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07-26-2001, 12:08 AM
Green Tea Benefits
March 10, 2000
News: It has been a very busy week finishing the April/May issue of Women's Fitness, speaking at Barnes & Noble educational regional benefit for school teachers March 9th, finishing preparations for speaking at society luncheon on behalf of Tampa Children's Home March 15th, and final preparations for the fitness retreat March 9th-12th at Belleview Biltmore Resort and Spa. Hopefully by the time you receive this newsletter I am enjoying a spa treatment! Twenty T-Tappers from all over the US will be attending enjoying special seminars, spa treatments, and five one-hour T-Tapp workouts – great fun and fitness for all... even for me!
Contest Winners: Thanks to ThirdAge.com for revealing "Awesome Legs" secret by T-Tapp, I've had tremendous response in registrations for contest giveaway... so I have decided to give three winners their choice of Target Pop Videos: Secret to Toning Arms without Weights or Diva Derriere. Those who have done the T-Tapp workout understand linear alignment and how I incorporate comprehensive, compounded muscle movement done in a specific sequence using isolation and isometrics… even those who workout with weights regularly experience muscle fatigue and additional inch loss/muscle definition. Congratulations to Karen Estes, Laura Stocki, and Myrle Yates who are the new contest winners! Be sure to email your selection and mailing address or call 1-800-342-0717. Prize sent first class mail. If you would like to purchase either of these videos, they are available for the next 10 days at $14.95 each plus $3.00 shipping or both for $30.00 and free shipping. Just email order since they are not on shopping cart with authorization to charge credit card on file, call 800# or mail check to Better Body Basics, 1450 10th Street South, Safety Harbor, FL 34695. Next drawing will be 20th of March. Names do not carry forward, so be sure to re-enter!
Green Tea: Green tea is a hot topic with researchers today. The custom of drinking green tea is thought to explain low cancer rates in Japan, but this mild, unfermented beverage has been found to help prevent everything from allergies to heart disease and obesity. Chinese practitioners say that green tea drains toxins and strengthens the blood vessels. While living in Paris, many women explained to me that they drank green tea to help prevent spider veins and varicose veins along with weight management.
Because green tea stimulates digestion rather than the nervous system, it is considered a safer "pick-me-up" than coffee. Green tea delivers 4 to 50% of the caffeine in brewed coffee, but it contains a similar substance "theophylline" used to treat asthma. Once cup of green tea offers about 150 mg of polyphenols, shown in some studies to offer more antioxidant protection than vitamins C and E. Polyphenols in green tree include epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epicatechin (EC) and catechin (C). EGCG, EGC, and ECG are able to scavenge free radicals over a wide pH scale, while EC and C are limited to neutral or alkaline conditions in the body.
Here are some of the other benefits of green tea…
Fights Cancer: "Drinking green tea may be one of the most practical methods of cancer prevention available at the present," report researchers at Japan's National Cancer Center Research Institute. In addition to increasing antioxidant protection, green tea boosts body's stores of important enzymes, including glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and quinone reductase that may prevent cancers of the bowel, lung, liver and skin. Human studies suggest that green tea also inhibits colon cancer, estrogen-related tumors (breast) and cancer of the pancreas, small intestine, and stomach. It works in a number of ways... such as fighting free radicals and preventing alteration of DNA, inhibiting formation of nitrosamines form cured meats, and blocking other tumor promoters.
Lowers Heart Disease: Green tea also has been linked to lower incidence of heart disease. Several studies show an inverse association between drinking green tea daily and serum cholesterol levels. Along with ECG, EGCG appears to slow vitamin E from sacrificing itself to prevent oxidation of LDL cholesterol. In addition, animal studies in Japan suggest that EGCGs bind with bile salts and emulsified cholesterol to form an insoluble substance that cannot be absorbed in the intestines and is, therefore, excreted. Just by drinking green tea with meals you can help prevent cholesterol buildup in the body.
EGCG appears as effective as aspirin in thinning the blood and inhibiting fibrinogen and thromboxane while preventing platelet aggregation. Plant extracts in the green tea produce 1% relaxation in the lining of the blood vessels, compared with 66% relaxation with black tea, lower in polyphenols. Which explains why stroke has been found less common among green tea drinkers. Last of all, theophylline is a powerful stimulant to the heart, helping support cardiovascular health.
Rheumatoid Arthritis: A promising study at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine found that laboratory mice given green tea were significantly less likely to develop a condition that resembles rheumatoid arthritis in humans. And those animals that did develop arthritis had much milder cases.
