Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Coffee and Tea Are Good for Us? Yes! (First in a Series)

You'll be pleased to learn that many of the foods and drinks you love are not just "okay" as an occasional indulgence—they're good for you! Let's begin with coffee and tea…and I invite you to read my related articles on wine and beer, and on chocolate.
Coffee is made from the roasted and ground seeds of several tropical trees or shrubs of the genus Coffea.
An Arabian legend tells of a goatherd who made a beverage from berries growing on strange shrubs, and after drinking it experienced extraordinary lucidity and wakefulness. The shrubs were said to have been planted by the descendants of the Queen of Sheba, who came from Ethiopia, where Coffea arabica originates.
Nearly 20,000 scientific studies to date have been conducted on coffee or caffeine. Here, in a nutshell, are the results: not only is drinking coffee in moderation no threat to health, it actually can be a boon. It is harmless even during pregnancy, and children are no more sensitive to caffeine than adults.
"Moderate" consumption is generally defined as 300 mg daily—two to five cups of coffee, or four to eight cups of hot tea, depending on the size of the cup. The average American consumes about 200 milligrams of caffeine daily, roughly the equivalent of two cups of coffee (a figure that of course includes those who drink none at all).
Dark-roasted coffees may contain less caffeine than more lightly roasted beans; arabica beans tend to have less caffeine and milder flavor than robusta. There are also significant variations in the variety of coffee or tea and the brewing method used. But because less tea is required to make a cup of tea, generally a cup of coffee has more caffeine—approximately twice as much. On a pound-for-pound basis, tea has more.

It depends. Which has more caffeine, coffee or tea?
"Decaffeinated" coffee and tea contain about 5 mg per cup.
(Now, that's good news for those of us who prefer coffee but feel obligated to switch to herbal tea with the onset of a sore throat or stuffy nose!) This alertness-enhancing effect also can relieve the malaise associated with the common cold. All this has important implications especially for night shift workers and for drivers, as well as for anyone wanting to remain productive on the job after lunch. Caffeine can increase the speed of rapid information processing, alertness, energy, endurance, motivation, and concentration. While individuals vary in their sensitivity to caffeine, some generalizations apply.

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant.
So it's no surprise that it's an active ingredient in headache relievers. Caffeine soothes headaches by constricting blood vessels in the brain, which in turn reduces cranial pressure.
Some studies have linked caffeine consumption to a decline in levels of depression and anxiety.
Caffeine has long been known to help asthmatics, many of whom have found regular consumption of coffee to have a moderating effect on attacks. That's no surprise, either, thanks to the ingredient theophylline—a drug prescribed for symptomatic relief of bronchial asthma.
Higher caffeine intake is associated with a significantly lower incidence of Parkinson's disease. That's because caffeine intake reduces the amount of dopamine depletion, one of the characteristics of Parkinson's.
Last but not least, caffeine stimulates metabolism.
Flavonoids are particularly widespread in plants and likewise important in disease protection. A characteristic of many plants is the abundance of compounds with antioxidant properties, and coffee is no exception. Caffeine aside, coffee has a complex chemical composition.
Antioxidants reduce the risk of cancer and prevent good (HDL) cholesterol from turning into bad (LDL) cholesterol, a cause of heart disease. Antioxidants neutralize the effect of "free radicals," highly reactive molecules that travel around the body causing chemical chain reactions that can damage cells, by binding with the extra electrons. Free radicals also have been implicated in strokes, cancer, and the aging process. Substances with antioxidant activity are found to be generated in the roasting process.
Coffee is a good dietary source of potassium. That makes coffee a good choice as a diuretic; potassium loss is an undesirable side effect of most diuretics. Coffee can reduce the risk of cirrhosis of the liver.
Tea is made from the leaves of a shrub of the Camellia genus.
The Chinese first gathered tea leaves in the wild, and have cultivated the tea plant at least as far back as 350 AD. The court of England's Charles II in the 17th century established tea as a fashionable drink for the elite.
The firing, fermenting, and/or oxidizing that is done to the leaves determines whether the tea will be green, black, or oolong.
Tea is a source of vitamins A and B6, thiamin, and riboflavin; nicotinic, pantothenic, ascorbic, and folic acids; manganese, potassium, and fluoride.
Flavonoids are found in all types of tea; green tea has the highest concentration. Tea is being studied for its benefits in enhancing immune function, lowering LDL and raising HDL levels, reducing blood pressure, thinning blood, reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cancer, increasing longevity, aiding digestion, and promoting dental health.
There is convincing evidence for a protective effect of both coffee and tea against colorectal cancers, the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. High coffee intake decreases the excretion of bile acids, which are suspected carcinogens to the colon. Because of its diuretic properties, caffeine may help lower the risk of bladder cancer.
(A slight advantage was found in caffeine-containing coffee over decaffeinated.) Interestingly, increased consumption of apple and grapefruit juices correlated with increased risk of stone formation. Greater intakes of coffee and tea, both regular and decaffeinated, were associated with a decreased risk of kidney stone formation, significantly more so than water.
This may not, however, be a straight cause-and-effect relationship: possibly people who choose to drink coffee have more youthful/healthful lifestyles in other respects. One study has found that people who drink coffee are less likely to suffer heart disease than are tea drinkers.
Science has debunked the dark myths that caffeine contributes to breast cancer, bladder cancer, ulcers, indigestion, and osteoporosis.
In some patients, caffeine is associated with temporary rises in blood pressure, so people with high blood pressure might be advised to avoid caffeine during high-stress times. Is there any reason not to consume caffeine?
Moreover, those more sensitive to caffeine may not be able to drink coffee or tea late in the day because caffeine delays the onset of sleep. Worse, some people may not be aware that they are not as rested the following day as they should be, and thus may be more prone to fatigue-related accidents.
Is it possible to become addicted to caffeine? Coffee drinkers do not exhibit the behaviors that define addiction—severe withdrawal symptoms, tolerance, the need to consume the addictive substance at all costs, and antisocial behavior including crimes. Neither coffee nor other products containing caffeine are classified by drug dependence experts as addictive.
Weaning oneself gradually—say, over a week—should minimize the discomfort. The most common withdrawal symptoms include headaches, fatigue, drowsiness, irritability, depression, and flu-like feelings. Nevertheless, giving up caffeine suddenly can be unpleasant.
So drink up—without the guilt.

How to Cater Tea Parties and Add To Your Bottom Line

Are you interested in a rapidly growing
business
opportunity
Are you looking for that is an ideal addition to your catering business?
creative, fun and exciting
ways to expand your business? If so, consider
adding specialty tea parties to your list of services.
Tea parties are a unique and fun way to reach a large
market that includes children's parties. Many parents
are seeking alternative options to traditional parties.
Tea parties
easily fill this need
.
Tea parties are festive, can be adapted to any theme,
are safe, healthy and are different. All these factors
provide you, as a caterer, with an
instant market and
marketing angles
.
Tea parties can be a great way to expand your business and are a
wonderful option for caterers
, as
you already have much of the equipment.
As a caterer, you can provide a full service of food and fun because you
already have experience
From here, all you have to do is learn the art of tea and you're on your way. in the industry!
A small investment in bulk teas (which have a big mark-up), and possibly some props, and you're ready to
expand your business
to afternoon tea or even children's tea parties.
Children love theme-based parties
and tea parties can be
as creative as your imagination allows. The idea
that a tea party has to replicate an English Tea is
simply not accurate (although some may love this type
of party).
Examples of themed children's tea parties include
favorite books or characters (such as Harry Potter),
dress-up parties or
birthday parties
with a tea twist,
incorporating fun and fruity teas.
As a business owner, you're already
familiar with
methods to promote your business
Use these same tools to promote the tea party aspect of your services and watch your business grow! .
Word of mouth is a great way to start, as you already
have a customer base. People are always interested in

new and unique services
, so this will be one way to
get the word out quickly about your business. And
because this business is unique, many people will be
naturally curious about what you do.
Create targeted marketing materials to hand out to Add the tea party option to all of your existing marketing materials as well.
parent groups
, the local library, childcare providers and other places that target families.
Also run ads in
local publications
that are distributed
to families. When it comes time to renew your yellow
pages ad, include information about afternoon tea and
your children's tea parties. Be sure to add cross-
references in the yellow pages that will target children
in addition to your regular catering clientele.
Running a tea party business is
affordable
As your business grows, you can expand your offerings. You don't need a huge amount of startup cash to purchase teas. and when running the business through your existing catering company, the overhead is very low.
For example, you could begin by stocking some
traditional favorites and as you expand,
add unusual
teas for specialty parties
But don't skimp on the quality of the tea or your tea education. .
You will be surprised to find that many customers
know their teas just like coffee lovers know their
espresso.
Knowledge is power
with tea just like any other gourmet food.
The tea business is a growing one, with sales in the
billions of dollars each year and expanding, with sales
expected to reach
ten billion
by 2010. For those
looking for a unique way to expand a catering
business, tea can provide the creativity and flexibility
to make it happen.
(C) Dawnya Sasse
Dawnya Sasse is the creator of the ultimate tea business training school allowing students to discover the secrets of the tea industry, "quickly and easily" without ever leaving home.
Why do some people succeed in the tea business?
Discover how to "Unlock the Secrets of the Billion Dollar
Tea Industry from the Comfort of Your Own Computer"
and make your tea dream a reality. Free audio mini
course
www.StartATeaBusiness.com
This article may be distributed freely on your website, as
long as this entire article, including links and this
resource box are unchanged.
Copyright 2006 Dawnya Sasse All Rights Reserved.
Tea Events
www.TeaEvents.com

Monday, September 29, 2008

Can Drinking Green Tea Prevent the Flu?

If you're concerned about preventing the flu virus this year, here are some things you can do to reduce your risk. Most of those who are hospitalized or die from the flu are the very young and the very old; so flu prevention is even more essential for this population group. So, it's clear that getting the flu is a significant health concern.

