Showing posts with label tea drinking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tea drinking. Show all posts

Thursday, December 11, 2008

How to Read Tea leaves for Fun or Profit

The ancient art of reading tea leaves in a cup is quite simple, and can be learned in a very short time. Although psychics throughout the ages have used it as a system of divination, any one can learn to master the techniques involved. Before long you will be making predictions about the future for friends and family. You don't need to posses any psychic ability; all that's really required is patience to understand the various symbols and their meanings. However, as with all divinatory systems constant use can have the effect of developing and stimulating your natural intuitive ability.
Adding clairvoyancy to the skill will give you a deeper insight into the metaphysical energy surrounding the process. Reading tealeaves is a fun way of stimulating the imagination and tapping into the unconscious mind and listening to your inner self for answers to problems or dilemmas that you may have. The process also links in with Carl Jung's theory of the ‘Collective uconsciousness', where by ones intuition isn't limited by the constraints of space or time. It's through this that tealeaf readers can look into a persons past, present or future.
The ancient practice of interpreting patterns made by tealeaves in the cup is called Tasseography, otherwise known as tasseomancy or tassology. "Tasse" or "tass" is an Arab word, meaning small cup or goblet. The art also includes the reading of coffee grounds and wine sediments. In China and Japan tea drinking had a ceremonial use and an aid to meditation. A reader would watch for omens in the patterns and shapes left after drinking the tea. Although tealeaf reading is associated with Gypsy fortune-tellers and Victorian parlour games it's roots began in Asia, ancient Greece and the Middle East. In recent history it has close ties with Scottish, and Irish tradition as well as throughout Eastern Europe.
Historically, a psychic often had a special cup that he or she would use for readings. Likewise a special spoon may be used to give it a sense of ritual. The cup, saucer and spoon should be first washed or cleansed by immersing it in hot soap and water and rinsing it with cold. Modern day psychics use cups with astrological markings printed on the inside. This not only gives a reading from the tealeaves but also provides information based on the astrological signs. The cup should have a wide brim and should be plain inside as any pattern would conflict with the interpretation of the leaves
Boiling water is poured over the tea as the person receiving the This is seen as being similar to shuffling tarot cards before a reading. Boiling water is poured over the tea as the person receiving the reading stir the dried leaves before spooning them into the teacup or pot. This is seen as being similar to shuffling tarot cards before a reading. Boiling water is poured over the tea as the person receiving the reading stir the dried leaves before spooning them into the teacup or pot.

This is seen as being similar to shuffling tarot cards before a reading. Some psychics ask that the person receiving the reading stir the dried leaves before spooning them into the teacup or pot. The person having the reading would be asked to spoon a measure of tea into a heated pot or directly into a china cup. Jasmin or Erl Grey etc. Typically psychics choose not to use small commercially produced tealeaves but opt for the larger type i.e.

Part of the ritual of reading tea leaves is in the act of sitting down and enjoying the tea in the company of fellow drinkers as this allows you to relax and gather your thoughts.
When the tea is cool enough to drink the person receiving the reading sips the liquid whilst continuing to concentrate on the question. The person having his or hers tealeaf read should leave about a quarter of an inch of tea at the bottom of the cup. The cup should then be swirled around with the left hand three times in a clockwise direction so that the tealeaves are in a state of suspension. It is then flipped quickly facedown onto a napkin, which has been placed on the saucer thus leaving the tealeaves on the bottom and sides of the cup.
Some psychics say that images facing anticlockwise represent the significance is departing, whilst images facing clockwise mean the person requesting the reading is moving towards the occurrence. The leaves near the brim of the cup have more importance than those near the bottom. The leaves near the brim of the cup is divided into twelve months with the six month position being directly facing the handle.

