the heart, but this is the first time that studies have linked green tea to cardiovascular benefits.


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Green Tea - The Best Free Acne Home Remedy

If you are looking for a free acne home remedy then you can’t beat green tea. Green tea has been shown to be as effective as a 4% solution of benzoyl peroxide without doing the same damage as this solution in terms of drying the skin and being harsh on the skin. In this article we explore the effects of green tea on acne and how you can use the health benefits of green tea to cure your acne fast.

The Acne Treatment Guide website explains Dr Gan-Wong’s study in which she examined the health benefits of green tea on acne, “According to the findings reported to the American Academy of Dermatology by dermatologist Dr. Gan-Wong, when compounded into a cream with a content of 3% green tea extract, acne treatment results were comparable to using a topical solution containing 4% benzoyl peroxide, a common treatment for acne. Dr. Gan-Wong’s findings were based on an independent study of just over 100 acne sufferers. The test subjects were randomly split into two groups, with one group receiving the green tea treatment and the other receiving a benzoyl peroxide treatment. Neither group was aware of the treatment they received, nor were the dermatologists who documented their progress.”

These studies by Dr Gan-Wong proved the effectiveness of green tea as the best free acne home remedy but are you able to use green tea if you do not have green tea extract cream? The answer to this is yes; simply rubbing a green tea bag on your skin has also been shown to prove beneficial for acne sufferers.

In addition, the best free acne home remedy is to actually drink green tea; since acne is often caused by problem deeper than the skin, drinking green tea can help to really get to the root of the problem. Even better is to prepare yourself a cup of green tea and then use the green tea bag on your face before throwing it away.

We mentioned that green tea is not only the best free acne home remedy because of its comparability to a 4% benzoyl peroxide solution which is a common medication recommended for acne, but also because it does not have the same harsh damaging of this medication; in fact, the health benefits of green tea extend to many other benefits for the skin.

In addition to being the best free acne home remedy the health benefits of green tea means that you are not only curing your acne but also rejuvenating dying skin cells. The EGCG in green tea has been shown to rejuvenate dying skin cells and this provides many benefits for the skin. The person who researched this health benefit of green tea is Dr Hsu and he had the following to say on the Medical College of Georgia website, ‘“When exposed to EGCG the old cells found in the upper layers of the epidermis appear to start dividing again,” Dr Hsu said, “They make DNA and produce more energy. They are reactivated. There are lots of unknowns – this is the first step into the door – but if we can energize dying skin cells, we can probably improve the skin condition”’

The best free acne home remedy you can give your skin is green tea. Prepare yourself a cup of green tea to drink and cleanse your system from the inside and then rub the teabag over your skin to cure your acne fast. The health benefits of green tea not only extend to curing acne but also to various other skin conditions and by using this skin care regimen for your acne you should also improve the overall condition of your skin, unlike normal medication used in the treatment of acne.

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Delicious Green Tea Recipe

Green tea recipe is not only healthy but mighty delicious as well. They can be used as garnishes, dried, or infused.

The trick? Brew your tea leaves that you use for any green tea recipes in a different way than when prepared for drinking.


Here's how to include it in your recipe: use a cool spring water and loose leaf teas, and brew for twenty to thirty minutes in a cup. This prevents it from ever being overly astringent or bitter.


A typical measurement for one recipe is one and one-half heaping teaspoons (7.5 ml) of loose leaf to eight ounces (250 ml) of water. Adjust to your taste accordingly.

So, how do you include it with any food recipe?


Green tea, is cooling, refreshing, and palate cleansing. It is wonderful with any food recipes.


Chinese tea tend to be sweeter than Japanese tea, which is nonetheless subtle and mild.


Indian and Sri Lankan teas are stronger more solid tasting.


All are wonderful for any recipes, but only the subltest ones would be lost with dramatically spiced foods.


Japanese tea is good with typical recipe of that country, and their mildness makes them refreshing with fruits, salads, or any recipe.


The very fine gyokuro is magnificent by itself, or lovely with fresh fruit or pastries.


Sencha is good with main recipes from sukiyaki to beef stew.


Hojicha, bancha tea, and genmaicha tea are excellent for all ages to drink, and taste good with all recipes because of their mild flavor and soft aroma.


