Super Foods and Fruits

by Amanda.Chow

What Is Green Tea?Credit must be given to the Chinese who first introduced green tea as well as other types of tea, like black tea, jasmine tea, etc. Different kinds of teas have different remedial characteristics. But it is the green tea that has brought extraordinary and unbelievable abiding effects on the human body. Its great impact is its inner healing property as it provides relaxation to the inner body, so, it would not be wrong to be said that it cures the soul. The procedures to produce different kinds of tea and the green tea are different in nature. Green tea leaves are steamed, which avoids the epigallocatechil gallate (EGCG) from becoming oxidized whereas the black tea leaves are changed into composites that are not as helpful in avoiding and fighting against diseases as compared to the efficient green tea.

Green Tea For Weight Loss:Green tea is good for the diet conscious people. Researchers have come with a very interesting result that those men who were given a mixture of green tea extract and caffeine burn more calories as compared to those who were given only caffeine. This research was published in theAmericanJournal of Clinical Nutrition and was done at the University of Geneva in Switzerland in November 1999. Green tea helps the body to lose weight. It is the natural effect of green tea that it burns fat and enhances one’s metabolism rate. It is very motivating for the fat people that it can help to burn upto 70 calories per day.

Health Benefits of Green Tea:We are all familiar with the fact that green tea is good for health but most of us would not be knowing what these benefits actually are and what green tea actually does? Once we will come to know about all this, we would enjoy the taste of green tea as well as get the proper contentment of knowing that now we are well concerned about our health and taking appropriate care of our healthiness.

Cancer:Most revolutionary health benefit of green tea in the field of medicine is that the antioxidant present in it called “epigallocatechin gallate” (EGCG) reduces different kinds of cancer upto almost 60%.

Cholesterol:Green tea lowers cholesterol level. There are two kinds of cholesterols, one is the good cholesterol and the other is the bad one. As green tea reduces bad cholesterol level so it develops better proportion of good cholesterol over the bad cholesterol.

Heart Disease:As green tea lowers the amount of cholesterol, therefore it prevents heart attack and heals the heart cells very soon.

Skin Disease: Antioxidants present in green tea shield the skin to fight against skin cancer and prevent it from the damaging effects of free radicals, which are the main reason of wrinkling and skin aging.

High Blood Pressure:Green tea represses angiotensin which causes high blood pressure, that is why high blood pressure is controlled.

Diabetes:As the antioxidants balance the metabolism rate, thus green tea improves lipid and glucose metabolisms in a better way and the rapid increase in the blood sugar level is controlled.

Others:Green tea protects liver against toxins, promotes oral health, prevents from cold and flu, keeps the bones strong, improves the immune system, and the list goes on.

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For thousands of years, green tea has been widely used by the Chinese not only for its taste but also because of its medicinal properties. Today green tea is a very popular drink among all ages the world over because of its proven efficacy on minor and even major health problems, and because of its proven medicinal properties, complimented by growing numbers of testimonies and therapeutic claims, scientists now see green tea to be a promising cure for HIV.

HIV is a major issue on health nowadays because lots of people have been diagnosed of having this deadly disease. And the search for the cure against HIV and including AIDS has proven to be very difficult.

Researchers from Purdue University had its study on the nature, property and health benefits of green tea. They have succeeded on identifying epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) a compound found on green tea which inhibits the growth of cancer cells. University of Tokyo had made a separate study on green tea and the result of their research is that, EGCg binds with CD4 cells which action is to prevent HIV binding processes and later destroys the cell. The studies suggest that green tea have substances like EGCg that could help open new frontiers on the battle against HIV and even cancer.

It also proved that drinking 4 to 5 cups of green tea a day can help slow down the pathogenesis of HIV because of the potent content of EGCg. Scientists also revealed that the results could lead them to the development of an HIV cure. However they also revealed that the concentration of EGCg present on 4 to 5 cups of green tea is not enough to totally destroy cancer cells.

People often ask if other types of tea have the same benefits as green tea. The fact is green tea has more health benefits compared to other types of tea. Although all tea comes from a single source which is Camellia sinesis plant, all tea have their own characteristics when it comes to taste, color, smell, and even benefits. Green tea leaves are processed differently. Leaves are steamed then dried allowing the components not to be oxidized in the process. These makes green tea ten times more potent and effective remedy against illness compared to other tea.

