Rooibos Tea – The Tea of South Africa!

Rooibos or Redbush as it is more commonly known is red tea that is grown only in the South African highlands. It comes from the plant Aspalathus linearis, rather than the Camellia plants that produce traditional teas, such as Black, Green or Oolong tea. The name Rooibos, an African slang word of Dutch origin meaning "Red Bush." Rooibos tea is a distinctive red colour and its taste is also unique with a very sweet and slightly nutty flavour.
The minerals contained in a cup of Redbush tea are: As well as being decaffeinated with low tannin content, the tea contains Vitamin C and many minerals and can almost be considered a nutritional supplement. Rooibos contains a variety of antioxidant substances, some of which are entirely exclusive to the Redbush plant.
Zinc
Manganese
Alpha-hydroxy (great for the skin)
Magnesium
Copper
Iron
Potassium
Calcium
Fluoride
Various studies have shown the many health problems that can be helped by drinking Rooibos tea on a regular basis:
Can be used to treat hay fever, asthma and eczema
Placed directly on the skin, it can slow the aging process
Boosts the immune system
Eases irritability, headaches, nervous tension and insomnia
Acts as an anti-spasmodic agent, to relieve stomach cramps and colic in infants
Contains no oxalic acid, so people who are prone to kidney stones can safely consume it
A small amount of Redbush tea added to milk could soothe babies and help ease symptoms of colic. Mothers in South Africa have long been aware of the benefits of Rooibos tea and it is traditional to give this tea to children.
Why not have a cup of Rooibos tea now? It is the perfect caffeine-free alternative to black tea!
Visit
http://www.teaworld.co.uk/rooibos-teas.php/
We also have a huge range of exotic, aromatic teas - Chai Teas, African Spice, Egyptian Spice, Carribbean Spice etc. Teas that help support the daily functions of your body such as, Stomach Ease, Throat Comfort, Slim & Fit, Breathe Deep and so on. Teaworld has a huge selection of teas for any time of the day, morning, afternoon, evening and bedtime teas.
Don't miss our Gift Ideas for all occasions, Birthdays, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Valentines Day, Anniversaries or just to treat a Tea Lover...
http://www.teaworld.co.uk

Asian Splendor "Hosting a Traditional Asian Themed Tea Party"

Possibilities are endless when you host an Asian themed tea party, from presenting an overview of Asian teas to replicating a Japanese tea ceremony. Bring the mystery of the orient into your living room with a creative tea party that will have your guests begging for more.
Either way, an Asian tea party is a great way to introduce many exotic Asian teas. Your presentation can vary depending on your guests and how formal or informal you would like the party to be.
Activities
If you don't want to do something quite so formal, you can teach your guests various Asian customs regarding tea, such as traditional preparation methods, types of teas, how to pour and present teas, and Asian tea etiquette. Hosting a traditional Japanese tea ceremony can be fun and educational for your guests. Depending on the overall feel of the party, choose among a variety of possible activities.
If you are hosting a Japanese inspired party, you could include origami as one of the activities. It's also a great opportunity to use different teapots and cups that are Asian inspired. This approach can be unusual, lively, and memorable.
Why not order a batch for your guests and share your fortunes round the table. Like fortune cookies? It's fun, inexpensive, and does not require a lot of space.
Decorations
Use a lot of red and black, as these are customary colors and pair them with dragons and hanging wall fans. To set the mood, purchase a variety of paper lanterns to create a warm ambiance. Decorations can be simple yet elegant.
Look for cards that have "friendship" or other sayings printed using the authentic symbols to use for added ambiance. For added elegance, use specialty porcelain dishes and China as well as designer chopsticks. Find some small parasols to place on each table, or use the small ones for decoration in your teacups.
Bamboo is an easy, inexpensive, and authentic decoration option. Decorate the room and tables with flowers such as orchids and lotuses.
In addition, if you already have them or are able to borrow or rent them, incorporate small water fountains, bonsai trees, or small rock gardens.
Music
Having a variety of Asian music playing the background is perfect for setting the tone of the party.
If your theme is based on a specific country, choose music accordingly. You may want to use some type of compilation, or choose music from a specific region or country, such as Japan, Thailand, or China. Visit the local music store for suggestions.
Invitation Ideas
You can really get creative with invitations, from purchasing ones that are shaped like a fan to using an origami invitation that guests can unfold to read.
Alternatively, you may be interested in invitations that have an Asian picture or symbol on them.
Your budget will influence the style of invitation you choose to use. If you are hosting a formal party, invitations on specialty paper make a beautiful work of art.
There are lots of great companies available online as well. Start with a local gift or party shop. The good news is that there are many options available for all price ranges.
Foods
For starters, offer a variety of sushi, which can be made to suit any taste, including mild, spicy, and vegetarian. The food choices for an Asian tea party are almost unlimited!
It's entertaining and educational! Stir-fry is easy to make for larger groups of people, and you could even prepare the food in a central area so your guests can observe.
Of course, you'll still want to offer fortune cookies! Asian foods rely heavily on rice and noodles, and there are many recipes to find that incorporate these, from soups to main dishes and deserts.
Whichever foods you choose, offer lighter food choices, as those that are too heavy can take away from the tea experience.
Teas
You might also wish to consider "display teas" which actually bloom when steeped in water. This event would be perfect with a delicate Oolong like Monkey Pick or a mystical Tung Ting.
Order from These hand tied extravaganzas are sure to impress your guests.
www.numi.com
.
You will have them begging for more. If you are looking to impress your guests invite them to experience tea and its birthplace.
(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.
Free audio mini course 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. Why do some people succeed in the tea business?
www.StartATeaBusiness.com
Tea Events Copyright 2006 Dawnya Sasse All Rights Reserved. This article may be distributed freely on your website, as long as this entire article, including links and this resource box are unchanged.
www.TeaEvents.com