With a hint of floral, it is wonderful with recipe for desserts. And when it is intentionally scented with jasmine, osmanthus, lychee, or chrysanthemum is lovely with pastries.


The best way to determine which one you would like to drink with your food recipe is to try as many selections as possible.

Below are the recipes you can make. Just have fun with it.

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Acne and Green Tea

Green tea is used by the Chinese as a traditional medicine to treat many ailments including acne and to improve general well-being. But does it provide an effective herbal alternative to modern medication?

The answer seems to be 'Yes'. There are only two herbal treatments that are known to be effective in treating acne and green tea is one of them.In a recent study by Jennifer Gan-Wong, M.D. a green tea cream was trailed against a 4% benzoyl peroxide solution on people suffering with moderate to severe acne. The results from this research study showed that green tea was just as good in treating acne as the benzoyl peroxide.

But benzoyl peroxide dries out skin causing itching or allergic reactions. Unlike green tea that has the added advantages of natural anti-bacterial properties and antioxidants, particularly epigallocatechin gallate which is 200 times more powerful than vitamin E at fighting free radicals.

Green tea also helps to reduce inflammation, hormonal activity and aids in detoxification - which is all good news for acne sufferers.




Green tea extract is an extremely versatile herbal supplement - it can be administered topically, often being used in creams, taken as a in the form of a pill or incorporated into your diet and drunk as a tea.

This last method is very popular (Green Tea with Honeysuckle is often known as 'Pimple Tea' in many Chinatowns) when drunk after a meal it aids digestion and helps to detoxify your system, getting rid of the toxins that can cause acne. Tip: don't drink it with sugar, this will neutralize the worthwhile effects of the tea.

It seems that taking green tea for acne is a win-win situation. It has many beneficial properties which promote good all-round health with little or no known side effects and for the price, green tea it's definitely a herbal treatment that's worth trying.

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Green Tea Shown to Reduce Risk of Ovarian and Colorectal Cancers

NaturalNews) Green tea has rapidly entered the American market as a claimed cure and preventative for almost everything that ails mankind. It seems too good to be true, but now we are finding out that it is true. Recent studies reveal green tea's benefits as an antioxidant, promoter of glucose tolerance, protector of the liver and detoxification system, and benefactor of the cardiovascular system. Two recent studies show that green tea is also a powerful agent in the prevention and cure of cancers.

Studies and Results

The March, 2008 issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, contains a study from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. In a population based study in Washington state, 781 women with epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosed between 2002 and 2005, and 1,263 controls completed self-administered questionnaires detailing consumption of caffeinated and non-caffeinated coffee, teas, and colas. They also completed in-person interviews regarding reproductive and hormonal exposures.

Researchers assessed risk associated with coffee, tea, and cola drinking and with total caffeine consumption using logistic regression to calculate odds ratios and confidence intervals. Results indicate that neither caffeinated nor decaffeinated coffees were associated with ovarian cancer risk. They also observed no association of total caffeine with risk using a combined index that summed intake from coffee, tea and carbonated soft drinks.

Among teas, neither herbal/decaffeinated nor black teas were associated with risk. However, women who reported drinking green teas had a 54% reduction in risk of ovarian cancer. Associations of green tea with risk were similar when invasive and borderline cases were considered separately and when Asian women were excluded from analysis.

In the second study from Cancer Biology and Therapy, researchers from the Fourth Military Medical University in Xi’an China, reported progress in identifying the underlying mechanism by which green tea possesses therapeutic cancer effects through induction of apoptosis (programmed cell death) in colorectal cancer. Two different lines of colorectal cancer cells were treated with different concentrations of green tea, which led to repression of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis in both cell lines.

The researchers concluded that the p-53 up-regulated modulator gene plays a critical role in green tea induced apoptosis pathways in colorectal cancer cells. Their demonstration of this effect may be useful in the therapeutic target selection for p53 deficient colorectal cancer.

Additional Implications

The results of these studies suggest that green tea may also be a factor for inducing apoptosis in breast cells and endometrial cells, thereby acting as both a preventative and a factor in the cure for these cancers.

A further implication for the first study may be drawn from its conclusion that the administration of caffeine containing coffee, tea, and colas yielded no association with risk for ovarian cancers.