Green tea is proven to be helpful on the following medical conditions:

Rheumatoid arthritis

Helps to lower cholesterol level of the body

Helps maintains a normal blood pressure preventing hypertension

Cardiovascular disease and stroke

Helps fight against infection due to bacteria and viruses

Helps improve impaired immune response

Destroys free radicals

Helps maintain healthy fluid and electrolytes balance

It helps prevent tooth decay by killing bacteria that causes dental plaque

Helps relieve stress and fatigue

Toxin prevention in the liver

Stops thrombosis which is the leading cause of heart attack

Green tea also has fat burning benefits

It helps burn fat and makes the body feel more energetic

Green tea is also used to calm the mind

Presently scientists are still making rigorous studies on green tea hoping to find some headway on how to determine the exact mechanism of EGCg binding with CD4, with positive results people can now stand a chance against a deadly disease through enjoying the relaxing, soothing and delicious taste of your favorite green tea.

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It is very important to monitor the health of pregnant women to ensure the health of the mother and the baby. Some expectant mothers are quite anxious because of the various changes that take place in their body. Doctors often recommmend a diet regimen for pregnant mothers and if you’re among those pregnant women out there, you should be extra careful with your food intake to avoid any problems or complications.

According to some studies, drinking too much green tea during pregnancy is not good. Why is that? Well, doctors and researchers were able to prove that green tea contains caffeine. Caffeine intake is discouraged during pregnancy because of certain side effects.

Despite the many health benefits of green tea which includes preventing cancer, improving the heart’s health, boosting the immune system, aids digestion, lowers cholesterol, dental health, lowers the level of blood sugar, and many others, it is not advisable to drink green tea when you’re pregnant.

Studies have proven that green tea contains EGCG or epigallocatechins which affects the use of folate in the body. Folate is very important during pregnancy because it can help in preventing birth defects in the neural tube. EGCG becomes harmful in pregnancy because it resembles the structure of methotrexate. The latter can get rid of cancer cells by bonding an enzyme called DHFR or dihydrofolate reductase.

The folate pathway contains these enzymes and since the EGCG is similar to methotrexate, it also binds with the enzyme and when this happens, the enzyme is inactivated. Once the enzymes are inactivated, the body can’t use folate effectively. There hasn’t been any conclusive studies which show how much green tea a pregnant woman should consume or how much folate can be affected.

Some doctors recommend pregnant women to drink moderate amount of tea as well as coffee. If you’re still unaware, green tea also contains caffeine and when you’re pregnant, it’s not good to drink a lot of beverages which contain caffeine. So if you want to be extra sure, don’t forget to ask your doctor next time you have an appointment. Always keep in mind that your health and that of your baby is of great importance.

Besides, there are already studies which proves caffeine to cause miscarriage and lower birth weight among babies. Drinking around six cups of coffee per day can definitely affect your baby’s weight at birth. If you don’t want your baby to suffer, you can have a cup of coffee a day or if you want, you can just stop drinking coffee. The caffeine content in green tea is lower than that of coffee and so you can drink more than one cup; but as said earlier, ask your doctor about it first.

Pregnancy will only take nine months and so you need to enjoy it. Even if you experience a lot of body changes, just think that you will rejoice the day your precious baby comes. If you can avoid drinking caffeined drinks, then try to stay away from them.

Although the health benefits of green tea are remarkable, it does contain caffeine and no study has yet established the right amount of green tea intake especially among pregnant women. If you’re not pregnant and you don’t have any problems related to caffeine intake, then you can drink as many tea as you like. Right now, be careful in drinking green tea; perhaps you can settle for a small cup every other day just to satisfy your thirst for it.

When you feel anything abnormal, seek the help of your doctor at once. Besides, its just going to be for nine months and after that, you can resume in drinking tea again. Aside from not taking caffeinated drinks, you’re also not allowed to take just any kind of medicine because it can be harmful to your baby.

It goes without saying always think of your baby’s safety before you do anything.

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by Sifu Renka

Tea is made from the dried leaves of a shrub called Camellia sinensis. Historically, India, China, Japan, and Thailand have been drinking its brew for thousands of years. Because ancient sages realized the health benefits of green tea, it became part of their rituals and ceremonies. Tea drinking is inculcated in the culture of most Asian countries. India and China were the first cultivators of tea and still are today, the largest producers of tea.