The leaves near the brim of the cup is divided into twelve months with the six month position being directly facing the handle. Making a mental note of what you see; begin reading the cup clockwise, the handle representing the day of the teacup reading should be facing the reader The rest of the cup is divided into twelve months with the six month position being directly facing the handle. In order to interpret the images it may help if you slightly squint your eyes as you look at the leaves and allow your imagination to roam.
Iterpretation of the symbols can be either exactly as they appear, for example a house, may mean contentment and home, or symbolically ie combined with a bell may mean good news or an invitation on it's way. Contradicting images imply indecision in the person's mind. Sometimes the top of the cup is seen as lucky and the bottom is seen as unlucky, but you should use your intuition and common sense when deciding this. The size of the symbol may give you clue to its importance. The rim represents the present or things that may happen within a few days or weeks. The sides predict the future. The bottom predicts the very distant future.
You may find that certain symbols have a particular meaning for you alone and vary from the meanings listed below The secrete is to trust your intuition and gut feelings. The same applies to the art of tealeaf reading the more proficient you will become at it. Like learning most things the more you practice the better you will get.
Symbols and Interpretations :
Teapot :- Warm-loving friends. Trees :- A new start. Scales :- Decisions need to balance things. Ring :- Changes for the better.

Mountain :- Problems, but conquerable. Ladder :- promotion, improvement. Key :- Solutions revealed soon. Heart :- Happy emotional things. Gate :- Change of circumstance, confidently proceed.

Fish :- Spiritual progress. Flag :- Stay fast for good fortune. Dog :- A faithful friend. Dagger :- Fallout or plotting ahead. Cobweb :- something guarded or secure.

Cross :- Problems but outcome positive. Moon :- Changes. Clock :- Act now, a meeting soon to happen. Butterfly :- None serious about a relationship. Bottle :- Allurement, good social life.

Book :- Look for further information. Bird :- Good fortune on its way. wedding etc. Bell :- Good news i.e.

Angel :- A blessing from your guides. Anchor :- A journey ends. Aeroplane :- Travel, going up in the world.
Paula is a gifted psychic and the owner of
www.email-a-psychic.co.uk
and
www.psychic-trudy.co.uk
where your personal questions will be answered professionally and compassionately by Email.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

What Is All The Hype About Green Tea

The Benefits of Green Tea as a Dietary Supplement
Bust most of the species of tea grows naturally in all parts of Asia and in some parts of Middle America. It is also raised in steamy and tropical climate. The groups of plants that can be produced as tea have about 600 species existing for 28 generations. Speaking of tea, it is a usual name for a plant relative of most flowering shrub.
There are Chinese historians with remarkable records that declare that the tea powder was being kept to survive a good many years. According to history, people started using tea as a beverage ever since the start of 28th century BC and the middle part of 10th century BC. It is also being drunk in some parts of Asia especially people in China.

The tea shrub is a native plants that grows naturally in the Southeast Asia are being used as a brewed from dried out leaves.
The British then monopolized the worldwide tea production and they put a heavy tax on the said product. The British Company who keeps on trading with them also introduced it to America. Dutch are the one responsible of bringing the tea in their continent. After bringing it to some parts of Europe, England became the capital of tea drinking country.
Tea is the staple drink of three fourths of the population worldwide. In the end tea become one of the most in demand beverages, some of the European country conducted a party for tea drinkers relatively than coffee drinkers.
The main producers of tea are Asian countries like Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan and some other primary manufacturer. Countries with many tea drinkers are Asia, Europe and North America.
In some country like China, they add some aroma to make the tea smells and taste better. Green tea came from leaf buds and young leaves. One of the most popular kinds of tea is green tea.
The absorption of caffeine content is only 4.5 percent. Tea has also caffeine but lower in content compared to coffee. Since then tea became a scented drink for tea drinkers.
Now the question is what are the health benefits that we can get from green
tea?
Base also on the study that drinking green tea regularly can be able to lessen the heartbeat failures and it helps in regulating blood pressure. The press and advertising claim that green tea is a very effective antioxidant and a very strong and useful anticancer agent.
Green tea is also useful for the dietary allowance because of the fact that it helps the stomach to digest well and be able to have a pleasant digestive cycle.
However, there are proofs from the laboratories declare that green tea has no harmful substances to give a negative effect in our body. There are researches and studies that are wanting of the concise conclusion about the benefits of green tea.
It does not contain any chemicals that can trigger up the chemical reactions
to promote cancer cells. Aside from this green tea can be able to assist how
to stop the growth of carcinogenic substances in our body. Carcinogenic
substances are the primary cause of cancer and tumor cells.
Another thing is that a chemical originate from green tea called "polyphonics" have revealed that it is a good antioxidant potential that both in the laboratory and in the body of humans.
Presently, research shows that drinking green tea regularly and having it as
part of our diet can lessen the cholesterol content inside our body. We are
all well aware that too much cholesterol intake in our body can cause heart
failures and clogged arteries.
In also supplies unnecessary substances that assembled up inside the arteries and after sometimes the arteries clogs. Researches explain that LDL and HDL are responsible for causing heart diseases that may lead to death. Green tea can also diminish the effect of LDL "low-density lipoprotein" and the HDL "high-density lipoprotein".
Another thing is that study shows that green tea can be able to take out the
bacteria and viruses that reside in the human body that prop up illnesses
like colds, diarrhea, influenza and kidney troubles.
So why not try green tea as an alternative drink, after all it is a healthy thing to do.
Joyce Dietzel writes articles For-Your-Vitamins.Com a website dedicated to
vitamin and supplements