150,000 people are hospitalized and 30,000-40,000 die. alone, between 25 and 50 million people get the flu each year. In the U.S.
Flu-related deaths usually result from pneumonia and from complications of cardiopulmonary conditions and other chronic diseases. Deaths of older adults account for more than 90% of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza.
It is a necessary step for the elderly and children three years old and under, who are those most likely to develop serious complications from the flu. For anyone who interacts regularly with the public, and particularly for school age children who are exposed to all sorts of germs each day, this is an important step in staying healthy throughout the flu season. Get a Flu Shot - Flu shots are highly effective at preventing the most prevalent strain of flu virus each year.
Wash Your Hands - The single most important thing you can do to prevent catching a contagious illness is to keep your hands clean. Wash your hands frequently, using warm water and anti-bacterial soap.
Use Tissues - When you sneeze or cough, be certain to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. Let the tissue catch the germs and throw it away immediately.
Use an Anti-viral medication - If you find yourself coming down with the flu, see your doctor and get a prescription for an anti-viral medication. These medications are effective at shortening the duration of your symptoms. In addition, some anti-viral medications can prevent you from getting the flu.
These medications are great for those who have a close family member who has contracted the flu, and are certain they have been exposed. They should not be considered a replacement for the flu vaccine, but can be used as an emergency preventer if you didn't get the flu vaccine and know you're at particular risk.
Eat healthy - Keeping your immune system strong is critical to disease prevention. A healthy diet, full of fresh fruits and vegetables, along with plenty of rest will help your body be more able to fight off germs that come your way.
Secondly, green tea actually kills off the influenza cells. First, green tea suppresses the growth of influenza cells. One study, reported by the UK Tea Council showed that green tea can protect in two ways. One study, reported by the UK Tea Council showed that green tea is extremely effective at preventing the flu, when consumed regularly.

Research has shown that green tea is extremely effective at preventing the flu, when consumed regularly. Drink green tea - One little known secret about preventing the flu is adding green tea to your diet.
And, one thing that's so great about green tea - it can protect against many strains of the flu virus. The flu vaccine each year just protects against that year's most prevalent strain.
Green tea has recently garnered much attention for its ability to prevent disease and protect health. Research has shown that green tea's powerful anti-oxidants are the key to preventing serious illnesses like cancer and cardiovascular disease.
And, it has many anti-microbial properties, and may have the ability to kill or prevent other viruses besides the flu. In addition, it's been shown to regulate blood sugar, which means it may have significant potential in controlling diabetes.
These free radicals damage our cells and DNA, creating a process called oxidation throughout our bodies. Each day, as our body converts the food we eat into energy, free radicals are created. Anti-oxidants are powerhouses for our health.
If this oxidation is allowed to continue over the years, it leads to disease and early aging. But, anti-oxidants neutralize these free radicals, preventing them from doing their damage.
So, eating a diet rich in anti-oxidants is one of the best things you can do to protect your health. And, green tea is one of the best sources of anti-oxidants around. In addition, anti-oxidants can be found in fruits, vegetables, coffee, red wine and dark chocolate.
The best sources include: If you're interested in maximizing your anti-oxidant intake, stick to those foods and beverages that have the most potent anti-oxidants.
• Tomatoes
• Artichokes
• Blueberries
• Pomegranates
• Green Tea
• Asparagus
We're learning that protecting our health and preventing disease is really more in our hands than we've previously realized. We have the power to keep our bodies young and healthy far into our old age, and we have the power to prevent short term illnesses, like the flu.
However, with some careful attention to your health, you can prevent the flu and have a healthy and happy winter this year. The flu season is a nasty period of winter - and often wreaks havoc on many families.
At their website, you can learn more about their current Golden Moon Tea carefully selects the finest rare and orthodox teas, which are processed slowly and handcrafted with extreme care. Stout is the Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. Jon M.
tea
offerings, including their exceptional
green tea
, white tea, black tea, oolong tea (also known as wu-long and
wu long tea
Visit goldenmoontea.com for all details concerning the Golden Moon Tea Company's fine line of teas. ) and chai.

Tea and Individuality

The most famous The distinctive rich aroma and slightly larger leaves are unique to this varietal. The most famous Oolong tea Tie Guan Yin is from the special varietal only grown in Anxi county of Fujian Province. The distinctive rich aroma and slightly larger leaves are unique to this varietal. The most famous Oolong tea Tie Guan Yin is from the special varietal only grown in Anxi county of Fujian Province.

The distinctive rich aroma and slightly larger leaves are unique to this varietal. The most famous Oolong tea Tie Guan Yin is from the special varietal only grown in Anxi county of Fujian Province. The distinctive rich aroma and slightly larger leaves are unique to this varietal. The most famous Oolong tea Tie Guan Yin is from the special varietal only grown in Anxi county of Fujian Province.

The silvery hair on the young buds is unique to this varietal. The White tea comes from a special varietal called "Big White Tea Tree" originally grown in Taimu Mountain of Fujian province in China. The elevation, climate and soil are the main factors that determine the tea varietals. Even though tea is from a single plant called camellia sinensis, there are many varietals.
In addition, different processing method produces different type of tea. The most popular classification of tea is based on the level of oxidation which produces Green , White, Yellow, Oolong, Black and Pu-er tea. Within each type of tea, there are many variations too due to the variation in varietal, oxidation and processing technique.
Combining the different tea tree varietals and processing methods, there are literally hundreds of teas for us to choose and enjoy. They all come in different color, shape and form, aroma and flavor and are all healthy. The well known ones include Tie Guan Yin (aka Iron Goddess of Mercy or aka Iron Buddha), Silver Needle, White Peony, Dragon Well and Big Red Robe among others. There are a lot more teas that are as individual and as precious as the well known ones.
Due to the individuality of each tea, the steeping method, steeping time, water temperature, water and leaf ratio vary accordingly in order to get the best health benefits and enjoyment out of the brew.
This teaches us about individuality and how we should take great care of it.
As human beings, we share a lot of commonalities such as intelligence, feeling. We all have similar physical, social and spiritual needs. At the same time, each and every one of us is different in our color, culture, upbringing and ideology. Recognition and respect for individuality is fundamental for healthy human relations. This applies to relationship of all kinds such as state to state, parent to children, friends, neighbors and co-workers.
When we forget or ignore individuality, we become unforgiving, impatient, arrogant and ignorant. When we are aware of other people's individuality, we tend to be kinder, more patient and more tolerating.
Their individuality should be recognized and respected with great care. They have different temper, different interest and different need. I also learned a hard lesson that a parent should not apply the same approach and standard to all children. It is amazing that they are so different in many aspects the minute they come into the world.

As a father of two boys, I have come to know the big difference in my sons and the need for individualized care.
The same goes with individuality within a team, an organization, a community and a society.
Individuality is what makes the world so diverse, colorful and beautiful. Let's cherish, celebrate and enjoy the individuality of tea, of nature and of people.
Jay is a tea lover and the owner of
Taimu Tea
- a premium Chinese tea store that focuses on tea knowledge, news and education in addition to providing quality fresh teas from Taimu Mountain and its surrounding areas in Fujian province of China.

http://www.taimutea.com
tea@taimutea.com

Sunday, September 28, 2008

GABA Tea - The Japanese Secret

GABA supplements are popping up in health food stores everywhere and consumer demand for GABA products is increasing every year. The human enzyme that functions as a natural tranquilizer? Have you heard the buzz about GABA?
They were attempting to preserve various foods and in the process discovered that tea leaves exposed to nitrogen increased the natural levels of GABA 10 fold. GABA tea was discovered by Japanese scientists more than 20 years ago. With all this fanfare, little attention has been paid to GABA tea - an all natural source of GABA.
The Japanese value GABA tea for its calming properties and it has been found to have numerous health benefits including lowering high blood pressure. Since then, GABA tea has become a standard part of the Japanese diet.
This is puzzling to Su Chiu Kuei, the owner of a GABA tea production facility in Taiwan. However, unlike that other Japanese gift to health - green tea - GABA tea has not caught on in the western world.
"GABA tea has more health benefits than green tea," says Su, "and is also more flavorful. By all rights it should be more popular than green tea."
Even though GABA tea has been a staple of the Japanese diet for more than 20 years, most people in the United States have never heard of it. There is a lack of awareness about GABA tea in western countries.
That is unfortunate, because GABA tea is particularly suited to combating the #1 scourge of the American lifestyle - high blood pressure.
Numerous scientific studies have confirmed that GABA is an excellent treatment for high blood pressure. Because of its inhibitory function it causes the muscles lining blood vessels to relax which in turn increases blood flow.
It has no side effects and is non-addictive. GABA is increasingly being prescribed as a natural alternative to pharmaceutical tranquilizers. The same inhibitory function is responsible for GABA's role in anxiety reduction and stress relief.
It is even served to children to stimulate mental alertness thus giving them an advantage in school. Because of these health benefits, many Japanese include GABA tea as part of their daily diet.
What is GABA tea?
Su Chiu Kuei explains the procedure for making GABA tea: GABA tea is an all natural product.
The tea is shaded for about 10 days prior to harvest - this has been found to increase levels of glutamic acid even more. Premium quality tea has more glutamic acid which is the precursor to GABA. "We start with high grade tea.
This procedure produces the highest concentrations of natural GABA." The temperature must be kept above 40 degrees Celsius for the duration of the processing. The tea leaves are exposed to this nitrogen-rich atmosphere for about 8 hours. "The fresh tea is placed in stainless steel vacuum drums and the oxygen is removed and replaced with nitrogen.
The Japanese government has strict standards on GABA tea, and the GABA tea produced in Taiwan meets or exceeds these standards. Not only does Taiwan produce some of the best tea in the world, it also has the facilities and technicians for making GABA tea. Taiwan is an important supplier of GABA tea to Japan.
How does it taste?
"Everyone I've served it to has come to enjoy the refreshing taste," says Huang. "It is quite different from other tea, although there are similarities to black tea." The initial surprise, though, quickly turns to enthusiasm as the tea has a pleasing taste and can be enjoyed either hot or cold. According to Huang Tien Ming, a well-known tea expert in Taiwan, most people are surprised by the taste of GABA tea.
More
information about GABA tea
can be found at
http://www.allGABAtea.com
.
All GABA Tea.com
is dedicated to promoting the use of GABA tea. The website
has many articles about the health benefits of GABA tea and information about buying GABA tea.
Permission for reproducing this article in print media may be obtained by contacting This article may be freely reproduced on the Internet on the condition that the hyperlinks remain intact.
media@allgabatea.com

Healthy Famous Tea

Antioxidants in tea are similar as those found in fruits and vegetables, such as vitamin A, C and E, which offer protection against free radicals that cause cell and gene damage. Tea polyphenols are are compounds in tea leaves that are natural plant antioxidant. Well known as a source for various nutrients and antioxidants, tea has gained even more popularity in modern times with claims of it's usefulness in fighting heart disease, cancer, obesity, tooth decay, nausea, and all manner of digestive disorders.Thirty percent of the dry weight of tea leaves is polyphenols, which cause the taste of tea. It was Dutch traders that first brought tea to Europe but the British who greatly developed it, transplanting it to India in the early 1800's.

