Protecting Your Heart - Green Tea and Green Tea Extract

Studies have concluded recently that including Green Tea and/or Green Tea Extract into your diet may be very wise regarding your heart health. Currently, heart disease is the number 1 killer of US citizens so understanding how green tea or green tea extract works in your system to defend against coronary illness may be extremely valuable information for many.
Studies have shown that green tea can combat heart disease in few ways:
Green Tea Extract Can Reduce Cholesterol
Recent studies at the "Cedars-Sinai Medical Center" have supported this . Of course, knowing that you should keep your arteries clear from bad cholesterol is nothing new, yet many people are unaware that drinking green tea can be a totally effective and safe way to accomplish this. Green tea's powerful antioxidant properties can reduce plaque build up ( bad cholesterol or "Low density lipoproteins (LDL)" ) in the arteries which can directly cause heart attack and stroke.
Another relatively recent ( 2003 )12 week study from the "Archives of Internal Medicine" showed that participants taking green tea extract had a drop in "bad" cholesterol of 15% and their "total" cholesterol fell by 10%.
Green Tea Can Reduce Cell Damage
The powerful component in Green tea and green tea extract "EGCG" has the amazing ability to speed recovery of damaged cells. During a stroke or heart attack many cells are damaged due to lack of oxygen to the brain, and much of the cell damage is irreversible which is known as "cell death". Green Tea's powerful antioxidant properties can reduce the level of cell death that occurs after heart attack and stroke.
A cup of green tea provides upwards of 40mg of polyphenols ( catechin group) and has antioxidant activity greater than a serving of broccoli, spinach, carrots or strawberries. EGCG is a powerful catechin, a biological compound produced in green tea that is responsible for the amazing inherent antioxidant properties which are so beneficial.
How much Green Tea is Effective?
While there is no RDA for Green tea or Green tea extract since it's not considered an essential nutrient it has been reported that taking about 240-320mg daily is beneficial to overall heart health. This benefit can be derived from drinking about 4 cups of green tea daily or taking one 300mg green tea extract capsule daily. There is no difference in potency; the extract is recommended for those who may not like to drink tea but still want the powerful health benefits.
So, drinking just a few cups of green tea daily could become part of your heart disease prevention routine, along with a sane diet plan and exercise you should surely be much more healthy and of course, feel great. It's very low cost, has virtually no side effects (there is 40mg of caffeine in 8 oz cup of tea, much less than coffee however) is totally natural and is delicious hot or cold!
For more information on the powerful heart health benefits of Green Tea and Green tea extract visit
Green Tea lowers cholesterol
Or you can also visit
http://www.wulongtea-info.com
, for more information on the amazing benefits of Green Tea.

Oolong Tea - A Healthy Refreshing Drink

Green tea is often touted as a wonder drink providing all sorts of health benefits. Studies have shown that green tea can prevent cancer, lower blood pressure, boost the immune system and reduce hypertension. Although green tea gets the spotlight, many of these same health benefits can be attributed to all sorts of tea including oolong.
Tea is, after all, tea. The only difference between green, oolong, and black tea is the way it has been processed after harvesting. White tea is a little bit different because of the way it is grown, but all tea is from the same plant - Camelia sinensis. And this plant has naturally occurring antioxidants that are beneficial to human health.
Antioxidants are also present in other types of food such as nuts, fruits, vegetables, and wines. They are good for disease prevention by combating free radicals - substances in the body linked to cancer, Parkinson's disease, senile and drug-induced deafness, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's.
There are several components in tea that act as antioxidants including catechins, flavanoids, and polyphenols.
White, Green or Oolong?
Oolong tea is produced by allowing the tea leaves to oxidize for a short time after picking. Oxidation is the process which makes the leaves turn dark on exposure to oxygen. Oolong is semi-oxidized; black tea is fully oxidized; and green tea is un-oxidized.
Fresh tea leaves are high in catechins. Processing the tea reduces these levels, so the more the tea is oxidized the lower the catechin levels. This means that white tea has the highest levels of catechins closely followed by green tea.
Catechins are the media darling of green tea promoters and usually receive the most coverage when discussing the health benefits of tea. There is one point, however, which is often overlooked: As the levels of catechins decrease during oxidation, the levels of theaflavins and thearubigins increase.
These two substances are found in higher concentrations in oolong and black tea than in green tea and have anti-allergy, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. A 2001 Chinese study indicated that the antioxidant properties of green tea and black tea are equal.
So it appears that oxidation does not eliminate the health properties of tea, but simply reduces one type of antioxidant while increasing other health-promoting compounds.
So is Oolong Good for You?
It is safe to say that all tea is good for you, but since we are particularly interested in oolong, let's see what the medical literature has to say.
Diabetes - Oolong tea may be an effective adjunct to oral hypoglycemic agents in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Eczema - Japanese researchers reported that patients with a form of eczema improved after drinking a liter of oolong tea daily.
Allergies - Two catechin derivatives (C-1 and C-2) with potent antiallergic activity were isolated from Taiwanese oolong tea.
Bacterial infections - Oolong tea polyphenols strongly inhibited the enzyme activities of some types of streptococci.
Cavities - Oolong tea polyphenolic compounds could be useful for controlling dental caries.
Obesity - Consumption of oolong tea stimulates both EE and fat oxidation in normal weight men.
Cancer - Oolong tea extract has a chemopreventive action against hepatocarcinogenesis.
Great stuff! Drinking oolong tea will make you healthier, live longer, be more beautiful and have great teeth!
The Bottom Line
Drink oolong tea for your health, but don't lose sight of this simple fact - people have been drinking tea for thousands of years because it is a great tasting beverage. Sit back, relax, and savour the sensations as you sip this wonderful drink. It's good for the soul, and what's good for the soul is certainly good for the body.
__________________________________
References:
J. Agric. Food Chem., 47 (5), 1906 -1910, 1999. 10.1021/jf981114l S0021-8561(98)01114-5
Archives of Dermatology, January 2001
Diabetes Care 26:1714-1718, 2003
Appl Environ Microbiol. 1993 April; 59(4): 968-973.
131:2848-2852, November 2001 Nutr. The American Society for Nutritional Sciences J.
Caries Res. 1993;27(2):124-9.
Jpn J Cancer Res. 1996 Oct;87(10):1034-8.
Journal of Nutrition. 2001;131:2248-2251.
Copyright © 2006 by Ross MacIver
TeaFromTaiwan.com
This article may be redistributed freely on the Internet or in ezines as long as the resource box and hyperlinks remain intact.
Ross MacIver is the webmaster of
Tea From Taiwan
, a Taiwan-based merchant of high-quality oolong tea. Taiwan produces the best oolong tea in the world. All the tea carried by
Tea From Taiwan
is hand picked and hand processed. The tea is shipped worldwide by Taiwan air post.