Monday, November 17, 2008

Useful Information About Tea

Tea is drunk in more countries than any other beverage. It is one of the most popular drinks today. Little wonder it is known as "the cup that cheers."
The only difference between them is the way they are made. The main types of tea available today are black, white, green, and oolong. China is a major producer of green tea. Other countries that produce tea are Kenya, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

India is one of the leading tea producers offering 720 million kilograms each year. The yearly worldwide production of dried tea leaves is over 2.6 billion kilograms.
Though mechanical pluckers are sometimes used, hand plucking is said to be a better option. Approximately 18 kilograms of tea leaves can be harvested a day to produce about 4.5 kilograms of manufactured tea. or a growth of new shoots with many leaves and a bud, which are picked by hand. Grown on hill slopes on tea estates, its botanical name is "Camellia sinensis." In about four to five years the tea tree produces a ?flush?

The tea tree is an evergreen plant with small, white, sweet-smelling flowers.
Tea is graded according to the size of the leaves, which has nothing to do with the quality of the tea. In order of size, they are orange pekoe, pekoe, and pekoe souchong. The smaller or broken leaves are used in tea bags. Each tea company has tea tasters who select only specific teas.
1773 was the year of the famous Boston Tea Party. By 1657, it was being sold in English coffee houses. In the 1600s, it was imported into Europe from China by the Dutch.

In Japan, tea drinking was elevated to a full-fledged ceremony by 600 A.D. It finds its mention in Chinese around 350 A.D. It was supposed to have been discovered by Emperor Shennong of China in about 2737 B.C. Tea has a colorful history.
Today tea is a popular beverage all over the world. The country importing the most tea is the UK, importing a total of about 180 million kilograms per year. It has been calculated that the British drink 3.2 kilograms of tea per person every year. Australians and New Zealanders are also great tea drinkers and each person would, on an average, be drinking about 1.4 kilograms of tea annually. Special varieties of tea are also gaining ground; the market is expanding and offering a greater choice to the consumer. It really is the cup that warms a lot of hearts all over the globe!
Tea
provides detailed information on Tea, Green Tea, Herbal Tea, White Tea and more. Tea is affiliated with
Benefits of Green Tea
.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Why and How You Should Drink Tea if You Get Headaches, Migraines, and Stress...

But when I see these ads, I think Why? Along with weight loss, cancer fighting, and other cellular benefits curing Headaches and Migraines while reducing stress is among the top advertised. Many people have heard and seen the many advertisements about tea and its various cures and benefits.
After drinking tea for a while, including Green Tea, Oolong Tea, Rooibos, Lemongrass, and a wide listing of organic herbal blends, I have found that I don't really know if I am fighting cancer inside my body. But I do know that tea can greatly help me to balance out a stressful time, and help get rid of and prevent headaches.
Simply drinking tea, especially some of the herbal blends specifically mixed for the occasion, can help with headaches, and you will receive all other benefits from the actual tea itself. But only drinking the tea in itself will not allow you to fully maximize all the potential, especially in regards to headaches and migraines. Because not always, but sometimes, drinking tea is about Drinking Tea.
That is when my tradition comes out. But when I have a headache (from stress, sinus headache, caffeine, or many other reasons), just drinking tea isn't always best. I just drink it.

