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Green Tea

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2005 Dec. ~ 2006 Feb.: Health Center: Herbal Supplements - Organic Foods - Probiotics: Green Tea users admin

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Herckleperckle
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11-20-2003

Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 8:30 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Herckleperckle a private message Print Post    
Source: Ivanhoe.com
Reported January 23, 2006


Green Tea: Wonder-Drink?


TAMPA, Fla., (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- For centuries, the Chinese have sipped green tea. Now, Americans are catching on to the second most popular beverage in the world.

Tired of the same old vegetables in your diet? Maybe it's time to head to the tea aisle. Studies are adding up and researchers are backing the idea that green tea could protect you from Alzheimer's disease, fight cancer, lower cholesterol, and even help you lose weight.

Registered dietician Cynthia Sass says green tea works because it is not fermented, or dried out, so antioxidants are preserved. "Antioxidants are really like little bodyguards inside your body that protect your cells from disease," Sass tells Ivanhoe.

There are so many options now, making choosing the right green tea to buy confusing. Sass, however, says green tea you brew yourself is the most beneficial. The flavored teas are fine too, but she says avoid ones that add extra antioxidants or herbs. "We really don't know the safety of adding these in a supplemental form."

The taste may not be your cup of tea but Sass says bypassing the taste factor with a pill is not the answer. "There's really no guarantee of quality there. There's no guarantee that what's in the pill is really what it says."

If you don't care for the taste of green tea, try sweetening it. Adding sugar means extra calories; as many as soda, which can add up fast if you're trying to hit the recommended six cups of green tea a day.

Sass says look for products that have powered green tea leaves or brewed green tea. Also, be aware of green tea extracts or flavorings because they don't provide the same benefits. You can get even more benefits by letting the tea steep a full five minutes before drinking it.


If you would like more information, please contact:

Cynthia Sass, R.D.
ADA Spokesperson
Sass Consulting Services
4230 S. McDill Ave.
Tampa, FL 33611
(813) 679-6450
foodcoach@hotmail.com
http://www.cynthiasass.com



Psst: I use Japanese Green Tea (Bancha or Sencha varieties--Sencha is my favorite, as it has the most taste), marked 100% organic--made by Traditional Medicinals and found it in the regular tea aisle in my grocery store. It contains 1500 mg of the organic tea leaf per teabag; 0 calories, of course; NO added flavoring or additives; NO pesticides (as it is organic).

You can also find Golden Green Tea from China and Darjeeling Tea (Organic Green Tea with Ginger) from India.

I like sugar and milk in my green tea. So I add a couple of drops of Stevia (a plant-based, natural sweetener--0 calories and no harmful chemicals!) Stevia comes in a medicine-dropper-type bottle that makes it easy to use and is portable to boot. I then add just a bit of organic soy milk (I buy natural plain soy milk, with no additives, including supplements).


There are several harvests (called 'flushes')of tea leaf each year. Bancha is a traditional daily-use Japanese green tea variety that is made from mature leaves, plucked in the summer or autumn, while Matcha and Sencha are varieties made from young, tender leaves, plucked in the spring.

Caution: Check with your doctor before adding to your diet, especially if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.