Green Tea
Hot or cold green tea is a gift to your body.
Native to China and India, green tea has used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine and hailed for its health benefits for centuries. It is only recently that green tea has gained popularity in the United States.
Tea is the most consumed beverage in the world behind water. Of all the tea consumed worldwide 78 percent is black and only about 20 percent is green. All types of tea, except herbal tea, are brewed from the dried leaves of the Camellia sinensis bush. The level of oxidation of the leaves determines the type of tea. Green tea is made from unoxidized leaves and is one of the less processed types of tea. It contains the most antioxidants and beneficial polyphenols. Green tea is considered one of the world’s healthiest drinks and contains one of the highest amounts of antioxidants of any tea. Natural chemicals called polyphenols in tea are what are thought to provide its anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effects. Green tea is approximately 20-45 percent polyphenols by weight, of which 60-80 percent are catechins such as EGCG. Catechins are antioxidants that are said to help prevent cell damage.
Green tea was used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine to control bleeding and heal wounds, aid digestion, improve heart and mental health, and regulate body temperature.
Today research on the effects of green tea is on-going. Recent studies have shown green tea can potentially have many positive effects from cancer prevention and treatment, reduced mortality from cardiovascular disease and lowering cholesterol to reducing the risk of stroke and type 2 diabetes, weight loss, inflammatory skin diseases, dental cavities, stress, chronic fatigue, arthritic inflammation in improving the brain’s cognitive functions and reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Unsweetened brewed green tea is a zero-calorie beverage. The caffeine contained in a cup of tea can vary according to the length of infusing time and the amount of tea infused. In general, green tea contains a relatively small amount of caffeine (approximately 20-45 milligrams per 8-ounce cup), compared with black tea, which contains about 50 milligrams and coffee with 95 milligrams per cup.
Traditionally drinking tea has a long history and has been enjoyed by many cultures around the world for many centuries. The ceremony and ritual involved is associated with enhanced emotional, physical and spiritual well-being.
“Preparing tea in this ceremony means pouring all one's attention into the predefined movements. The whole process is not about drinking tea, but is about aesthetics, preparing a bowl of tea from one's heart.”