About Green Tea

According to Phyllis and James Balch in their book Prescription for Nutritional Healing, green tea contains polyphenols, including phytochemicals with antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and other health enhancing properties. Epigalloacatechin gallate (EGCG) is a particular type of polyphenol in green tea that has shown in tests to be able to penetrate the body’s cells and shield DNA from the potent free radical, hydrogen peroxide.

In addition to protecting against cancers, green tea lowers cholesterol levels, and reduces the clotting tendency of blood. It shows promise as a weight-loss aid that can promote the burning of fat and the regulation of insulin levels and blood sugar.

Green tea is simply the unprocessed leaves of the tea plant, unlike black tea which is fermented. During processing, much of the polyphenols of black tea are lost.

In addition to brewing and drinking green tea, there are green tea supplements available. Some of these contain the whole plant, while others contain extracts. Whole plant supplements are usually preferable because they are backed by the integrity of the whole plant. Many green tea supplements are standardized to provide a quantifiable amount of EGCG, viewed as its most beneficial component.

Green Tea Shown to Reduce Risk of Ovarian and Colorectal Cancers
by Barbara
About the author
Barbara is a school psychologist, a published author in the area of personal finance, a breast cancer survivor using "alternative" treatments, a born existentialist, and a student of nature and all things natural.

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13 Health Benefits of Green Tea

13 Health Benefits of Green Tea
Arina Nikitina

Green tea has been enjoyed by people in China and Japan for
thousands of years. Over the time it has become widely
known in the West.

A lot of people nowadays have heard that green tea benefits
the overall health, but not a lot know why exactly. And
believe me after I've learned all the health benefits of
green tea, I get completely different feeling every time I
drink it. I not only enjoy the taste of it but I also get
the moral satisfaction knowing that I am doing something
right and extremely healthy for my body. I want you to have
exactly the same feeling I have, so here are the benefits
that you get while sipping delicious cup of tea.

Green tea contains anti-oxidants that:

1. Helps to prevent cancer.
The is some strong evidence that green tea included in you
every day diet can reduce bladder, colon, esophageal,
pancreas, rectum, and stomach cancer up to 60%. An
antioxidant known as "epigallocatechin gallate" (EGCG for
short) is at least 100 more times more effective than
vitamin C and 25 times more effective than vitamin E at
protecting cells from harmful influence.

The amazing thing about it that EGCG it not only inhibits
the growth of new cancer cells it also kills some of the
existing cancer sells without harming the healthy ones.

2. Lowers "bad" cholesterol (known as LDL) and improves the
ratio of "good" cholesterol (known as HDL). It explains why
tea-drinkers can eat almost twice the foods containing
cholesterol as those who don't drink green tea, but still
have an equal cholesterol count.

3. Stops the unnatural formation of blood cloth which if
not taken care of will cause thrombosis. It takes on added
importance if you consider that thrombosis is one of the
main causes of strokes and heart attacks.

4. Reduces high blood pressure by repressing angiotensin II
which causes constriction of the blood vessels causing high
blood pressure.

5. Lowers blood sugar (polyphenols and polysaccharides are
the two main antioxidants are especially effective in
lowering blood sugar). That helps prevent and relieve
type-two diabetes.

6. Protects liver against toxins like alcohol and chemicals
in cigarette smoke.

7. Promotes oral health by suppress the process of plaque
formation and destroys the bacteria that forms plaque. It
also destroys bacteria that causes bad breath, so after
eating something sweet I suggest you drink a cup of green
tea.

8. Destroys free radicals that cause aging.

9. Boosts your immune system function (because of its high
concentration of polyphenols and flaveboids).

10. Possess antibacterial and antiviral properties. Recent
studies show that green tea inhibits the spread of disease,
speeds up recovery from cold and flu. It also kills seven
strains of food poisoning bacteria including clostridium,
botulus and staphylococcus (which makes it a good treatment
for diarrhea).

11. Helps your body to maintain healthy fluid balance and
relieve fatigue and stress often caused by dehydration.

12. Blocks main receptors that produce allergic reactions.

13. Stimulates metabolism, calorie burning process and is
wildly being used as an important part of a healthy diet.

It is important to know that black tea, even though it
comes from the same plant as a green tea, will not give you
the same benefits. Black tea during fermentation process
loses most of its medical benefits.

The best way to preserve all the disease-fighting
nutrition is to drink your tea freshly brewed. All the
decaffeinated, ready-to-drink bottled or instant teas will
give you very little of natural health compounds. It is
better to let your tea steep for about 4-5 minutes before
drinking it.