Dental Health: Even though fluoridation of tap water is a controversial subject, many experts believe that fluoride can harden teeth and make them resistant to decay, whether from acid or demineralization. In Asia, it is believed that drinking green tea after meals promotes oral health. Research suggests that green tea's natural fluoride and polyphenols prevent cavities and show the polyphenols inhibit bacterial action that leads to bad breath and buildup of plaque on teeth. Even after problems arise, green tea is useful. Polyphenols from several Japanese green teas (coarse, refined and roasted) showed antibacterial effects against 12 different germs in infected root canals.
How much and what kind: Drinking green tea is an ideal "delivery system", according to researchers at a recent American Institute of Cancer Research conference. That's because its potent phytochemicals are applied directly to the mouth where it protects against oral cancer. Experts recommend at least 4 to 7 cups of green tea a day.
Unfermented tea turns bitter quickly, so don't steep more than 2 minutes and use filtered or spring water that's just come to a boil (approx 160 degrees), as opposed to water at the second or third boil commonly used for herbal or black teas. Since the fermentation process does not remove caffeine, a number of green tea manufacturers list approximate ranges on their products. If you are sensitive to caffeine, look for decaffeinated teas or consider standardized green tea extract.
There are many brands of green tea on the market but here are some of my favorites:
Alvita Tea makes both an unflavored Chinese Green Tea, a naturally decaffeinated version, as well as blended with herbal extracts and fruit flavors (Lemon, Lime, Orange, and Tangerine) to provide 100% of RDA for vitamin C. The first line of herbal teas to use only naturally decaffeinated leaves, Alvita's Herbal Orchard Teas make a delicious intro for anyone unaccustomed to the flavor of green tea.
Celestial Seasonings offers several pleasant tasting unfermented teas, all with caffeine ranges clearly indicated. Emerald Gardens blends both green and black leaves for a hearty morning jolt - more caffeine than cola contains - but many people like Antioxidant Green Tea Supplement for a "wake-up" tea. It added vitamins C, E, and A, alfalfa, and Siberian ginseng to really offer an energy boost. Their Honey Lemon Ginseng blends lemon verbena with licorice, ginger, and chicory root and has less caffeine (but still delivers energy). Celestial Seasonings also makes Decaf Mandarin Orchard and Decaf Mint Green Tea - both are very flavorful.
For those wanting certified organic green tea, the offerings from Eden are hard to beat. Bancha Green Tea uses new spring leaves from the top of the bush that are gently steamed and rubbed for a classic, clean-tea taste. Roasted with organic brown rice, Genmaicha makes an excellent tea, especially for those who fast. Hojicha used tea leaves roasted slowly in iron cauldrons, then repeatedly heated and cooled for a reminiscent of full-flavored British teas. Popular with those who follow macrobiotic lifestyle, Kukicha Twig Tea has a pleasant bosky taste and is the lowest in caffeine of the traditional green teas.
My absolute favorite is Mai Green Tea from Maitake. It combines ceremonial-grade Japanese green tea with maitake mushrooms for an antioxidant-rich immune system boost. The "king of mushrooms", maitake contains polysaccharides that fight cancer and lessen the troubling side effects from chemotherapy. Best of all, this makes a great tasting, low-caffeine tea warm or cold.
But I can't do without Yogi Tea Company teas for an afternoon boost of energy. The blend I drink with gingersnap cookies at 3 pm combines ginseng and Kombucha with healing herbs. Another favorite is their Decaffeinated Green Tea with Kombucha and Dietary Herbs - it combines lemon grass, spearmint, and natural fruit flavors, with "Kombucha-Pure" (a combination of 33 different Chinese herbs produced under advanced laboratory procedures). And their Joint Comfort Decaffeinated Green Tea with Yucca and Turmeric Root, a full-flavored blend that includes Devil's Claw and Cat's Claw is one I recommend for those who suffer with arthritis.
There are many more on the market - the best way is to sample different brands whenever possible to discover your own favorites.
Last of all, researchers are now reporting green tea benefits in relationship to weight loss. Many reports are just now coming forth so I will continue to report new findings but the revelation so far is that weight loss is resulting not from caffeine content as a stimulant, but rather from the polyphenols. All I know is that I try to drink at least two cups a day - one first thing in the morning and the second mid-afternoon for the many, many benefits offered naturally. Green tea, in my opinion, should be considered as "basic for a better body".
Best wishes until the 20th!