Since the fifth century AD, tea has been exported by land and sea throughout Asia and reached Europe in 1610. It was originally taken as a detoxifying medicine though it grew to great social prominence during the Tang (620-907 AD) and Sung (960-1279 AD) Dynasties. It is thought to have first been discovered in the mountainous areas of China's far western Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. Historically, tea's origins date back to around 2700 BC.
The Natural Way To A Clear Mind
The unique combination of relaxation Now that's when the miracle of Theanine unfolds. Studies have also pointed out how Theanine could effectively promote creativity. The effect is higher mental focus, better concentration and sharper memory. And just as you're prefectly settled, Theanine raises your level of mental alertness by stimulating your brain to increase its production of alpha brain waves.

In short, it's the Theanine in your cup of tea that calms you in just the right way to put you in place and bring you to your 'comfort zone'. But it's also the reason why you don't fee sleepy when drinking tea. Theanine is the very reason why you're not as hyperactive when you drink tea as compared to when you drink tea as compared to when you drink coffee. Scientific research has validated the link between Theanine and a perfect state of calmness.

Not a lot of people may know what it is but Theanine is certainly one of the big reasons why more and more are turning to tea nowadays as their beverage of choice. It's called Theanine and it's found almost exclusively in the tea plant. Research has finally named the secret that has linked tea with mental vitality.
Healthy Famous Tea
http://healthy-famous-tea.blogspot.com

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Many Health Benefits of Green Tea

As you may know, the benefits of green tea may include:
Lowers total cholesterol and LDL (bad)-cholesterol levels
Increases HDL (good)-cholesterol levels
Reduces blood pressure
Lowers blood sugar
Acts as "blood thinner"
Reduces the risk of cancer
Reduces the risk of heart attack
Decreases the risk of stroke
Decrease the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis
Protects against Parkinson's disease
Enhances immune function
Acts as an antibacterial and antiviral agent
Helps burn extra calories
Prevents dental cavities and gum disease
Builds stronger bones
Boosts longevity
Green Tea - Increase Metabolism Naturally
A University of Geneva medical study showed that over a 24-hour period, green tea extract increases the metabolic rate by 4%. This increase in fat oxidation was higher than in subjects who used a placebo or caffeine. In addition, this stimulation of thermogenesis and fat oxidation by the green tea extract was not accompanied by an increase in heart rate. Thus, green tea extract has a distinct advantage over stimulant diet drugs, which can have adverse cardiovascular effects, especially for obese individuals with hypertension and other cardiovascular complications. The Green Tea 300 Weight Loss System provides a safe way to burn fat for healthy weight loss.
Green Tea - Suppress Appetite Safely
Scientists at the University of Chicago have found that green tea caused rats to lose up to 21 percent of their body weight. Rats injected with a green tea extract lost their appetites and consumed up to 60 percent less food after seven days of daily injections. The lead scientist on the study explained that a person would have to drink green tea almost constantly to obtain these results. Thus, the Green Tea 300 Weight Loss System was designed to provide the constant supply of high potency green tea needed to achieve these weight loss results.
Green Tea and Polyphenols
Unfortunately, polyphenols have a quick life span (short half life) of about 3 hours, thus the scientific reason behind researchers' recommendation to drink green tea a minimum of 8 times a day. This super antioxidant eliminates free radicals, the unstable molecules in the body that are the major cause of both aging and disease, which are continually attacking the body. EGCG, the most abundant and powerful of green tea's 5 main catechins, is dubbed the 'super antioxidant' because it is 200 times more powerful than the popular antioxidant vitamin E.

Just one example is a subgroup of polyphenols, exclusive to green tea, called catechins. These extremely high levels of polyphenols deliver green tea's unique results in several ways. Green Tea is the #1 source of polyphenols, chemical compounds found in fruits and vegetables.
So try green tea today to take advantage of what many people have already discovered and live a happier healthier life.

Tea Varieties

Oxidation is the reaction of the enzymes contained in tea leaves when they are broken, bruised or crushed. In its most basic form, processing is the taking of the raw green leaves and deciding whether or not, and how much oxidation (or fermentation) should take place before drying them out. It is the processing techniques that produce the four simple tea categories are considered the art of tea making.

Shades in flavor derive from the region of cultivation and the method of processing the tea leaves. If you do like tea drinking, but simply never had the opportunity to learn more about it beyond the fact that you enjoy it, you should know that there are thousands of kinds of tea offered on today's market. Tea is made by steeping processed leaves, buds, or twigs of the tea bush in hot water for a few minutes, a great variety of tea tastes, aromas and colors can excite even the more skeptical drinker. Interestingly enough the 3,200,000 tones of tea produced worldwide come from only one plant species, named "camellia sinensis." But how a plant becomes a beverage?

The second most consumed beverage behind water is tea.
The first category is that of black tea. Black tea is nothing more than the leaves of the camellia sinensis after being exposed to 8-24 hours of open air. After the leaves are picked up they are spread out to let the water they contain evaporate. You have probably witnessed it happening to a flower that is left without being watered. The foliage curls up and begins to dry. After this part of the process, the tea leaves are balled into rolls that encourage oxidization. When fully oxidized, the leaves turn into a rich black color. Tea producers then put the tea leaves into the final drying period before sorting and packaging them.
Oolong tea is another tea category and is considered to be the most difficult of the four types of teas to process. The best way to describe oolong tea is that it is somewhere in between green and black tea. This is because the leaves are only partially oxidized during the processing. As with black tea, the leaves are spread out to dry for 8-24 hours, but after that, they are tossed about in a basket in order to create a bruising and partial exposure to the air. The final step involves steaming the leaves, which neutralizes the enzymes in the tea and prevents further oxidization.
Though the tea leaves are sometimes laid out to dry for a few hours, then, in order to neutralize the enzymes and prevent further oxidation, the leaves are rolled up, still quite green in color. The whole process of creating green tea revolves around preventing oxidization from taking place in the leaves. This type of tea is also lower in caffeine and has higher antioxidant properties. Green teas, like white teas, are closer to tasting like fresh leaves of grass that the other two tea categories.
Finally, white tea has recently become a popular item in the west as it is the least processed tea and thus tastes the most like fresh leaves or grass. White tea is made of the little buds of the tea plant. Again like green tea, white tea is steamed or pan fried to prevent any kind of oxidization, and great care is taken to avoid bruising or crushing the tea. The dried buds have a silver-like appearance because the tiny white hairs of new growth are still present.
John Gibb is the owner of
Tea resources

For more information on Tea check out
http://www.tea-foru2k.info

Friday, September 26, 2008

Health Benefits of Green Tea and Green Tea Extracts

Green tea, and more recently green tea extracts, have been used for centuries as not only a beverage, but as a medicine as well. Practitioners of natural healing and medicines have long expressed a belief in several health benefits of green tea. Green Tea Extract [Immune System, Circulatory System] contains catechins, a type of polyphenol with powerful antioxidants that neutralize free radicals. Green tea also provides antimicrobial immune system support, helps support the vascular blood clotting function and helps maintain cholesterol levels already within the normal range. It also appears to support healthy kidney function.
GREEN TEA AND WEIGHT LOSS
A study published in the December 1999 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Urology show that substances which are abundant in green tea extracts may promote weight loss through thermogenesis (the body's rate of burning calories). Green tea seems to help in raising the metabolic rate and burning fat. In this study, subjects taking a green tea extract burned more fat calories than those in a control group. Another interesting point is that the affect was accomplished without the increase in heart rate experienced with more common diet pills and weight loss supplements which often have a stimulant base.
One obesity study indicates that long-term tea drinkers (those who drink tea over a period of years) appear to have lower body fat percentages.
GREEN TEA AND HEART HEALTH
Therefore, if you are unsure of the affect of your green tea brand, you might consider green tea extracts as an altenative or supplement. A recent analysis of green tea brands found however, that antioxidant levels of common teas have a great deal of variance. This was reported in an article from the American Association for the Advancment of Science: "Green tea shows antioxidant benefits in human plasma". Catechins, found in green tea, apparently increase the antioxidant capacity of human plasma, which could help reduce cardiovascular disease risk.
A recent Penn State study supports the view that the flavonoids in tea can reduce the risks for cardiovascular disease. Just to make the news better, the study also found that chocolate had similar health benefits as well. Green tea and green tea extracts have high antioxidant properties.
In addition to the normally brewed tea which is available in almost any neighborhood grocery store, green tea extract is a handy option for those who like to supplement their nutritional intake without having to find a place and time to actually brew a pot or cup of green tea.
GREEN TEA AND CHOLESTEROL
Studies have indicated that green tea and green tea extracts can help lower cholesterol levels.

Tea Tree Oil Antifungal

The product is made from the leaves of the Melaleuca is continuing in Australia, where the tree grows. Tea tree oil antifungal treatment is one of the most popular natural remedies for nail fungus infection.
In no circumstances should the oil be taken by mouth - it is for external application only. Although some natural healers advocate applying the distilled product straight to fungal nails, there have been reports of skin sensitivity, so a blend with a carrier oil, or with other ingredients, may be a better approach, particularly if the oil will contact bare skin. Others have begun blending it with other essential oils or antifungal herbs to produce topical treatments for infected nails. The evidence of Tea tree oil antifungal activity is so convincing that producers of natural remedies for fungal nail infections have begun marketing it as a fungal nail remedy.
Continue daily applications until the nail looks normal. The oil should also be applied to any areas of the surrounding skin that appear to be affected by the fungus. Apply the remedy to affected toenails or fingernails two or three times a day, and allow it to soak in. Researchers have found that the preparation deteriorates over time, and allergic reactions may be more common when old oil is used.