I hope that after reading this article you will include a
cup of green tea in your daily ratio. After all it is a
rare case when something that good for our health can be
also that delicious.


Arina Nikitina is the owner of the website
GreenTeaSecrets.com, where you'll find a lot of free
information about green tea, learn how green tea can
benefit to your health and how it can help you lose weight.

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New herbal supplement product uses green tea and cinnamon for controlling diabetes

There's a new nutritional supplement available for people suffering from Type 2 diabetes. It's called The Body Rejuvenator, marketed by Lafayette Miracle Solutions. Now, I'm not familiar with this company, nor have I tried this product. I'm discussing it here because it contains two key ingredients -- green tea extract and cinnamon -- and I'm interested in exploring how these two ingredients can help diabetics, and what the big picture is in terms of taking nutritional supplements if you are a diabetic.

The first thing to realize is that nutritional supplements can very successfully control blood sugar in diabetics. Both green tea and cinnamon are well-known to help control blood sugar so that you don't have such wild blood sugar swings (and potentially don't need as much insulin either). Also, there are many other benefits documented from taking both green tea and cinnamon. Green tea is noted for its anti-cancer effects, as well as its ability to aid in weight-loss, which is something that diabetics are typically concerned with. However, one concern of mine is that green tea usually contains caffeine, and caffeine, as we know, is contraindicated for diabetics. Accordingly, my advice is that green tea supplementation be limited if you are diabetic so that you don't end up overdosing on caffeine and throwing your blood sugar out of whack.

Aside from the fact that these nutritional and herbal supplements can help stabilize blood sugar, there's a bigger question of whether diabetics should be using these sorts of nutritional supplements to help control their blood sugar in the first place. As much as I believe in nutritional supplements and the power of medicinal herbs to help people with diseases like diabetes and cancer, I think there is also a danger of using them as a crutch and ultimately relying on these healing herbs rather than making lifestyle changes that will reverse the diabetic condition in the first place.

Or, stated another way, most people who are diabetic attained that state of health by following a lifestyle that promotes diabetes. This sort of lifestyle includes consuming soft drinks and lots of foods with sugars and refined carbohydrates. It's typically a lifestyle of exercise avoidance and avoidance of strength training. People who are diabetic also tend to be overweight. They tend to eat at fast-food restaurants and consume foods that promote obesity. Most of these people also continue to pursue this lifestyle even while they are diabetic. In other words, once they are diagnosed with diabetes, they very rarely change these habits: they continue to consume soft drinks, refined white sugar, products made with white flour, such as bread, and they continue to avoid physical exercise.

In this scenario, consuming one or two doses of green tea extract and cinnamon is not really going to do you much good. The product may be perfectly effective as claimed, but there's no way that one nutritional supplement can counteract an extremely toxic lifestyle that promotes diabetes, weight gain, and other chronic diseases. So, for diabetic patients who are considering nutritional supplements like this one, I would say that, yes, it's good to pursue supplements that help stabilize your blood sugar, but it's far more important to alter your lifestyle and stop following the habits that made you diabetic in the first place. If you do both, together -- that is, if you alter your lifestyle and start choosing healthful foods while engaging in regular physical exercise -- and start taking these nutritional supplements at the same time, you will be far healthier than doing either one alone. It is only in combination that these complementary therapies really make sense.

The bottom line is that you should never rely on these products to take over your responsibility for leading a healthy lifestyle in the first place. However, if you make changes and begin to pursue a healthy lifestyle, then adding these products to your list of strategies for preventing and even reversing diabetes is perfectly justified.

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Green Tea Manifesto

The health benefits of green tea are now so well documented that they cannot be ignored. The research has been confirmed by scientists and research establishments the world over. If you are serious about your health, it is really important that you incorporate this important beverage into your life.

1. First you should learn how to prepare green tea properly. Use clear and pure water. The water must be between 85 and 90 degrees, never use boiling water. The second brew is reputed to taste even better then the first if the green tea has been prepared properly.

2. Enjoy the experience of drinking green tea with all of your senses. Use your eyes - see the leaves blossom when the water is added. Hold the cup to feel the warmth. Your nose will reveal the subtle fragrance, whilst your sense of taste will reveal the beauty of the flavour. Above all, sense the the brief moment of inner peace with each sip.