Teresa Tapp
March 10, 2000
News: It has been a very busy week finishing the April/May issue of Women's Fitness, speaking at Barnes & Noble educational regional benefit for school teachers March 9th, finishing preparations for speaking at society luncheon on behalf of Tampa Children's Home March 15th, and final preparations for the fitness retreat March 9th-12th at Belleview Biltmore Resort and Spa. Hopefully by the time you receive this newsletter I am enjoying a spa treatment! Twenty T-Tappers from all over the US will be attending enjoying special seminars, spa treatments, and five one-hour T-Tapp workouts – great fun and fitness for all... even for me!
Contest Winners: Thanks to ThirdAge.com for revealing "Awesome Legs" secret by T-Tapp, I've had tremendous response in registrations for contest giveaway... so I have decided to give three winners their choice of Target Pop Videos: Secret to Toning Arms without Weights or Diva Derriere. Those who have done the T-Tapp workout understand linear alignment and how I incorporate comprehensive, compounded muscle movement done in a specific sequence using isolation and isometrics… even those who workout with weights regularly experience muscle fatigue and additional inch loss/muscle definition. Congratulations to Karen Estes, Laura Stocki, and Myrle Yates who are the new contest winners! Be sure to email your selection and mailing address or call 1-800-342-0717. Prize sent first class mail. If you would like to purchase either of these videos, they are available for the next 10 days at $14.95 each plus $3.00 shipping or both for $30.00 and free shipping. Just email order since they are not on shopping cart with authorization to charge credit card on file, call 800# or mail check to Better Body Basics, 1450 10th Street South, Safety Harbor, FL 34695. Next drawing will be 20th of March. Names do not carry forward, so be sure to re-enter!
Green Tea: Green tea is a hot topic with researchers today. The custom of drinking green tea is thought to explain low cancer rates in Japan, but this mild, unfermented beverage has been found to help prevent everything from allergies to heart disease and obesity. Chinese practitioners say that green tea drains toxins and strengthens the blood vessels. While living in Paris, many women explained to me that they drank green tea to help prevent spider veins and varicose veins along with weight management.
Because green tea stimulates digestion rather than the nervous system, it is considered a safer "pick-me-up" than coffee. Green tea delivers 4 to 50% of the caffeine in brewed coffee, but it contains a similar substance "theophylline" used to treat asthma. Once cup of green tea offers about 150 mg of polyphenols, shown in some studies to offer more antioxidant protection than vitamins C and E. Polyphenols in green tree include epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epicatechin (EC) and catechin (C). EGCG, EGC, and ECG are able to scavenge free radicals over a wide pH scale, while EC and C are limited to neutral or alkaline conditions in the body.
Here are some of the other benefits of green tea…
Fights Cancer: "Drinking green tea may be one of the most practical methods of cancer prevention available at the present," report researchers at Japan's National Cancer Center Research Institute. In addition to increasing antioxidant protection, green tea boosts body's stores of important enzymes, including glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and quinone reductase that may prevent cancers of the bowel, lung, liver and skin. Human studies suggest that green tea also inhibits colon cancer, estrogen-related tumors (breast) and cancer of the pancreas, small intestine, and stomach. It works in a number of ways... such as fighting free radicals and preventing alteration of DNA, inhibiting formation of nitrosamines form cured meats, and blocking other tumor promoters.
Lowers Heart Disease: Green tea also has been linked to lower incidence of heart disease. Several studies show an inverse association between drinking green tea daily and serum cholesterol levels. Along with ECG, EGCG appears to slow vitamin E from sacrificing itself to prevent oxidation of LDL cholesterol. In addition, animal studies in Japan suggest that EGCGs bind with bile salts and emulsified cholesterol to form an insoluble substance that cannot be absorbed in the intestines and is, therefore, excreted. Just by drinking green tea with meals you can help prevent cholesterol buildup in the body.
EGCG appears as effective as aspirin in thinning the blood and inhibiting fibrinogen and thromboxane while preventing platelet aggregation. Plant extracts in the green tea produce 1% relaxation in the lining of the blood vessels, compared with 66% relaxation with black tea, lower in polyphenols. Which explains why stroke has been found less common among green tea drinkers. Last of all, theophylline is a powerful stimulant to the heart, helping support cardiovascular health.
Rheumatoid Arthritis: A promising study at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine found that laboratory mice given green tea were significantly less likely to develop a condition that resembles rheumatoid arthritis in humans. And those animals that did develop arthritis had much milder cases.