To treat a fungal nail infection with a Tea tree oil antifungal preparation, first of all, use a fresh supply of Tea tree oil!
Like most remedies for nail fungus, tea tree oil antifungal remedy to banish nail fungus.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Birthday Tea Party - Your Daughter Will Love This One

A
birthday tea party
is an elegant and fun way to celebrate your child's birthday party.
Your daughter
and all her invited guests will have a wonderful time with this kid birthday party theme.
And you can put together lots of
fun activities and games
that will keep everyone busy and having lots of fun.
You can also use your tea party theme to teach your child and all her friends
proper manners and etiquette
.
Tea Party Invitation
Set the stage for your child's tea party by making your invitation elegant but fun. And you'll have your invited guests excited if you tell them you'll be doing makeovers and playing dress up.
You might word your invitation like this:
birthday." "(First and last name of the birthday girl) invites you to join her for a birthday tea party celebrating her (number of birthday) th.
"For your tea time with (birthday child's first name) please wear a party dress for high tea. You can also wear your dress up hat and gloves."
To make your invitation really special and exciting you might include a pair of white gloves with the invitation.
If your birthday tea party is for younger children, you might ask them to bring a favorite doll or stuffed animal with them.
And don't forget to give them all the important information too.
"Our special tea party will take place on (month and date) at (start time for your party), ending promptly at (end time)."
Giving an end time for your party will keep you from having party guests stuck at your house waiting for a parent to pick them up.
"Our party location will be (street address and other important location information)."
You can also mention that you will be doing make overs and playing dress up.
What fun! You can deliver your invitation by postal mail or you can have a gentleman in a butler suite or tuxedo hand deliver the invitations.
Anything to make your invitation elegant and fun. If you send your invitation by postal mail, consider using a special envelope and stationary.
Birthday Tea Party Decoration
Think elegant, pink and fun with balloons, streamers, ribbon, confetti and glitter.
Mix pink, white, gold, silver, royal blue and red.
Use balloons
to create a pink and white ceiling. You can also use red ribbon tied to the balloons as streamers so your guests can get hold of the balloons and play with them. Have some balloons on the floor as well.
A tea party pinata is also a great idea.
And don't forget to use some balloons and streamers outside to decorate your mail box or doorway.
Set An Elegant Table
You might want to roll up each fork and spoon setting with an elegant napkin and tie it with a nice ribbon. You'll also need forks and spoons. Set your table using a table cloth, plates, cups and napkins.
Decorate your table cloth with glitter.
Use a colorful tea pot
as a fun centerpiece. Attach a small helium filled balloon bouquet to the tea pot.
A ring, a fun bracelet or even a tiara for each guest. To make your table setting really exciting, you can put a few party favors by each place setting.
Birthday Tea Party Games
Get things started as soon as the first guest arrives, this will keep everyone from just "standing around" while they wait for all your guests.
Give everyone some indoor
bubbles
to blow.
Have your guests make a tiara
Give each girl a coloring page from the tea party in the Disney movie "Alice in Wonderland."
You might even have the tea party scene from "Alice in Wonderland" playing on a DVD in your living room or family room.
Make Over
Pick up a small mirror and comb set for each guest. You can also pick up an assortment of lipstick and nail polish.
Let the girls help each other with a make over.
Just for fun
you can also pick up a few colorful costume boas, hair clips, costume jewelry and even high heel shoes.
This is a great way to save some money and give a little back to your community at the same time. You can always pick up a few dress up items at a local thrift store.
Pass The Ring
Have all your guests stand in a circle.
Now place a small ring on a long piece of string and tie the ends of the string together.
Now have your guests hold the string while your birthday girl puts her hand over the ring.
To start the game, have one player stand in the middle of the circle as all the other guests pretend to be sliding the ring along the string and secretly passing the ring to each other.
The player in the middle tries to guess who really has the ring.
That person switches places with the player in the middle. When the player guesses who has the ring.
Birthday Tea Party Food
If your group is very young you may want to stick with cake and ice cream. Think elegant, think fun!
Small finger sandwiches
Sliced veggies
A crackers and cheese plate
Pizza cut into small squares
Grapes
Melon balls or slices
Strawberries dipped in chocolate
Elegant Mint candies
Jello Jigglers
You can easily add a very elegant touch to the serving of food and treats by asking an older male to put on a a tuxedo or a suit and tie and serve the food.
This can be a lot of fun especially if the male actually pretends to be the butler by asking the birthday girl what she would like and serving it to her and her guests.
Birthday Tea Party
You can easily put together an elegant cake for your daughters tea party.
One things for sure, your birthday child is going to have an absolutely wonderful time at their
fun birthday tea party
.
To learn more visit Mike Dougherty has lots of experience putting together successful birthday parties for his children and grandchildren.
http://fun-kid-birthday-parties.com/birthday-tea-party.html

4 Steps to a Robot's Tea Party

These are the robots that scour the internet listing website pages and storing them to provide the database for their search results. Yahoo and Google, though, have always taken a long, long time to bother to crawl your website with Googlebot and Inktomi Slurp. Yahoo and Google, and increasingly MSN. Yahoo and Google, and increasingly MSN.

Most search traffic is likely to come from Yahoo and Google, and increasingly MSN. But what can seem worse, not even the search engines are in a hurry to come visiting. No, or very few, visitors come to the site. Millions of new websites, many of them intended to be commercial, are created every year and then…………nothing happens.

Creating a new website is only the first stage in what is a long, arduous process to internet success.
It's become like a From that day, GoogleBot, Inktomi Slurp and more recently MSNBot have been meeting every day, sometimes several times a day, on that website. They had both been before, but only briefly and intermittently for the couple of months I had been developing that website. From that day, GoogleBot, Inktomi Slurp and Googlebot were crawling my relatively new site within hours. They had both been before, but only briefly and intermittently for the couple of months I had been developing that website.

From that day, GoogleBot, Inktomi Slurp and Googlebot were crawling my relatively new site within hours. They had both been before, but only briefly and intermittently for the couple of months I had been developing that website. From that day, GoogleBot, Inktomi Slurp and Googlebot were crawling my relatively new site within hours. They had both been before, but only briefly and intermittently for the couple of months I had been developing that website. When I first tried this method last December, 2004, Yahoo's Inktomi Slurp and Googlebot were crawling my relatively new site within hours.

Yahoo have, for a long time, offered a quick way to get the search engine robots coming to your new site quickly.
I had a new site I had been revamping from my original draft, and wanted to get quick results, and I was not to be disappointed. I kept it on my mind for several months before I decided to do something about it in December. I had read about Blogging, and the effects on search engine robot behaviour, in the middle of 2004. Well, it's not really a secret.

What, then, is the secret?
Here are the steps that I took to entice GoogleBot, Inkomi Slurp and MSNBot:
When signing up, ensure you give the correct details of your website and the access details Blogger will need to place on your website an HTML file and an Atom/XML file of your Blog. I signed up at Blogger.com to create a new Blog. 1.
Try to use the best keywords for your website in the titles of this and subsequent posts. Write your first Blog and post it. 2.
3. Go to Feedburner.com. This is not an essential step, so you can skip it if you prefer. I use Feedburner for all my feeds. Feedburner will convert your feed (Blog) into the most suitable format for the reader, depending on which RSS viewer they are using. While RSS is not new, the ways in which it can be displayed are still in a state of evolution. Let Feedburner keep up with those developments and display your feed in the most appropriate way. Also, Feedburner provides some useful statistics.
More people are latching on to this idea now, and there is no guarantee that this method will still be as effective when you read this. Don't be too concerned if they are not as quick as they were in my case. Inktomi Slurp and Google should come visiting your website very quickly. Make sure you submit your Blog url (or Feedburner url if appropriate) to My Yahoo and Google first, followed by as many of the others as possible.

Go to http://www.masternewmedia.org/rss/top55/ where you will find a list of RSS/Blog directories. 4.
How to Keep the Search Engine Robots Coming to Your Website
There are many more, though, for you to choose from. I like http://www.ezinearticles.com/ , and I use them for my own articles and to find others. If you just do a search for "article directory xxxxxx" (xxxxxx being your subject or keyword), you are sure to find some very quickly.

You can find many article directories on the net. This can be done with your own original articles, or the articles of others who have agreed to syndicate their work. Having baited the robots to visit your website, it is now up to you to keep them coming back, so they will by attracted to your site too.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

How To Make A Cup Of Tea

Before the British declare war for such sacrilegious treatment of our favourite beverage, I thought it necessary to provide a short instruction on the ancient art of tea making. It has come to my attention that many Americans believe that all tea should be made with ice. English readers, this may shock you.
For those still living in the dark ages a saucepan or a small bowl over a campfire will suffice, but cold water straight from the tap will not. * Boil a kettle full of water.
You can always water it down afterwards. However, make sure you read the packet beforehand and if in doubt make it too strong rather than too weak. Different brands of tea require different amounts of tea leaves for required strengths, but in general it should be one teaspoon for each person drinking and one for the pot. Empty the water out, then place tea leaves into the pot (these can be placed within a tea ball if you have one).

* Pour a little hot water into the teapot (preferably china rather than novelty) to warm it.
Merely leave to brew for between three to five minutes - any shorter and you will not get the flavour, any longer and it will stew. Do not drop the pot or stick it in the microwave. Do not add ice cubes or sugar. * Pour boiling water into the teapot.
It is also an offence to use milk in certain brands of tea, so do remember to check whether your chosen variety is better served with milk or lemon. This is an offence on a line with spitting into the pot, which should also be avoided. Never, ever add it afterwards.

* If you are using milk, pour it (from a china milk jug) into the matching china tea cups first.
* If you had not used a tea ball, you will have to strain the tea before pouring it into the china cups. A tea strainer is similar to a small sieve and does the job easily.
Until the invasion. Wonder out loud if this was really what the Boston Tea Party was all about, then dismiss it as paranoia and get on with your sweet iced-tea drinking lives. Sit back, relax, put on fake British accents and wave your pinkie around wildly, mocking pretentious Englishwomen who do not believe Americans can make tea. * Add sugar as required and stir with your solid silver teaspoons.
Andrea drinks tea, and a lot of it. She actually quite likes Americans, but that doesn't stop her disapproving of their beverage choices.
Andrea is an author on
http://www.Writing.Com/
which is a site for
Poetry
.