3. You should drink at least 4 cups of green tea per day in order to feel the medicinal benefits of this amazing beverage.

4. Green teas should be drunk during the day as they contain the stimulant caffeine.

5. Teas were first cultivated in China, so Chinese green teas are still the best source of the product. It is a 5000 years old tradition, producing the very best leaves.

6. Avoid substitutes and non-natural forms such as extracts, tea bags, or green tea mixed with other tea. To feel the benefit it is essential to use pure loose teas, the original form. The substitutes have fewer natural and nutritional elements of the original loose green tea.

7. It is essential to realise, that despite the myriad health benefits such as weight loss, stress reduction, cancer prevention etc, green tea is not a cure, it is a preventative measure. The polyphenols, flavonoids and anti-oxidants will not reverse already existing conditions.

8. When you buy green tea, make sure you buy top quality if you wish to feel any benefit. The leaves must be picked young, the tea infusion should be taken without milk or sugar, simply,drink pure green tea in the loose form , directly from the mountains to your cup.

9. There are many forms of green teas such as, Long Jing, Pi Luo Chun, Mao Jian and white teas with similar properties. The differences are the region of production and forms of cultivation.

10. The long-term positive effect of green teas are based on important factors such as: purity, origin, cultivation method and care …. Remember this next time you buy your pure green tea.

Article Source: http://www.ApprovedArticles.com

The Green Tea Manifesto
By: Dr Wei Feng

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The Green Tea - Just One Of The Many Natural Ways To Lose Weight.

Many people want to know to is whether or not this supplement for weight loss is effective.

The great benefit of green tea is that they are a natural substance that comes from the earth. Therefore, this would be most likely the supplement of choice for natural foods enthusiasts. Green tea is also often mixed with other useful herbs that many believe are good for the health. Those who know and learn about herbs are the ones that most would benefit from the use of green tea extracts.

Green tea has its downsides, as well. The biggest one is it is one that many dietary supplements containing this herb with other ingredients, both natural and man made have not necessarily been approved by the FDA. Therefore, you may not know the long term effects.

Green tea can also contain quite a bit of caffeine in some cases. However, there are some that do not. Furthermore, there is limited evidence to support the fact that green tea, or green tea extracts, can in fact reduce weight. According to some medical professionals it also can cause minor side effects, such as vomiting, bloating, indigestion, or diarrhea.

Although there are a few downsides to using green tea in dieting, many know about green tea and find that it has not many side effects when drank rather than taken in a pill with other herbs. Therefore, green tea can be considered useful to many people. However, one can't lose weight on green tea alone.

Green tea is one option for losing weight and in order for it to be effective you also have to have a proper balanced diet and meal plan as well as to be enrolled in an exercise program. You can also create your own exercise program upon receiving advice from various fitness professionals.

If you are wondering if green tea is the right supplement for you, it is great for you to do your own research. Some of the great research is made when you consider conflicting sources and come up with your own conclusion. Likewise, going to more than one qualified profession to hear their varying opinions about greentea can help as well.

More importantly, you should consider reading documents about the use of green tea in dieting from sources that you trust. These sources that you read should also be unbiased, and/or proven. For example, sources that has no interest for or against Green tea or green tea extracts being sold would the great judges of the effectiveness of green tea extract this may be impossible in its entirety, but do the great you can.

Further studies may need to be done in the United States before the FDA approves the use of drinking green tea for the purposes of weight loss. For now, though it is often sold just as a tea to drink or as a dietary supplement.

Green tea is only one supplement that is designed for weight loss. Other supplements for weight loss include ingredient include gululipid used in ayurvedic medicine practices, and other ingredients such as chromium, hydro citric acid, and other natural and synthetic ingredients.

Many weight loss supplements, including those with green tea, have also been fortified with various vitamins and nutrients to help provide further nutrients to a vitamin and mineral deficient body. However, you can also eat all the right foods and this will help you gain the nutrients you need while dieting as well.

There are pros and cons to using Green tea. If you need to learn more about this herb or the various supplements that contain herbs of green tea or green tea extracts, you can read more articles such as this, or consult your doctor. You can also consult an ayurvedic or herb specialist, as well. The second type of doctor is most often found in other countries.

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