Cup after cup (Thank you, Tea Stand) I drink with no sense of traditional practice, or religious afterthought. I drink tea all day long.
I don't use special pots, or time honored traditions. There is nothing wrong with them, but I rarely have time for that, and growing up in the United States, there are no time honored tea drinking traditions. I always used tea bags (low quality as they were my only option, and didn't know any better).So now, even though I am closer to tradition, I still do not have time for this. My Headache/Stress tea drinking practice takes less than five minutes. Usually, that is all the time I have (which is mostly why I have the headache in the first place).
I begin with the double chamber gourmet tea bag. High quality loose tea, easy to use tea bag, reusable; three of the reasons why. I rough it up a little to make the tea inside spread out, and then I put the bag into my mug. With the tea bag ready I pour steaming hot water over it. A little bit too hot to drink. When the cup is full, I bob the tea bag in and out of the water for a minute or so, and let it site for a minute (maybe, depending on how strong I want the tea, how many times have I used the tea bag already, etc.) When letting the tea bag sit, I wrap the string around the mug handle and anchoring it with the bead at the end. After the tea is ready, I take the tea bag out of the cup, and hang it on my tea stand. With green teas and Oolong teas, this is especially important. If you leave the tea bag in the cup too long it can get very bitter.
Now that my tea is ready ( a process which took maybe two minutes) I am ready to relieve myself from this nagging headache. With the cup still steaming, I cup my hands around the mug and slowly breath in the steam. Slow, deep breathes. I do this three to five times, or until the tea has cooled down a little so that I can begin drinking it. It is still hot, but I won't burn my tongue or lips if I drink it. Then I take small slurping sips. The hot water is important not only for the steam but also for these first few sips. The hot water slows down your drinking, and also helps to clear out your head. After a couple minutes of this I am generally feeling better.
I am sure that all in this hectic world can appreciate 5 minutes where life is slowed down and especially a tradition that is fast, easy, and that really helps to get alleviate life's little inconveniences; headaches, migraines, and stress. Maybe this 5 minute practice is loosely based on tradition, and doesn't sound too complicated, but it helps me.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

How To Make Perfect Tea

As a tea drinker of some 30 years experience here is my contribution as to what makes the perfect cup of tea. The best way to make tea has been a subject of great debate for centuries.
Good quality water is essential for the perfect cup of tea. If you use tap water then run the tap until the water is cold and fresh. Spring water is best due to its purity and lack of additives such as chlorine and fluoride which can affect the taste. Always use fresh water if possible.

1.
2. Preferably use a teapot made of china or earthenware.
Pots made of certain types of metal such as enamel silver
or copper can impart flavor to the water. Stainless steel
is okay.
Warm the pot beforehand with a little hot water. 3.
4. Add at least one level teaspoon for each cup of water
that you are going to add. Adding loose tea to the pot is
the best way for the tea to infuse properly but many people
prefer to use a tea strainer or infusing basket for
convenience sake.
Pour boiling water directly onto the leaves and then stir the water before placing lid back on the teapot. 5.
6. Let the tea steep for between four and five minutes. If
using green tea three minutes is best.
Remove or strain the leaves to avoid overbrewing. 7.
8. The cup that you drink out of can greatly affect the
taste of the tea so choose wisely. A good quality cup made
of china will definitely enhance the whole tea drinking
experience. Avoid wide shallow cups which cause the tea to
cool in next to no time.
9. Pour milk into the cup first. Ah, yes this is the step
that causes most controversy. Many an argument has been
had concerning whether or not it is best to add the milk to
the tea or vice versa. I have always preferred milk first
then tea but my husband argues that it is easier to
regulate the right amount of milk by adding milk
afterwards!
Now scientists have waded into the debate and the verdict
is clear. The UK Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)has warned
against the practice of adding milk to tea after it is
poured. It seems that dribbling a stream of milk into hot
water makes "denaturation of milk proteins" more likely.
And who would want that?! At high temperatures, milk
proteins - which are normally all curled up foetus-like,
begin to unfold and link together in clumps. This is what
happens in UHT [ultra heat-treated] milk, and is why it
doesn't taste as good a fresh milk," says Dr Andrew
Stapley, a chemical engineer at Loughborough University.
It is better to have the chilled milk massed at the bottom
of the cup, awaiting the stream of hot tea. This allows the
milk to cool the tea, rather than the tea ruinously raise
the temperature of the milk.
Umm, somehow I don't think so!! The milk or tea first debate is now over! So it is now settled.
10. Lastly, drink tea without any sugar. I must admit to
being a reformed sugary tea drinker and you know what that
means. Yes, I am now passionately against putting sugar in
tea. As one who has sat on both sides of the fence I can
say that tea is so much better without sweetening. Sugar
only serves to mask the taste of the tea. Not only that too
much sugar is not good for you and why spoil what is now
being recognized as one of the world's great health drinks
by adding sugar. When I stopped taking my two spoonfuls of
sugar in my tea it took me about three or four weeks to get
used to the new taste. However once I got used to it there
was no going back.
So there you have it - the perfect cup of tea!
Lorraine Bevere is the webmaster and operator of FOG
Tea
For questions or comments about this article, please visit: which is a premier source of information about tea.
http://fogtea.com