Chemical Composition of Green Tea
Green tea is made from unfermented leaves and reportedly contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols, the most important of which are flavonoids (catechin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate, and proanthocyanidins). Out of these flavonoids, Epigallocatechin gallate is the most significant active compound.Dried green tea leaves generally contain from 8-12% total polyphenols, caffeine (3.5%), theanine (~4%), lignin (6.5%), organic acids (1.5%), protein (15%), and chlorophyll (0.5%). Green tea contains B-vitamins and ascorbic acid, which are destroyed in the process of making black tea. The essential oil contains more than 300 components including aldehydes, phenylethyl alcohols, phenols, hexenal, linalool, dihydroactinidiolide and p-vinylphenol.

Traditional Uses
Traditionally, Chinese and Indian medicine used green tea as a stimulant, diuretic (to promote the excretion of urine), astringent (to control bleeding and help heal wounds), and to improve heart health. Other traditional uses of green tea include treating flatulence (gas), regulating body temperature and blood sugar, promoting digestion, and improving mental processes.

Health Benefits of Green Tea
Extensive medical research on the benefits of Green Tea is showing positive results. Studies indicate:

Green Tea can help to protect against a range of cancers. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, polyphenols containing catechins present in green tea may play an important role in the prevention of cancer. Emerging studies also suggest that polyphenols inactivate oxidants, reduce the number and size of tumors, and inhibit the growth of cancer cells. (New Scientist, 20 March 2004). Studies in particular have been conducted on cancers of the bladder, breast, ovaries, esophagus, lungs, pancreas, prostate, skin, and stomach. Green Tea can help to prevent Atherosclerosis.Antioxidants in green tea are believed to prevent fatty buildup in the arteries by suppressing the oxidation of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. They may also reduce the likelihood of blood clot formation and help in relaxing blood vessels thereby improving blood flow. Green Tea can help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Research indicates that green tea lowers total cholesterol and raises HDL (“good”) cholesterol in both animals and people. Polyphenols in green tea help block the intestinal absorption of cholesterol and promote its excretion from the body. Green Tea can help to control Diabetes. Green tea has been used traditionally to control blood sugar in the body. Studies indicate Green tea may help regulate glucose in the body. Green Tea can help to protect against Liver disease. Green tea seems to protect the liver from the damaging effects of toxic substances such as alcohol. Weight loss. Studies suggest that green tea extract may boost metabolism and help burn fat. Some researchers speculate polyphenols, specifically catechins, are responsible for the herb’s fat-burning effect. Relaxation. Due to the presence of the amino acid, L-theanine, drinking a hot cup of green tea helps produce a relaxed feeling, increasing alertness of mind. Green tea can help to boost the immune system. The Brigham and Women’s Hospital research suggests that theanine present in green tea boosts the disease fighting capacity of Gamma Delta T cells and helps the body to fight infections. Green tea helps to make the digestive and respiratory system strong because it is rich in bioflavonoids. Green tea is anti-bacterial and helps prevent dental cavities.

Two to three cups of green tea per day (for a total of 240 to 320 mg polyphenols) is recommended. It is best to get green tea concentrate from its natural form, green tea itself. But if you dont like the flavor, or dont have the time, and would like to make sure your body is benefiting from green tea antioxidants you may want to try Green Tea Extracts or Green Tea Drops. Green Tea Plus is a heavily concentrated form of green tea. It has an antioxidant value of 7800 units. Green Tea Plus has added trace minerals to aid in regular body functions. It can be added to any beverage, even water.

CHAN: Green tea is well known world wide for its health benefits. Scientific research leads to the conclusion that it can help to fight virus’s, slow aging and even cure depression, but as our reporter discovers the latest batch of Green Tea imported from China into New Zealand could have the opposite effect. STORY: Its 9am, time for a cup of tea right? Sounds pretty harmless but what if this cup of tea was your last? The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) is warning people not to consume in any way seeds that may be found in a Chinese green tea. This product is sold under various brand names such as Heng Ming and Canton Love Pea tea. It is widely availed through out Asian supermarkets and Eastern medicine outlets. [Geoff Allan, New Zealand Food Safety Authority]: “If you consumed the seeds themselves, the toxins within the seeds are very poisonous and a small amount of that could very well prove to be fatal.” The tea was pulled from the shelves when an inspector found that its contents did not match what was written in the ingredients. It contained toxic pods that had not been removed. The product is now being withdrawn from sale and recalled by the importer. But why is there such a huge amount of faulty and dangerous goods being produced in China? Let’s go to our New York studio now to hear from China Dr Sean Linn, NTD China Analyst. Sean, can you tell us a bit more about why this is happening? [Dr. Sean Lin, NTD China Analyst]: “The Green Tea product that has …
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by Sifu Renka