Growing Your Own Herbs for Tea

If you love herbal teas, as I do, you know they are just a little bit pricey. However, growing your own herbs is easy and so much fun!
Here are just a few of the herbs you might want to consider for a tea garden:
Chamomile tea can be enjoyed by itself or you might enjoy adding mint or lemon verbena. Only the flowers of this fragrant herb are used when making tea. Chamomile: Remember the favorite tea of Peter Rabbit?
It's easy to grow (almost too easy) so remember to keep it clipped back. Lemon Balm: This herb is lemony with a touch of mint and makes a soothing cup of tea.
Lemon Verbena: An excellent herb to grow in a sunny spot, it makes a delicious tea. You might try combining it with orange mint or spearmint.
Mints: There are many mints available. Generally, they are aromatic plants and they are aggressive. It may be a good idea to plant mint in a pot and then put the pot in the ground so it doesn't take over your herb garden. Spearmint, peppermint, orange mint all make wonderful teas, alone or along with chamomile or any of the lemon herbs.
Herb teas can be made with fresh or dried herbs and can be enjoyed either hot or cold.
For one cup of hot tea, use one teaspoon of dry herbs or up to 3 teaspoons of fresh herbs. Bruising the leaves of fresh herbs will help release the flavor. Pour boiling water over the herbs in a glass or china pot. Metal pots can sometimes leave a metallic taste. Let steep for 5 or so minutes. Strain and enjoy with a little honey to sweeten.
Sun tea can be made simply by filling a jar with water, throw in a handful of crushed fresh herbs, and set in the sun for 3 or 4 hours. Stir in a little honey to sweeten, pour over ice and enjoy.
Trying different combinations of herbs is fun. Remember you can also add spices you have on hand, such as cinnamon, cloves, etc.
With herbs from your garden you can soothe away your troubles with a cup of chamomile tea or make yourself a refreshing cup of peppermint tea after a hard day at work. Gardening itself is very relaxing and rewarding. There are many benefits to growing and making your own herbal teas.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Look in the perfumes of flowers and nature for peace of mind and joy of life. --Wang Wei
About The Author
Cyndi Roberts' website, "1 Frugal Friend 2 Another" will show you ways to save money everyday. Receive a free e-course on saving money at the supermarket! To learn more, visit
http://www.cynroberts.com

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The Health Benefits of Green Tea

Now recent medical studies in both asia and the west are providing a scientific basis for the claim that drinking green tea has very significant health benefits. Green tea became part of the Chinese diet and many important health benefits were attributed to it. Some tea leaves accidentally fell into boiling water, and he tried it and found it invigorating.

According to legend, tea was discovered by a Chinese emperor called Shen Nung. The Chinese have known about Green tea as a powerful medication for at least 4000 years.
Thus green and black teas have different chemical properties. Black teas on the other hand are made from fermented leaves and as a result have less nutritional and enzyme content as the green tea. In this way the leaves remain green and the active substances within the leaves retain their qualities.

Green tea is unfermented tea meaning that the leaves used for green tea are steamed soon after been plucked in order to prevent the oxidation of the leaves. The difference between the three main types of tea is the way that they are produced. Green tea, like black tea is made from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis.
Antioxidants help your body fight against free radicals which cause damage to cells and tisuues in your body. One study concluded that consuming three cups of tea a day produced a similar amount of antioxidants as eating six apples. The antioxidant activity of tea has been compared to that of fruit and vegetables in a number of studies.

Modern science has in recent times been able to demonstrate that green tea is beneficial to one's health and this is mainly due to the fact that tea contains high levels of antioxidants called polyphenols or flavonoids.
Recent medical studies suggest green tea to be beneficial in many areas including the following: While all tea is healthy to drink, it is green tea that contains the highest level of flavonoids.
-Digestive and respiratory health.
-Lowers cholesterol levels
-Boosts your immune system
-Reduces high blood pressure
-Arthritis - anti-inflammatory effect.
-Oral hygiene - due to antibacterial properties.
-Skin conditions such as acne
-Lowers blood sugar
Much more research needs to be conducted in this area but the signs are certainly very encouraging. It was discovered that those men who were given green tea extract burned more calories per day than those who were not given the extract. A study was conducted of ten healthy men over a period of 6 weeks. Recently published research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that an extract from green tea may speed up fat oxidation.

Weight loss is another area that is attracting huge attention.
Anyone for tea!
Lorraine Bevere is the owner and operator of
FOG Tea
which is
a premier source of information about tea. For questions or
comments about this article, please visit:

http://fogtea.com

Monday, September 22, 2008

A Presentation Tea Chest For An Elegant Tea Service

The hardwood chests are simple, yet elegant, and the presentation process dignifies the traditions of the tea ceremony that have evolved throughout history. With the wide range of whole-leaf teas available today, the Tea Butler Presentation Chest makes it possible for individuals to examine and select teas based on color, texture, and aroma. In most tea services today, a tea box or menu is used for presenting tea, but the consumer's tea selection is often made by name recognition only.
Tea Butler Presentation Chest:
This allows the patron or guest to easily open the tea jar to examine the tea's texture, color, make-up, and scent. The chest has an attractive velour faced foam insert with octagonal cutouts that hold the tea jars, while allowing them to be easily removed for closer viewing. Each chest contains one set of loose-leaf tea selections.

The Tea Butler presentation chest is made of beautiful hardwood and has a series of see-through sparkling clear octagonal acrylic tea jars.
The plaque can easily be customized for each tea blend selection and can include individual or organization names and/or logos. For example, herbal caffeine-free teas are located on the left, black and flavored black teas are in the middle, and green and flavored green teas are located on the left, black and flavored black teas are in the middle, and green and flavored green teas are located on the left, black and flavored black teas are in the middle, and green and flavored green teas are located on the right. The teas are organized by tea type to simplify the presentation. A tea plaque, located in the tea chest cover, has a detailed description of each tea, and each block is aligned with its corresponding tea jar.
Tea Butler Presentation Process:
In a restaurant table service, for example, the server brings the Tea Butler to the table, describes how the teas are organized on the tea plaque, and then goes about other tasks while the patron takes a few minutes to read the descriptions, examine the teas, and make their choice. There is no need for extensive training about the individual teas.
Tea Butler Benefits:
The added benefit for owners is that their Restaurant owners like it because the Tea Butler can be brought to the table with the dessert menu, thus encouraging patrons to have dessert, after dinner beverages, or both. Servers like it because it's simple to use and their patrons enjoy it. Restaurant owners like it because it is interesting and informative, and adds a pleasurable dimension to their dining experience.

Servers like it because it's simple to use and their patrons enjoy it. Servers like it because it is interesting and informative, and adds a pleasurable dimension to their dining experience. Restaurant owners like it because it is interesting and informative, and adds a pleasurable dimension to their dining experience. Restaurant owners like it because it's simple to use and their patrons enjoy it. Restaurant owners like it because it's simple to use and their patrons enjoy it.

Servers like it because it's simple to use and their patrons enjoy it. Past experience has shown that patrons like it because it is interesting and informative, and adds a pleasurable dimension to their dining experience. The Tea Butler offers patrons an opportunity to explore new teas and make an informed decision about their tea selection.
Tea Butler Series Presentation Chests and Trays:
The Tea Butler chests and trays come in a variety of sizes in either maple or cherry. The beautiful hardwood products are stained mahogany and varnished to produce an attractive display product. The presentation chests are available in 6 or 8 count maple; and 9 or 12 count cherry. The presentation tray is available in 6 or 8 count maple. There are 12 standard plaques and tea sets for the maple and cherry chests, and 3 standard plaques and tea sets for the tea trays. Custom plaques and tea sets versions can be implemented. Each of these products can be viewed with graphic detail on our website.
Specialty Teas and the Silken Tea Sachet:
As interest in tea has grown, consumers are looking for even more variety. Specialty teas are now the most interesting and fastest growing sector of tea, and its growth is poised to continue over the next decade, according to the Tea Association of the USA. A fitting definition of specialty tea is tea that has been specially cared for in ways that allow the teas to achieve their highest level of quality. This care starts with the planting, cultivating, and careful timing of when and how the tea is harvested, processed, packaged, and shipped. This produces teas which are wonderful to taste, have great sensory appeal, are interesting to the eye, and are soothing and relaxing to drink. This tea deserves a presentation that is as carefully prepared as the tea it presents.
In the presence of such fine specialty teas, it became apparent that the ordinary tea bag, because of its limited space for steeping, would not allow the full-leaf tea to brew to its full potential. To meet this need, tea vendors began looking for alternative ways to package these full-leaf teas that would be easy to use and attractive to consumers. Harney & Sons, one of the finest tea companies in the world, offers a broad range of silken tea sachets that contains a generous amount of pre-portioned loose leaf tea that provides a full two-cup teapot with a single sachet, taking the guesswork out of brewing a wonderful pot of tea. The Tea Butler has partnered with Harney & Sons to offer their fine teas to restaurants, resorts, and hotels, as well as for retail customers at its online store.
Tea Butler Trays in Coffee Shops and Retail Locations:
In recent years, however, there has been a growing demand for healthier beverages and the interest in tea, especially high-end specialty teas, has caught the interest of well known coffee chains such as the West Coast chain, formerly known as the Coffee Bean, now renamed the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Traditionally, coffee shops have had a captive audience, with little interest in serving any but the most basic teas.
Coffee shops of all sizes have a common problem: lack of display counter space. The Tea Butler tray was designed specifically to meet this need. The trays are made of hardwood maple, and are stained mahogany and varnished. They are longer and narrower than the tea chests, containing one row of 8 sparkling clear octagonal acrylic tea jars and are uncovered. The tea description plaque is placed on a beveled surface on the tray, in front of the tea jars, with each tea description aligned with its tea sample. The trays are attractive, draw attention, and encourage patrons to order specialty teas. Some shops are also selling Harney & Sons colorful retail 20-count tea sachet tins as well. A stepped 8-tin rack fits nicely behind the tray, encouraging patrons to purchase their favorite teas.
Conclusion:
The presentation of tea doesn't need to be a blind, uninteresting process. With Tea Butlers, it can be simple, yet elegant and informative, where both the presenter and their guests can enjoy the process!
The author and owner of Espresso Fino, LLC is a wholesale distributor of tea and coffee products that sells to the high-end foodservice sector, based in Gilbert, Arizona. It also owns and operates an online store called Tea Butler,
http://www.teabutler.com
where a full range of specialty tea products are sold, including the Tea Butler brand teas and
presentation tea selection chests
This article and its content are free to copy and disseminate according to Ezine Articles rules. Other tutorial information on our website, including images, may be copied for personal use but are copyright protected and not for distribution without written permission. If you want to add some of our graphics to published versions of this article, please contact us through our website.