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Green Tea And Weight Loss - Can Green Tea Boost Health And Help You Lose Weight?

There's an old Chinese adage that goes something like this, "Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one." Although this is obviously not reliable nutritional information, it still goes to show how integral the tea plant was and still is to the Asian diet.
But that's not all that green tea is capable of. So technically, green does aid in weight loss. Researchers discovered that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burnt more calories than the opposing group that was only given caffeine or a placebo. Well, according to a 1999 study conducted at the University of Switzerland in Geneva, yes it can.

Researchers discovered that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea especially, help someone lose weight? Well, according to a 1999 study conducted at the University of Switzerland in Geneva, yes it can. Researchers discovered that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea especially, help someone lose weight? Well, according to a 1999 study conducted at the University of Switzerland in Geneva, yes it can.

Researchers discovered that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea especially, help someone lose weight? Well, according to a 1999 study conducted at the University of Switzerland in Geneva, yes it can. But can tea, and green tea especially, help someone lose weight?
And according to one Japanese study, those who drank 10 cups or more of green tea a day. It's a mouthful, but this substance is a true workhorse that inhibits the growth of cancer cells as well as lowers one's LDL/VLDL cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels among a host of other things. Green tea's medicinal properties stem largely from a certain polyphenol or antioxidant, called epigallocatechin gallate.
Furthermore, these same women were also 60% less likely to develop urinary tract cancer. Furthermore, these same women were also 60% less likely to have cancers of the stomach, esophagus, mouth, colon, and rectum. In a study conducted for the Iowa Women's Health Study, researchers studied the tea drinking habits of over 35,000 postmenopausal women and found that those who drank more than two cups of tea a day were 32% less likely to have cancers of the stomach, esophagus, mouth, colon, and rectum.

Aside from drastically lowering incidence of stroke and blood cholesterol levels, increased green tea consumption can also work wonders elsewhere.
Lately green tea has also been analyzed for its ability to protect the body against the carcinogenic changes caused by cigarette smoke. But, this doesn't give you a license to smoke like a chimney. So put away the lighter.
The tea leaves are steamed, so that the epigallocatechin gallate remains intact, whereas in black and oolong tea, the leaves are fermented. The reason is that green tea is processed differently than oolong or black tea. Now, although some Chinese teas come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, none are as potent as green tea.
Your body needs a breather. So, go ahead, quit stalling, and start brewing a pot. These health benefits mentioned in this article are only the tip of the iceberg. To some, green tea may serve only as a refreshing beverage, but to others, its medicinal properties serve a role similar to that of a multivitamin, as a sort of added "life-insurance".
He emphasizes functional and innovative training techniques to add variety and interest to his shockingly effective workouts. Ian is a Certified Personal Trainer and a Certified Advanced Weight Training Specialist, as well as a Certified Nutritionist. Ian Robertson has interests that range anywhere between playing drums to kayaking and kickboxing.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Russian Tea drinking - The beginning

It is believed history of Russian tea drinking tradition have began at 1638.
Altyun - Khan means "Golden Khan" and He was known for applying Lamaism at Mongolia. That year, Russian Czar, Michael Fedorovich, granddad of Peter the Great, got special, diplomatic gift from Altyun-Khan, ruler of Mongolia.
Exactly, Althyn - Khan at 1578 used title "Dalai-Lama", which means "The sea of Wisdom" and later son of Althyn-Han have became Dalai-Lama IV.
Czar Michael Fedorovich was known for conquer of Siberia which happened under His rule.
At that times Russians was at northern borders of Tibet and Mongolia, approached Kamchatka and Yakutia.
That is why that gift happened. Anyway, as a result of that , at 1679 Russia concluded contract with Mongolian, Tibetian and Chinisean suppliers for permanent supply of tea as well as other business relationships with Russia.
But many historians belive tea was well known to native population of southern siberia and Altai region far before tea have become official drink for the Czar House.
Article provided by