Green Tea And Weight Loss

There's recently been a LOT in the weight loss news concerning green tea.
Green tea's weight loss effects have been causing more and more people to start sipping the ancient Japanese brew.
This article gives you the real facts about drinking green tea to lose weight. And does it really work or is it all just hype? But just how does green tea help you lose weight?
Advantages of Drinking Green Tea for Weight Loss:
1) Green tea revs up your metabolism
A study reported on in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that green tea extract resulted in a significant increase in energy expenditure (a metabolism 'boost').
The researchers also concluded that that over a 24-hour period, green tea extract increases the metabolic rate by 4%. These effects are probably due to the high concentrations of catechin polyphenols found in green tea. These work to help intensify levels of fat oxidation and thermogenesis (the rate at which your body burns calories).
2) Green tea inhibits fat absorption and helps glucose regulation
Experts tell us that the catechins in green tea help to inhibit the movement of glucose into fat cells. Green tea may also act as al glucose regulator. It helps to slow the rise in blood sugar after a meal. This prevents high insulin spikes (lots of insulin promotes fat storage) and the subsequent fat storage.
3) Green tea may help reduce appetite
This may have something to do with the blood sugar regulating effects of green tea. Rats injected with a green tea extract lost their appetites and consumed up to 60 percent less food after seven days of daily injections. Scientists at the University of Chicago found that green tea caused rats to lose up to 21 percent of their body weight.
4) Green tea can help you save calories on your morning brew.
Be it the regular double-cream, double-sugar standard or that mocha, dappa, frappucinno, the calories we ingest just to get our morning caffeine is wreaking havoc on our waistlines. We are a nation hooked on our java.
You'll definitely notice the difference in your waistline after a few weeks. Or have a green tea in the afternoon instead of that 700 calorie mocha-chillate dream. If you want to save mega-calories in the morning but still get your caffeine fix, try substituting green tea for coffee.
So there are 4 ways that green tea can help you with weight loss. But how much do you actually have to drink to get these amazing metabolism boosting effects?
Pretty good for not exercising or cutting calories, right? Doing this can help you burn an extra 70 calories per day which amounts to 7 pounds per year. Experts vary but the general consensus seems to be that 3 - 5 cups of green tea per day is optimal.
However, 3 - 5 cups can be a lot for some people, so you might also want to consider green tea extract, green tea pills or a green tea patch.
Disadvantages of Drinking Green Tea For Weight Loss:
#1) Green tea is not a magic bullet
A healthy diet and increased exercise will go a long way in helping you lose weight and keep it off. You're not going to eat 5000 calories a day, drink a cup of green tea and make it all go away - it just isn't going to happen. While some people will tell you that green tea is the be-all-end-all for weight loss success, I think the keyword here is balance.
#2) Be cautious of the caffeine if you have health problems
Most green tea extract is made from decaffeinated green tea so you can still get the weight loss benefits without the caffeine. If you're worried about the caffeine from green tea, try taking green tea extract. For some people that have heart troubles, high blood pressure or stimulant sensitivities, the caffeine in green tea may not be the best idea.
Also make sure to consult your doctor before starting green tea if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Also make sure to consult your doctor before starting green tea for weight loss. Also make sure to consult your doctor before starting green tea for weight loss.

If you think the caffeine may be a problem, make sure to consult your doctor before starting green tea for weight loss.
While it's not the magic bullet, it can definitely give you a boost in weight loss and in your overall health! Bottom Line: Green tea helps you with weight loss by boosting your metabolic rate, regulating your blood sugar, suppressing your appetite and giving you something else besides that high calorie, high sugar coffee beverage to drink in the morning.
Kathryn O'Neill is a contributing writer to
Diet and Weight Loss Reviews
.
For more free weight loss tips and diet reviews, visit
http://www.FreeToBeThin.com
.

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.