Green Tea Side Effects During Pregnancy

Pregnant women would be wise to limit the amount of green tea they drink during pregnancy, and should be careful about taking any green tea supplements. Green tea is rich in antioxidants, and has a host of health benefits relating to dental health, blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and weight loss. But researchers have found, whilst examining the active constituent of green tea, the epigallocatechins, or EGCG for short, that it may affect the way the body uses folate. Folate is important for pregnant women as it prevents neural tube birth defects in babies.
Healthy people have this enzyme also - it is part of what is called the folate pathway, which is the pathway, or steps, the body takes to transform nutrients like folate into something that can be used to support its normal functions. Methotrexate is able to kill cancer cells by chemically bonding with an enzyme in the body called enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). The problem of green tea during pregnancy is that the EGCG molecules are structurally similar to a compound called methotrexate.
But this chemical similarity means that the EGCG in green tea also binds with the enzyme DHFR, and when it does this, it inactivates this enzyme. When this enzyme is inactivated, the ability of the body to use folate is going to be affected. How much green tea is able to be consumed, or precisely how much folate absorption is affected, is unclear. Though the research article did say that drinking 2 cups of green tea a day can stop cancer cells (which is what methotrexate is targeting) from growing.
Two studies, one by Danish scientists who interviewed more than 88,000 pregnant women, and the other by the Yale University School of Medicine, had similar findings on caffeine during pregnancy. The good news on caffeine drank during pregnancy, from coffee and tea, is that a moderate amount is fine.
The concerns over caffeine were that it would lead to low birth weight or miscarriage. And this is still true of a very high daily intake of coffee. The Yale team found that drinking about 600mg of caffeine a day, which is about 6 cups of coffee, would reduce birth weight to levels that were clinically significant. The rate at which birth weight was reduced was established at being 28 grams per 100 mg, or 1 cup, of coffee per day. But they emphasized that this would not be significant for moderate caffeine consumption.
The Danish study found that drinking 8 cups or more of coffee per day (this would be about 16 cups or more of tea), would increase the chances of miscarriage, or stillbirth, by 60% compared to women who did not drink caffeine. They also found that moderate coffee or tea drinking did not pose significant risks. For those drinking half a cup to 3 cups of coffee a day, the risk of fetal death was 3% higher compared to non-caffeine drinkers. And for those drinking 4 to 7 cups of coffee a day, the risk increases to 33%. One cup of coffee equals about 2 cups of tea when comparing caffeine levels. The recommended amount of coffee drunk is up to 3 cups daily, or 6 cups of tea, by the UK food agency.
References:
http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?id=58807
http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?id=24747
http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/ng.asp?id=63174

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Recent Research Indicates Major Antimutagenic Activity in Green Tea

Used for various purposes in Asian countries for centuries; green tea is now a very popular North American beverage also. 20% of daily global tea consumption is green tea. On any day around the globe, nearly two thirds of the population drinks tea, of one kind or another.
New research is emerging that suggests that green tea holds healing properties that slow the aging process and other age related illness and ailments.
Western culture has adopted a love for green tea in recent history, and as such, its pharmacological active compounds benefits have fallen under intense scrutiny as researchers seek to identify what, if any, benefit this beverage possesses in eradicating or avoiding cancers and other diseases usually associated with the promotion of free radicals. Recently, a research team from the Department of Dermatology at Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio, conducted a study to see if green tea possessed antimutagenic qualities.
The results, while hardly conclusive and more study is likely needed, indicate that green tea does, in fact, possess some qualities that seem to thwart the creation or spread of certain mutations that are thought to contribute to the creation and spread of cancer, contribute to aging, and lead to other diseases associated with aging.
The results of the study found that WEGT and GTP significantly inhibited the reverse mutation induced by benzo [alpha] pyrene (BP), 2-aminofluorene, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), as well as methanol extracted from coal tar in Salmonella typhimurium TA100 and/or TA98 in the presence of a rat-liver microsomal activation system. The study attempted to identify antimutagenic activity that was a direct result of interaction with WEGT, and subsequently, GTP. Interestingly, this research carefully studied water extracts from green tea, known also as WEGT, and their significant attributes, including green tea polyphenols (GTP).
When GTP was added, during and after nitrosation of methylurea, the results in a dose dependent fashion were the inhibition of mutagenicity. GTP was also found to inhibit gene forward mutation in V79 cells when treated with AFB1.
This perhaps could hold significance as new studies are formulated to ascertain the healthful benefits of GTP. Free radical inhibition is terrifically difficult and the results of this study could be an indication that green tea is a very effective natural source of accomplishing this restriction. The study also found that the antimutagenic activity of GTP implies that it may affect carcinogen metabolism, DNA adduct structure, the interaction of ultimate carcinogen, or the scavenging of free radicals.
Many ancient cultures believed it possessed healing powers and even the ability to ward off disease and mutations, but this is still relatively new to countries in Europe, Canada, and the United States. Green tea has fallen under much scrutiny as its alleged benefits have been touted for centuries, but it popularity in regions of the West have increased dramatically in recent years.
The study noted as 223(3):273-85 is yet one more confirmation that green tea in solid or beverage form possesses restorative and healthful powers that are just now being discovered. Green tea likely holds a potential that is relatively untapped.
With further study, researchers are becoming increasingly confident that consumption of green tea in any form might be an easy and inexpensive method of giving the body another weapon in its life long fight against diseases such as cancer. Additional studies also are beginning to examine whether or not green tea possess other qualities that can inhibit the mutation of certain compounds that contribute to disease and aging. The benefits of green tea are beginning to be unlocked and additional discoveries seem to be on the horizon.
Jon M. Stout is the Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. Golden Moon Tea carefully selects the finest rare and orthodox teas, which are processed slowly and handcrafted with extreme care. At their website, you can learn more about their current
tea
offerings, including their exceptional
green tea
, white tea, black tea, oolong tea (also known as wu-long and
wu long tea
Visit goldenmoontea.com for all details concerning the Golden Moon Tea Company's fine line of teas. ) and chai.

Aperitif Hybrid Tea Rose

The latter part of last summer was hot and droughty in Westminster. I went to look at a garden, locally, on top of a windy hill that is quite exposed to the worst of winter's harshness. Included was a small rose garden. Due to the weather and some neglect, all of the roses looked poor, except one. This was a yellow hybrid tea, fully foliated and loaded with buds about to unfurl, still bearing the remnants of what was obviously a heavy spring and early summer bloom. It had about eight husky canes and stood every bit of 5 feet tall. As a class, yellow hybrid teas tend to be the most difficult of all. In general they don't have a strong constitution. They seem particularly prone to winter kill. For years I have been searching for a good yellow hybrid tea and to stumble across one so serendipitously is truly amazing. The homeowner said the rose was about three or four years old and that this was her best rose; so easy to grow and so reliable. With some investigating the rose turned out to be Aperitif, not budded but growing on its own root. Aperitif is a recent introduction from New Zealand. We checked further and found that in just a few years, Aperitif has developed quite a worldwide reputation for vigor and reliability.
Aperitif has glowing, well-formed, yellow blooms on long, strong stems. The four and a half inch blooms are exquisite, with up to 30 petals and a light fragrance. The long stems, which will reach 18 to 22 inches, make Aperitif an exceptional addition to floral arrangements. The bush is very vigorous and will grow easily in the garden, reaching a height of 60 inches. The glossy, medium dark foliage is quite disease resistant.
Planting and Care
For best results, plant in early spring.
Plant 4 feet apart in well-drained soil enriched with compost.
Prefers full sun.
Fertilize with Rose-Tone monthly from March 15th through August 15th.
Prune in the spring.
Hardy in zones 5 (with protection)-9.
Click here
to view Aperitif Hybrid Tea Rose on the Carroll Gardens website.
Alan Summers, president of Carroll Gardens, Inc., has over 30 years experience in gardening and landscape design. He has made Carroll Gardens one of America's preeminent nurseries, having introduced more than 20 new perennials and woody shrubs over the years and reintroduced numerous "lost" cultivars back to American gardeners.
It contains valuable gardening advice and tips and answers to customer questions. Carroll Gardens publishes a weekly online newsletter written by Alan.
Click here
to sign up for the Carroll Gardens weekly enewsletter.
Every Saturday, Alan hosts a call-in gardening forum on WCBM radio - 680 AM. For those outside of the WCBM listening area, they can listen to radio show via the internet.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Tea Grading System

You've seen FTGFOP, BOP, CTC on labels of tea...
What do these codes mean?
These codes are used to classify single estate teas such as Darjeeling, Ceylon, and Assam. At the end of a tealeaf makeing process, a machine will separate the tealeaves according to their type, size, and categorize them into different grades.

Letters like P: Pekoe, O: Orange, B: Broken, etc, are connected to indicate the different grades of the black tea.
Here is a summary of the most commonly used codes:
OP
: Orange Pekoe Usually refers to relatively longer and complete tealeaf.
BOP
They make a stronger brew than OP, so they are more suitable to make milk tea. : Broken Orange Pekoe Refers to broken orange pekoe.
FOP
: Flowery Orange Pekoe Refers to tealeaves that have buds, which would create a floral fragrance in the tea.
FBOP
Makes a stronger tea with floral fragrance. : Flower Broken Orange Pekoe Contains both buds and broken tea leaves.
TGFOP
Makes a much more fragrant and strong tea than FOP. : Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe Contains young buds, which appear golden.
FTGFOP
: Fine(est) Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe Very high quality tea that went through an extra procedure of rolling, which would draw out the best flavour in tea.
SFTGFOP
The meaning is obvious. : S stands for Super or Special.
CTC
It is ideal for consuming with milk. CTC leaves make a very strong brew in short amount of time. : Crush, Tear, Curl These teas are compressed into small pieces by a special machine.
Others:
Fanning
,
Dust
Usually used in India to make Chai or milk tea. Refers to very small pieces of tealeaves.
It means the first grade of that FOP. Sometimes, there is a "1" at the end of a tea name, such as FOP1 or FTGFOP1.
Some people prefer BOP instead of FTGFOP becuase BOP makes stronger tea, which is suitable for consuming with milk. The number of letters, however, does not necessarily mean the quality of tea.
Please visit is a tea lover and the founder of O-Square Tea Company. Tom H.
http://www.osquaretea.com
for more information.