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Growing Tea Herbs for Fun or Profit

Growing herbs for tea can be either a pleasant hobby or become a market crop offered to customers in a variety of ways, giving them the opportunity to add healthy variety to their beverage menu, whether warming up in the morning with a fresh-picked brew, or sipping garden-grown iced tea on a summer afternoon.
Both are often grown sustainably and can be found in Europe and North America through fair trade from their native land of South Africa. For the purposes of this article, I'll casually call infusions of any appropriate plant material for beverage purposes, "tea." Another couple of exotic plants out of Africa, Rooibos (pronounced roy-boss) and Honeybush, have recently entered the worldwide tea market. Infusions of this plant are considered "real" tea. According to legend, tea drinking from this plant originated in China four to five thousand years ago, reaching Europe in the 1600s.

Black, green, oolong and the rarer white tea, which all come from an evergreen bush (Camellia sinensis) native to China and India, are popular worldwide. Humans and tea go back a long way.
But herbal tea, grown from a variety of herbs, is also a well-established tradition worldwide. Such herbal tea was in use in Europe long before black tea arrived. Drinking herbal infusions is believed to date into prehistoric times. Even animals have been known to put specific plants into small water-holding areas and seemingly wait for infusion before drinking.
Each herb has its own special needs and specific plant parts and detailed growing instructions are usually described with the purchase of the plant or in any good herbal book. Needing only moderate watering, their soil calls for little or no fertilizer, and in fact should not be too rich as to cause excessive greenery that seems to dilute the aromatic oils. Some herbs thrive in full sun, but others prefer partial sun or even shade.
(c) 2006 Barbara Adams

Saturday, September 27, 2008

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

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Friday, August 29, 2008

Green Tea And Some Of Its Benefits

Three to five cups of green tea a day can do you a lot of good.
Tea, especially green tea has long been known for its medicinal benefits. It helps digestion, boost metabolism and even wards off cancer and heart disease.
According to whether it is fermented or not, tea can be divided into 3 types:
green tea - not fermented;
oolong tea - partially fermented;
black tea - fermented.
While people may prefer black tea or oolong tea, green tea has more healthy benefits. As it's dried straight after picking, it keeps most of its valuable polyphenols while its cousins - black tea and oolong tea lose most of theirs in the process of fermentation. Green tea has a lot more polyphenols than black tea or oolong tea. What's the deal of those polyphenols things, you may wonder? They are known as powerful antioxidants, which remove free radicals from the body. Free radicals in the body's cells are very bad. They very unstable and tend to react negatively with other important molecules like DNA, causing malfunctions and injury on the cellular level. They produce destruction that may therefore pave the way for diseases like heart disease and cancer. Green tea contains rich polyphenols that play an active role in removing the free radicals from the body.
Studies show green tea drinkers have 50% lower risk of developing stomach or esophageal compared to non green tea drinkers. As a result, that can help lower blood pressure and reduce stress on the heart. Antioxidants in tea are also known to prevent death from second heart attack by helping blood vessels relax, thus blood can flow through more easily.
One final benefit of green tea drinking can help lose some weight. It's believed some of its polyphenols and caffeine work together to boost the body's metabolism, thus boost our energy burning system.
Generally, three to five cups a day is fairly enough for us to get its medical benefits. How much tea shall we drink?
Shall we have a cup of tea now?
Then drop by Interested in more information about healthy diet food?
http://helthydietfood.info/

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Green Tea and The "Asian Paradox"