For several years green tea has been toted as the most beneficial beverage besides water, however its benefits are still unproven and the FDA denies any evidence supporting green tea health benefits. On the other hand, doctors, nutritionists and other healthcare professionals are all vocalizing their recommendations of green tea. For the past several years additional research studies have been done to prove the benefits of green tea however, there is skepticism of the results because of the studies being done in Japan and China where the people have been drinking green tea for thousands of years. Although, the most recent studies show promising effects on heart disease, cancer, lowering cholesterol, burning fat, preventing diabetes, stroke and dementia.

Green tea originates from China but has also been associated with Japan, Asia, South Korea, and the Middle East. Green tea is made from the leaves of Camellia Sinensis. This bush can produce three distinct types of tea depending upon the processing of the leaves. Unfermented leaves develop green tea, semi fermented leaves create oolong tea and fully fermented leaves create black tea. For green tea the leaves must be dried quickly through a process of steaming or pan firing. Tea has been consumed as a beverage for over 5000 years however, it has also been used in traditional Chinese medicine to maintain health. Traditional Chinese medicine claims the health benefits of green tea include refreshing the mind, enhancing alertness, boosting concentration, promote fluid production, quench the thirst, clear heat and phlegm, promote urination, promote digestion, regulation of body temperature, and regulate blood sugar. It was also used to control bleeding, heal wounds, cure blotchiness, and cure Beriberi disease. Today drinking tea in China is still an important part of their culture and health maintenance.

The potential health benefits of green tea stem from it ingredients within it. However, when you talk about the ingredients of green tea you are referring to the nutritional value and nutrients found within the leaves of the Camellia sinensis bush. Green tea has over 200 bioactive compounds and contains over 300 different substances. The most prevalent substance that makes up about 1/3 of the nutritional ingredients is polyphenols. The more specific polyphenol to be exact is catechin of which the most abundant catechin is Epigallocatechin 3 gallate (EGCG). Polyphenols are antioxidants, with properties that destroy oxidative reactions, which can cause signs of aging, diseases and destroy cellular membranes. However EGCG is also known for other health benefits related to green tea such as preventing cancer, lowering blood pressure, reducing LDL cholesterol, and reducing tooth decay. Additionally caffeine is present to boost energy, increase brain function, and eliminate fatigue, tannins are available as an antihistamine and anti inflammatory, and theanine is an amino acid that reduces mental and physical stress and boosts the immune system response. Other nutritional factors include chlorophyll, butyric acid, gallic acid, quinic acid, Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, E, F, P, and U, minerals aluminum, manganese, fluoride, magnesium, iron, copper, nickel, zinc and calcium, saponin, saccharides, pectin, and many, many more.

Green tea is the second most drank beverage in the world. Although the taste probably has something to do with it, the proposed health benefits are another major factor. Health benefits of green tea are wide ranging making it a beverage that almost anyone with a medical condition could benefit from. The most promising effect of green tea is longevity of life. Green tea has been shown to reduce mortality from all causes, protecting our bodies from death. This fact alone could get anyone to drink a glass of green tea a day. However, the list doesn’t stop there. For everyone who wants to lose weight and burn fat, drinking green tea daily or taking a green tea supplement has shown to increase metabolism of fat therefore reducing the amount of body fat. By reducing the amount of weight and fat in the body, it also lowers LDL cholesterol and improves HDL cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, decreases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, coronary artery disease and cardiovascular disease and reverses the affects of atherosclerosis. Green tea ingredients work effectively at warding off cancer particularly stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer and prostrate cancer. It protects the liver, digestive tract, heart and brain from damage and destruction from free radicals. Additionally green tea has shown to improve memory and learning ability, which boosts brain function, therefore reducing the neurodegeneration that causes Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s prevents stroke and prevents the formation of blood clots. Green tea prevents tooth decay by increasing bone mineral density and reduces the risk of arthritis. Health benefits of green tea are based on amount of consumption per day. Higher consumption over longer periods of time proved to be more beneficial to the body.

Although more and more studies are being conducted on the benefits of green tea, statistically the numerous amounts of suspected health benefits combined with the large number of people who already drink green tea, give you a good idea of how beneficial green tea can be if added into your daily diet.

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