Green Tea vs Black Tea - Which Is Better?

Which tea is better - green tea or black tea? As we all know, green tea is a very powerful weapon against several illnesses. But how about black tea? Do we also get health benefits from it?
Black tea does have several health benefits but they are not nearly as wide-ranging and powerful as those of green tea.
But what makes green tea more beneficial than black tea?
Catechins are, by the way, the one responsible for green tea's amazing health benefits. Catechins are green tea's main ingredient containing eight times more than black tea. The answer is "catechins"!
Bottom line is that the more catechins a tea has, the better it is for your general health.
Unfortunately, these catechins are mostly oxidized into theaflavins and thearubigens during the manufacture of black tea.
Theaflavins and thearubigens do have some of their own health benefits, but they can't compare with the wide-ranging effects of green tea's catechins, particularly the powerful EGCG.
While a cup of black tea contains about 5- 10 mg of the powerful catechin EGCG, a cup of green tea contains more than eight times than amount, or 40-90 mg.
Although green and black teas came from the same plant - Camellia Sinensis, what makes them different from each other in terms of taste and health benefits is the processing method.
This processing is so minimal that green tea can be consumed the same leaves are picked. When making green tea, processors lightly steam or gently heat the leaves to stop the oxidation process.
On the other hand, tea leaves designed to become black tea are allowed to oxidize and undergo considerably more processing, including a fermentation process that produces the dark-brown and even reddish color of black tea.
But the process used to make a black tea destroys compounds called polyphenols. It is the polyphenols that are responsible for the long list of health benefits of green tea.
Despite its stronger color and flavor, black tea cannot come close to green tea as far as health benefits are concerned.
Because green tea's processing is as little as possible, green tea retains its original polyphenols.
Rose Antonio has been a green tea drinker for many, many years. She has a special interest in alternative healing and natural remedies.
Though she has tried different types of tea from different countries, she always go back to Japanese Green Tea not only because of its taste but more so because of its amazing health benefits gathered from years and years of research and from talking to many health enthusiasts.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Anti-Aging Benefits of Green Tea

If you want to look and feel younger without prescription drugs or surgery something as simple as adding green tea to your diet may be an effective option. This very simple yet effective and tasty drink may very well reverse some of the more visible signs of aging!
Studies have indicated that green tea's powerful combination of biological compounds, called polyphenols which has a subgroup called "catechins" are extremely effective at destroying free radicals which can help reverse the aging process.
The most powerful of these catechins is a compound called EGCG. This is a natural antioxidant found in green tea or green tea extract which has 25-100 times the potency of vitamin C or E.
Here is one very interesting example. There is strong evidence supporting the notion that drinking green tea may reduce the risk of neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's.
Healthy cells exposed to "amlyoid", a protein highly linked to Alzheimer's, rapidly died ( a condition called "cell death" ) due to the high toxicity of this protein. On the other hand, cells exposed to amlyoid and then exposed to green tea extracts containing catechins survived.
These amazing findings are too powerful to be ignored and give strong support to the notion that consuming green tea or green tea extract may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
There are many other anti-aging benefits related to drinking green tea such as: Reducing age spots, clarifying the skin, protecting against the suns UV rays, lowering LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol)…
Green tea does contain caffine, which could be related to insomnia, anxiety, or other symptoms caused by the caffeine content naturally present in green tea. There is no real downside to moderate sensible tea consumption. More good news!
One cup beverage contains about 50-100 mg of polyphenols, depending on the quantity and quality of tea leaves used. A recommended dosage would be 300-400 mg of polyphenols daily to fully realize the anti-aging properties of green tea or green tea extract.
With every enjoyable cup you're doing your mind and body a favor - slowing the aging process the easy way! Compared to most artificially sweetend, overly processed and overpriced beverages out there today, you can't find a more healthy substance to put into your body than green tea.

Are You Ready to Publicly Promote Your Tea?

1fa8
Do you have a fear of public speaking, but want to promote your new tea company
Well, before you break into a cold sweat and begin hyperventilating, take a deep breath and relax. ?
Here are some great tips for helping you to get your ideas across to others, as well as idea for promoting your own brand!
Before you go out to publicly speak about your tea, you
must be totally
ready and confident
. Perhaps you have
tried public speaking in the past, and experienced a variety
of nervous symptoms such as dry mouth, sweaty, shaky or
cold hands, nausea, rapid heartbeat, or shakiness.
Although you may not ever be completely comfortable
speaking in front of large crowds,
you can get your nervous
feelings under control
.
In order to perform your best public speaking in a calm manner, there are several things you can do.
● First of all, tell yourself that you are a wonderful public
speaker (even if you are not!). Concentrating on this fact
will actually enable you to believe it.
● Envision yourself merely chatting comfortably with a
group of friends. This method will allow you to relax and
feel at home.
● Think about your strong desire to teach this particular
group about your tea topic.
(Although that may just make you laugh!) ● And if worst comes to worst - you can always just picture your audience in their underwear!
When you are preparing to publicly endorse your tea, you
should make sure you are well prepared with all of the
information you want to share with your audience.
Be able to answer questions concerning your tea
After all, the last thing you want to do is sound like you don't know about your own company! - both easy and hard questions.
Organize any speaking notes that you have and memorize your opening statements.
Don't forget to practice, practice
again, and practice some more
.
He or she can help you gain confidence and speaking expertise. If you are still concerned about your abilities to publicly promote, why not get an individual or group speaking coach?
Once it is time for your big day, you should get to the site
of your promotional speech at least an hour early if
possible. This way you can check the microphone (if there
is one) or test out the acoustics in the area. This time will
also allow you to meet potential customers or distributors
coming in to see you speak.
You can shake hands with these people and greet them as
they come in. Extra time can also allow you to have the
opportunity to glance again at any notes that you have.

And, not only will getting to the place early help you
organize, but it will also help you be more relaxed
.
All of these tips will definitely give you what you need to
get out there and sell your tea to the public. And last but
not least - good luck!
(C) Dawnya Sasse
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dawnya Sasse is the creator of the ultimate tea business training school allowing students to discover the secrets of the tea industry, "quickly and easily" without ever leaving home.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Why do some people succeed in the tea business?
Discover how to "Unlock the Secrets of the Billion Dollar
Tea Industry from the Comfort of Your Own Computer"
and make your tea dream a reality. Free audio mini
course
http://www.StartATeaBusiness.com
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This article may be distributed freely on your website, as
long as this entire article, including links and this
resource box are unchanged.
Copyright 2006 Dawnya Sasse All Rights Reserved.
Tea Events
http://www.TeaEvents.com

Thursday, September 18, 2008

What is Organic and Fairtrade Tea and Coffee

Most of us dont realise that this tea is often grown on tea plantations in the developing world where the crops are sprayed with many chemicals and pesticides and the workers that pick the leaves are not only exposed to this danger but are often paid a pittance of a wage as well.
Organic and Fairtrade tea, coffee and cocoa are growing in popularity as people realise the benefits of spending those extra pennies per box and the payback in both health and human terms.
Why buy organic tea, coffee or cocoa?
I buy Morrisons own branded organic, fairtrade tea bags as its cheaper than the branded products such as clipper teas. You can now buy organic, Fairtrade tea which is not much more expensive then just organic tea. Some producers go down the Fairtrade route, which gives the consumer further altruistic benefit in terms of assurance that the workers on the tea or coffee plantations have been working under improved terms and conditions, giving them a better quality of life and reducing exploitation. Consumers usually decide to buy because production is carried out using sustainable farming practices, specifically not allowing deforestation to occur as part of plantation farming techniques.
What exactly is organic I hear you ask?
Tea or coffee qualifies as organic only when environment-friendly techniques are employed in its production. An organic unit should essentially be a self-sustaining one, designing the farm at the time of establishment of new organic tea or coffee plantation is crucial for optimum utilization of resources within the plantation itself.
These processing techniques are sufficient to make it highly unusual for any pesticides to be present in the end product. If plantation is taken up before conversion period is over, chemical residues may show up in the product. Based on the agro-ecological conditions, this period may vary from 3 to 5 years.

This requires an interim period - called the conversion period. In order to establish organic tea fields or coffee plantations, it is necessary to build up inherent nutrient levels and neutralise the chemical residues left in soils from past cultivation.
Insect pest and disease management
For example, peppermint tea aids indigestion and chamomile can soothe and relax you. Some of these have the added benefit of possessing medicinal properties. There are many varieties of organic herbal teas now available also. This includes using natural enemies of pests to keep their numbers in check.

Insect and disease management in organic farming systems rely on the inherent equilibrium in nature.
Find companies that sell organic tea in GuideMeGreen.com
Davinos Greeno works for the
organic
and
ethical
directory that lists 100s of Organic and Ethical Companies and we also have
Organic Articles
for you to read or publish.

Tea Time a Healthy Dimension

Further enhance the knowledge and health of your team and customers by sharing the benefits of green tea. Interject some health information with your snacks and beverages. Take this light hearted and prosperous occasion to a new level. Cheer and excitement fill the room as you munch and share the joy of great company and fabulous crafts.

You are having a craft party.
So, it remains on the hit list of nasty diseases without a concrete method of attack and prevention. But it's really hard to screen for ovarian cancer. You can quit smoking.