While it is almost certainly not a cure, however, many studies appear to show that lifelong green tea drinking does in fact reduce the risk of cancer in later life. Of all the controversial claims about green tea's health benefits, the one that draws the most scepticism is the claim that it could be a cure for cancer.
The biggest piece of evidence in support of this theory is known as the ‘Asian paradox'. The Asian paradox, according to researchers at Yale, is that Asia has very high levels of cigarette smoking, yet lower cancer rates than Europe or America. The researchers believe that the difference between the places lies in the Asians' consumption of large amounts of green tea (over a litre a day on average).
This is some of the most encouraging research yet, as methotrexate is a drug with many unpleasant side effects, and replacing it with green tea could work very well. Studies at Murcia University in Spain found that a chemical in green tea called EGCG is very similar to the cancer drug methotrexate, in that it appears to kill cancer cells in the same way. Other studies have supported this view: one study comparing elderly Japanese people who drank green tea with ones who didn't found that the green tea drinkers tended to live a few years longer.
Hopefully, over the next few decades, there will be more interest in investigating the health benefits of green tea, and we will finally get our answer. The state of the research overall is inconclusive, as few drug companies are interested in funding studies into something that is seen as ‘alternative' medicine, the testing is left to interested but under-funded universities. However, the unfortunate counterpoint to all this is that very large quantities of green tea have actually been found to cause cancer in lab rats, suggesting that too much green tea can be worse for you than none at all - perhaps a similar effect to the one red wine has.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Green Tea - Towards a Healthier Lifestyle

Research indicates that tea may work against heart attacks, stroke, and thrombosis. Tea contributes to this in several ways. It does so in a general way through its role as gentle stimulant to the heart and circulatory system. Secondly, it appears to keep the blood vessel walls soft. Thirdly, there is evidence that the phenols in tea inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract, which could help decrease the cholesterol in the bloodstream. Fourthly, it may decrease the blood's tendency to form thrombi, or unwanted clots. Often several of these functions operate together against stroke or heart attack. Strokes and thrombosis often occur because the blood vessels have lost their elasticity. Rutin, found in green tea, has long been prescribed to keep these walls soft.
Polyphenols tend to reduce the formation of plaque, while fluoride strengthens tooth enamel so that it can resist decay. Green tea has turned out to be a double-barrelled threat to tooth decay because of the natural polyphenols (tannin) and the fluoride it contains.
Considerable research is being carried out on the role of tea drinking in preventing cancer. Out of 25 papers related to health presented at the Hangzhou Symposium, seven reported on research on cancer and tumors. Green tea seems to get the best results, with Lung Ching Preferred. Stomach cancer, the number one cause of death in Japan, is at its lowest rate in Shizuoka prefecture along the coast southwest of Tokyo. One explanation is that Shizuoka is a tea-growing district and its inhabitants drink large amounts of green tea.
Researchers believe that green tea has an effect against cancer because it inhibits the formation or action of cancer-causing substances. Green tea may block the action of nitrosamines which can cause cancer, said Dr. Han Chi, and associate professor at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene under the Chinese Academy of Preventative Medicine. In a test of 145 types of tea, she and her colleagues rated green tea highest, with a blocking rate of 90 percent. Brick, Jasmine, oolong, and black tea followed in that order.
Tea also contains vitamins B1, B2, K and bioflavonoids plus niacin, folic acid, and manganese, but in such small amounts as to be negligible. Eighty-five percent of the vitamin C is released in one five minute infusion at 176 degrees Fahrenheit (80 degrees centigrade). According to Chinese calculations, typical green tea made with three grams of dry leaves to a cup should yield about six milligrams of vitamin C in three infusions in water at 158 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit (70 to 100 degrees centigrade).

However, recent tests in China have found that heat destruction of vitamin C contained in green tea varies greatly depending on growing conditions, the age of the leaves at picking, and how long they have been stored. Since this vitamin is destroyed by heat and tea is made in hot water, this statement seems somewhat contradictory. In China it is widely stated that green tea is a source of vitamin C.
Another way tea may help fight cancer is through preventing cell mutation. The antioxidant actions of the polyphenols in green tea inhibit mutation of the DNA in healthy cells, which can cause them to become cancer cells. In rats injected with a cancer-causing substance and fed green tea, cancer did not develop, but it did in the control group without tea.
It seems to be the epigallo catechin gallate (EGCC) that reduces the occurence of aberrant DNA replication in epithelial cells. In similar tests in Fujian province, green tea markedly decreased the incidence of Lung cancer in rats. An antioxidant made from green tea applied to the skin significantly inhibited growth of induced skin cancer in mice.
in treating bacillary dysentery, amoebic dysentery, acute gastroenteritis (inflammation of stomach and intestine), and enteritis (inflammation of the intestine)." They are effective against any types of bacteria, including those that cause dysentery, diphtheria, and cholera... "Green teas have stronger effects than black teas. Leung in Chinese Herbal Remedies. Albert Y.