Dental Health: Even though fluoridation of tap water is a controversial subject, many experts believe that fluoride can harden teeth and make them resistant to decay, whether from acid or demineralization. In Asia, it is believed that drinking green tea after meals promotes oral health. Research suggests that green tea's natural fluoride and polyphenols prevent cavities and show the polyphenols inhibit bacterial action that leads to bad breath and buildup of plaque on teeth. Even after problems arise, green tea is useful. Polyphenols from several Japanese green teas (coarse, refined and roasted) showed antibacterial effects against 12 different germs in infected root canals.
How much and what kind: Drinking green tea is an ideal "delivery system", according to researchers at a recent American Institute of Cancer Research conference. That's because its potent phytochemicals are applied directly to the mouth where it protects against oral cancer. Experts recommend at least 4 to 7 cups of green tea a day.
Unfermented tea turns bitter quickly, so don't steep more than 2 minutes and use filtered or spring water that's just come to a boil (approx 160 degrees), as opposed to water at the second or third boil commonly used for herbal or black teas. Since the fermentation process does not remove caffeine, a number of green tea manufacturers list approximate ranges on their products. If you are sensitive to caffeine, look for decaffeinated teas or consider standardized green tea extract.
There are many brands of green tea on the market but here are some of my favorites:
Alvita Tea makes both an unflavored Chinese Green Tea, a naturally decaffeinated version, as well as blended with herbal extracts and fruit flavors (Lemon, Lime, Orange, and Tangerine) to provide 100% of RDA for vitamin C. The first line of herbal teas to use only naturally decaffeinated leaves, Alvita's Herbal Orchard Teas make a delicious intro for anyone unaccustomed to the flavor of green tea.
Celestial Seasonings offers several pleasant tasting unfermented teas, all with caffeine ranges clearly indicated. Emerald Gardens blends both green and black leaves for a hearty morning jolt - more caffeine than cola contains - but many people like Antioxidant Green Tea Supplement for a "wake-up" tea. It added vitamins C, E, and A, alfalfa, and Siberian ginseng to really offer an energy boost. Their Honey Lemon Ginseng blends lemon verbena with licorice, ginger, and chicory root and has less caffeine (but still delivers energy). Celestial Seasonings also makes Decaf Mandarin Orchard and Decaf Mint Green Tea - both are very flavorful.
For those wanting certified organic green tea, the offerings from Eden are hard to beat. Bancha Green Tea uses new spring leaves from the top of the bush that are gently steamed and rubbed for a classic, clean-tea taste. Roasted with organic brown rice, Genmaicha makes an excellent tea, especially for those who fast. Hojicha used tea leaves roasted slowly in iron cauldrons, then repeatedly heated and cooled for a reminiscent of full-flavored British teas. Popular with those who follow macrobiotic lifestyle, Kukicha Twig Tea has a pleasant bosky taste and is the lowest in caffeine of the traditional green teas.
My absolute favorite is Mai Green Tea from Maitake. It combines ceremonial-grade Japanese green tea with maitake mushrooms for an antioxidant-rich immune system boost. The "king of mushrooms", maitake contains polysaccharides that fight cancer and lessen the troubling side effects from chemotherapy. Best of all, this makes a great tasting, low-caffeine tea warm or cold.
But I can't do without Yogi Tea Company teas for an afternoon boost of energy. The blend I drink with gingersnap cookies at 3 pm combines ginseng and Kombucha with healing herbs. Another favorite is their Decaffeinated Green Tea with Kombucha and Dietary Herbs - it combines lemon grass, spearmint, and natural fruit flavors, with "Kombucha-Pure" (a combination of 33 different Chinese herbs produced under advanced laboratory procedures). And their Joint Comfort Decaffeinated Green Tea with Yucca and Turmeric Root, a full-flavored blend that includes Devil's Claw and Cat's Claw is one I recommend for those who suffer with arthritis.
There are many more on the market - the best way is to sample different brands whenever possible to discover your own favorites.
Last of all, researchers are now reporting green tea benefits in relationship to weight loss. Many reports are just now coming forth so I will continue to report new findings but the revelation so far is that weight loss is resulting not from caffeine content as a stimulant, but rather from the polyphenols. All I know is that I try to drink at least two cups a day - one first thing in the morning and the second mid-afternoon for the many, many benefits offered naturally. Green tea, in my opinion, should be considered as "basic for a better body".
Best wishes until the 20th!
Teresa Tapp