You can screen for breast cancer, You can screen for colon cancer. Knowledge is power. Because the high antioxidants in green team fight ovarian cancer. Why you might ask?
Studies have shown that many women who drank two cups of tea a day had a 46% reduction in their ovarian cancer risk. And for each cup of tea a day past two, another 18% reduction was achieved. This adds to the body of knowledge that leads scientists to agree that foods high in antioxidants have major health benefits.
Educate your company about the benefits of green tea. Take the opportunity to ward off the silent killer ovarian cancer. Financial success and a good quality of life are affected by a healthy body.
You do not have to be a health professional to offer green tea with a health clipping of information posted to a colorful sheet of paper or a internet search creatively mounted and displayed. Your goal is to promote awareness and get your group brain storming and sharing.
Not a big tea lover try drinking Chai. With lots of milk and cinnamon. Adding lots of milk gives you an additional boost of calcium to ward off osteoporosis. There are many tea options on the market. Green tea or White are what you want to look for as they are higher in antioxidants.
Have fun, promote crafting, make money and stay healthy. Anytime can be tea time. Add a new dimension to your craft party one that promotes health and wealth.
(From the Archives of Internal Medicine: This Week, Dec 12, 2005 (2005:165, 2683-2686 Author Susanna Larrson) n.d.)
See how I make 3000 per sale and never talk to anyone To help with their kid's school tuition etc….. To relieve the bill crunch. The majority of home business entrepreneurs don't REALLY want a business...They want money!
http://www.umakemoney247.com

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

How to Differentiate the Different Types of Tea

If you want to metamorphose into a more relaxed, mindful and balanced individual, throw out your coffee mug and have a cup of tea instead. You can either purchase conveniently packed tea bags or buy tea in its loose form. To brew, put tea or a tea ball in a pot or mug and pour in a cup of boiling water for each teaspoon of herb or tea. Cover and let steep for 15 minutes before straining and drinking. Teas can be enjoyed hot or cold (chilled then served with ice).
Check out the list below for the basic differences between teas for brewing:
* Black Tea - A dark and richly flavored beverage made from dried, oxidized and fermented leaves of the shrub Camellia sinensis, this tea has the highest caffeine level, about half as much as a cup of coffee.
* Chai - This tasty mixture of milk, black tea, and spices originated in India.
* Green Tea - A light and subtly flavored beverage made from Camellia sinensis leaves that are not allowed to oxidize or ferment. Green tea has about half as much caffeine as black tea.
* Herbal Teas - These are various herbs (leaves, stems, fruits, bark, flowers and roots of plants) steeped in hot water that are more correctly called "tisanes" rather than teas because they contain no leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. They are caffeine-free. Often, several herbs are blended together.
* Mate - Also called yerba mate, this stimulating drink with a lot of caffeine is from South America, and is brewed from toasted wild holly leaves.
* Oolong Tea - Semi-fermented teas, such as oolong, are made from the Camellia sinensis leaves, but they are less oxidized than green and white teas. These teas also contain caffeine, but not as much as black tea does.
* Rooibos - Also known as red bush. Made from needle-like leaves of a South African shrub, rooibos is similar in taste to black tea but without the caffeine. It allegedly has antioxidant and cancer-preventive properties.
* White Tea - Considered the rarest of the teas made from Camellia sinensis, this delicate tea is produced from blossoms and young shoots. It is the lowest in caffeine but the highest in antioxidants. When brewed, it is almost colorless.
The author is a big fan of cooking recipes. Visit the following website for more info about health and cooking recipes.
http://www.101vegetarianrecipes.com
http://www.desserts-recipes.com
http://www.101cookingrecipes.com

Benefits of Lavender Green Tea

In Health
It also contains magnesium, riboflavin, niacin, folie acid and potassium. Cup of Green Tea has as much potency as a cup of blueberries, a best source of anti-oxidants and as much vitamin C as a lemon. An 8 oz.

Organically grown Green Tea is rich in polyphenols and anti-oxidants that fight free radicals that damage cells and tissue.
Unlike psyllium, larch increases mineral absorption, and like our green tea, it contains no sugar, sweetener, seasonings or colorings. Larch (AG) moves waste through the digestive tract promoting intestinal cleansing, making it the safest dietary supplement. Men who increase fiber from 15 to 36 grams absorb 130 fewer calories. Men who increase fiber from 12 to 24 grams absorb 90 fewer calories from fat and protein.

Men who increase fiber from 12 to 24 grams absorb 90 fewer calories from fat and protein. Men who increase fiber from 12 to 24 grams absorb 90 fewer calories from fat and protein. Women who increase fiber from 12 to 24 grams absorb 90 fewer calories from fat and protein. Larch Arabinogalaetin (AG) is a good source of natural dietary fiber.
A healthy digestive tract directs nutrients to the organs of the body and eliminates waste. The digestive tract is the site of the vast majority of free radical production. AG provides us with healthy bacteria that fight free radicals in the digestive tract.
Skin Care
We eliminate toxic materials through the digestive and urinary tract. Should these organs fail, toxins will attempt to exit via our skin, decreasing the quality of our skin. Green tea, larch, and lavender are frequently used in skin care products.
Weight Management
If we don't burn fat, we will soon wear it. That is, it bums fat. Green tea is thermogenie. Green tea has been sold in health food stores as a safe way to reduce weight.
Weight Management & Stress
Enjoy the taste of Lavender Green Tea with Larch and profit from the many nutritional benefits without the calories. Long before Lavender was used for fragrance, it was considered a culinary delight. Possibly reducing our desire for high calorie sweets. Lavender is emotionally balancing; that is, it picks us up when we are down and helps to calm us when we are down and helps to calm us when we are down and helps to calm us when we are down and helps to calm us when we are down and helps to calm us when we are tense.

Does stress causes you to reach for comfort food7 Comfort foods are often used to deal with emotional events.
Gerald F. McCarthy holds a patent on the unique diffuser used in all ESSENTIAL AIR models.
A speech pathologist by profession he was intrigued by the beneficial effects of natural healing and began searching for ways to deliver essential oils more effectively. Over the years McCarthy of Leyden House has accumulated seventeen patents in the field of energy and health related products.
Visit:
http://www.essential-air.com

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Tea, Spirituality and The Japanese Tea Ceremony: An Interview with Michael Ricci

Michael Ricci was weeding the Tea House garden when I arrived for our interview. We sat in front of the little tea "hut" at Buddhist-inspired Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado where in just one hour I would scoot through the tiny doorway on my knees to participate in my first Japanese Tea Ceremony along with his students and other newcomers.
Michael found the Tea Ceremony (Chado) through Japanese Zen Buddhism. "I started reading about Zen and I kept coming across references to tea. I called up Naropa and they happened to be offering their first class on it through the extended studies program. There was one position left. I came and immediately fell in love with it." He adds, "It seemed like the perfect way to understand more about Zen and start doing something contemplative alongside my meditation. It was a spiritual path that made sense to me."
I'm an artist so I just fell in love with all of it." The Japanese Tea Ceremony incorporates almost all of the traditional Japanese arts--flower arranging, calligraphy, laquerware, ceramics, bamboo, wood. Keeping the tradition alive is serious, and the rules are very important to them. "Everything the Japanese do turns into an art, and that's the way they treat tea.
I didn't take vows, but I lived the life of a monk for 6 months." After that, he says, "I moved into a Zen Buddhist temple and trained alongside the monks. But he had only scratched the surface after one year of study, so he stayed another year and a half. Here he was immersed in traditional Japanese culture and etiquette, learning all facets of Japanese Tea.

Michael spent two years studying Tea with Hobart Bell, head of the Boulder Zen Center before being accepted to study at Urasenke Headquarters in Kyoto under the guidance of 15th Generation Grand Tea Master of the Urasenke lineage of tea, which is the largest practicing tea lineage in the world.
It is from this humble state of mind that Michael shares his knowledge through his tea classes and his art.
The abbreviated version, called Chakai, is simply a sweet and a bowl of tea." The first, Chaji, is a formal several-course meal that can last four to five hours. "There are two ways to enjoy tea between host and guest.
Michael was teaching the day I was there, so each of his students performed the short version tea ceremony one by one over four hours' time.
Everything is designed to keep focus on the moment and to completely forget about the world outside of the teahouse." The dialogue is stripped down. Michael explains, "You're sitting on your knees in a very intimate atmosphere. There are no distractions inside the teahouse.
"The little door, called nijiriguchi , was designed for everybody to bow their heads as they enter the tea room. Shoguns and Samari might be sitting next to peasants. They would have to take off their swords and leave them outside, bow their heads and humble themselves because inside the tea room everybody is the same." Nowadays, he says, we take off our rings, jewelry and watches. "Anything that says 'This is Me,' or that takes us outside of the tearoom. Tea Ceremony is a timeless realm in a bottle."
The ceremony is an expression of harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility through each deeply symbolic gesture--a graceful choreography between host and guest.
Michael says, " Koicha is the most intimate part of the gathering, sharing the bowl like that." An initiation of sorts, I thought. First Guest drinks their share, turns and wipes the bowl's edge in a specific way with a paper napkin, and then passes it to Second Guest. First Guest bows to Second Guest and says in Japanese "Excuse me for taking my tea before you." Second Guest bows, too.

The host serves the tea to 'First Guest,' (who is not a beginner and can model tea etiquette). One bowl is shared between all 3 to 5 guests. Koicha is abowl of 'thick tea,' made with a lot of Matcha (powdered green tea) and less hot water.
'Thin Tea,' Usucha , is more water and less tea, but only about three and a half sips. "It's just enough to quench your thirst. It's powder and it's not steeped. It is whisked," Michael explains. " During 'Thin Tea' the host makes each guest a bowl of tea from the same bowl. They each take turns first eating their sweet then drinking the tea." First Guest receives the bowl of tea, drinks it, passes it back to the host who wipes it, cleans it, and gives the next guest their bowl of tea in that same bowl. A watery sweet made of bean paste was served to refresh us that summer day.
Soon each guest in turn examined the utensils--scoop, bowl and whisk--and inspected the bright green valley in the bowl from which a portion of Matcha had been skillfully scooped by the host when the tea was prepared. As the host retreated to the tiny kitchen, the conversation between guests turned to appreciation of the warm weather, the tea, the teahouse. My body tingled with a feeling of wellbeing. Was it the L-theanine in the green tea? Or a result of paying close attention to every movement?
My mind arrived at stillness, like tea leaves settling on the bottom of a cup.
*****
Contact Michael at (970) 530-0436. He has lectured and held demonstrations at pottery studios, universities and art organizations along the Front Range in Colorado, USA. He makes tea utensils from clay, bamboo and wood, which you can see during one of his classes or special event tea ceremonies. He studied the art and craft of making tea utensils in the traditional Japanese pottery style called Raku, invented in Japan over 400 years ago specifically for the tea ceremony.

Michael Ricci is a tea practitioner who teaches the Japanese Tea Ceremony and its related arts and cultural influences.
copyright 2005 Terry Calamito

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