"The antibacterial effects of tea have been well documented in Chinese scientific literature," writes Dr. Some researchers claim tea acts as a mild germicide in the digestive tract to help prevent food poisoning and diseases like cholera, typhoid, and dysentery.
When pregnant or nursing only small amounts of green tea should be used, it may also interfere with the action of MAO inhibitors and blood thinning medication. Also the consumption of green tea may interfere with the absorption of medicines. This article is intended to be for information about the nutritional benefits of green tea only and should not be regarded as medical advice in its own right. You should seek the assistance of a qualified physician if you require medical advice on any condition mentioned in this article.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Green Tea A Healthy Alternative To Soda

One of the most refreshing ways to cool off on a hot summer day is drinking a tall glass of iced tea and what better than making it green tea? However sodas do not really quench your thirst and there are some other healthier more refreshing alternatives. In the hot days of summer it is easy to reach for a soda to help you cool off.
Japan is especially famous for this. In fact so important is this drink in these countries that there is special tea drinking rituals associated with this beverage. People From the Orient have long known the benefits of drinking green tea.
Green tea has also been found to have vitamin C and fluoride. It is higher in antitoxins than the traditional black tea drunk in the West. Recent research is revealing that this tea is particularly beneficial for your health.

Now Australia is trying to cultivate it so that green tea can be available in other months and supply the increasing need for this beverage. The best green tea is grown in Japan and is harvested in the spring months. Green tea: Is made from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis tree.
Green tea has more of these properties than the traditional black teas because of the way it is processed It goes through little or no processing (fermenting or oxidizing) this brings out the antioxidants and vitamins but will reduce the stimulant quality (caffeine) of this tea.
Fast cooling will not allow the full taste to come out; so slow cooling at room temperature is best. You can just pour the hot water on it and let it cool slowly. When making iced tea it is good to steep the tea for about 20-30 minutes.

These are easily available in many grocery stores and most health food stores. The best way to make green tea hot or cold is to make it with loose leaves.
You can also make some good tea pops. Just fill an ice cube tray with green tea (cooled) and put toothpicks in each square and enjoy when fully frozen. You can also make regular cubes of green tea to add to beverages.
You can also add ginger as a real thirst quencher for those hot days. Citrus peels are especially refreshing with iced green tea. Anise and chicory are also added for a change in taste.

If you want to spice up your tea you can add citrus peel as it steeps.
However you chose to drink your green tea it is a nice refreshing change from soda and good for your health. It will not only quench your thirst but rejuvenate you too. As our world grows smaller we are becoming more aware of different types of foods and beverages. As more research is being done on this increasingly popular drink we will see even more benefits to our health. It is recommended to drink at least 3 cups or more per day to enjoy the health giving properties of green tea.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Tea Ceremony

Each family could demonstrate its roots and richness by serving tea in Chinese porcelain dishes which were decorated with delicate and crafted pictures of shepherdesses and shepherds, kings and queens, flowers, birds and skies. Traditionally the British had afternoon tea with toasts, marmalade, cakes whereas tea was usually prepared with milk which is traditional British drink. During the old times the British was listening carefully to Big Ben in order to prepare tea for the exact five pm time.

The reason is in busy day schedules when people have to rush somewhere, do urgent work or simply do not want to have tea. The British had had this ceremony for over the centuries already, but modern English do not follow this custom as it was two or three centuries ago.
Chinese thought tea ceremony is the time when human souls, their thoughts and ideas could be cleared up and become healthier and more perfect. However, the main purposes of this ceremony were lost. Yet, the British developed the teat ceremony and adopted it to the European cultures. So Chinese were first who invented tea and some tea drinking customs.

However, tea drinking tradition is not English originally because tea was discovered in China and the British were first who brought tea in Europe.
Noble British families used to invite their friends, famous persons or simply people who could be useful for tea drinking in order to discuss the world news and even solve problems. The British accepted the peaceful and healthy ideas of tea drinking ceremony, however they were used to gather for tea ceremony for talking mainly.
Sharon White has many years of a vast experience in The article was produced by the writer of masterpapers.com.
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