Amaretto Flavored Tea

Amaretto flavored tea is great for experiencing the smooth almond taste connected with amaretto but without the effects of the alcohol. It has a velvety feel in the mouth and makes a great after dinner tea. This amber-red liqueur is enjoyable in all its many forms including tea drinks.
If you enjoy learning about the history of things, you might find one story of how amaretto came about a little interesting.
Not unusual, except that the innkeeper's romantic interest, which inspired the creation of the liqueur, had grown while posing as a model for Bernardino. The painter, Bernardino Luini, who created the Madonna fresco in the Santa Maria delle Grazie Church located in Saronno, Italy, received the handmade gift from the innkeeper. It's certainly colorful and as rumors go, entertaining. Now, would you believe the first bottle of amaretto made was because of a love affair?

Amaretto means "a little bitter" in Italian.
You might also be interested to know that the almond flavor associated with amaretto comes from apricot stones, or pits. The original drink was probably made from grape brandy in which apricot stones were left to soak, or infuse. Accidents have been the catalyst for many of the beautiful and functional things we have today, but whether amaretto came about by accident, or intentional, we have no idea.
We like to mix things up sometimes so we frequently buy syrups to add flavors to our usual teas. This comes in handy if you sometimes like to disguise the grassy flavor of green tea. You can also buy green and black teas with amaretto flavoring. You can, for instance, add the syrup directly to the teapot, for an ultra-fresh and delicious tea.

Amaretto flavored tea is made in different forms.
Make sure to try this tea and remember that teas like this can be enjoyed year around, and any time of day. Being creative with your tea is a lot of fun and drinking amaretto flavored tea is a great new alternative to the usual tastes and flavors of traditional teas.
The tea guide makes it easy to learn all about drinking teas and tisanes from all over the world. To view more articles pleas visit our
flavored teas
website.

Tea at Sea

Marylyn Monroe famed amongst other things for her love of Tea once said that, "World Peace would be with us if politicians drank tea at meetings" - or something to that effect. And she was very true in her words, very true indeed. A cup of Tea does wanders to all that drink it.
Did you know that people in Britain and the Republic of Ireland consume the most tea per person in the world? I always thought it was Japan or China but then their cups are much smaller than our cups! It is also interesting to note that more than 2,000,000,000 cups of tea are drunk every day throughout the world! That is a gigantic amount of cups and I can but imagine how many I contribute to that figure, about one I might guess! In weight terms, that equals out to 2 and a half million tones of Tea being drunk throughout the world every year or from a British point of view just under 6lb's per person per year is consumed!
There is a deep routed culture and history behind Tea, something that all dedicated Tea drinkers should have knowledge of. The answer is not from the supermarket, my mother and because it is cheap and easy to make. Where does tea come from, who' had the first cup of Tea and why does everybody like it?
Tea became very popular to the British gentry in the seventeenth Century. This was when Tea became widely known and built itself initially into an upper class act of snobbery! Tea at this time was only grown in China and was a closely guarded secret of the Chinese Emperors of the time. Tea was bought and shipped from China to the rest of the world, Japan, Formosa, India, America and Europe in a variety of ships of different nationalities. Dutch and Spanish ships competed with the massive fleets of the British Empire to carry tea to where it was most needed. For the most part companies like the Dutch East Indian Company whom first imported Tea to Europe and The British East India Company controlled most of the market for themselves.
From any old ship to specially built Clippers this tea was brought from China to the Western World in ever increasing quantities, yet no matter how many ships were built or how much tea was grown they could not keep up with the Western Demand! Famous ships' like the Cutty Sark will ring a bell with most. This ship is typical of those used purely to carry Tea from China to Europe and hence to the Tea Rooms' of the wealthy. Large barrel like ships designed to carry as much cargo as possible and built with quantity in mind rather than of speed. The early Nineteenth Century saw ships like the Cutty Sark being replaced by sleeker and faster ships and in 1834 a ship called The Oriental completed a voyage from Canton to London in 95 days. 15 days less than the Cutty Sark would have taken.
Tea in America was the third most important import during the eighteenth century and Tea sparked off what was to become the separation of Britain and America - the War of Independence. Does the Boston Tea Party ring a bell? This was where armed immigrants dressed as Indians secretly boarded three clipper ships in Boston Harbor and threw all of the imported tea into the sea. A show of resistance against the high taxation of the British Government on Americans settlers and by throwing the Tea away they sparked off the war. Yep, the Boston Tea Party in December of 1773. Maybe they should have all just sat back and have a cup of tea to think about it, but then that would mean that Britain would still control colonies in America! Wow, except for "Tea" history would be so different.
In the late eighteenth/nineteenth Century America and Europe fast became the major players in the Tea Trade. Competition was fierce and ships battled the seas to leave first, sail fastest and arrive first to whichever port they may be going. Bigger ships, faster ships and more of them were used yet at no point could they keep up with the growing demand. Tea was rapidly being reduced in price and spreading through all walks and classes of society. The rich and the poor could now all relax with a cup of tea but only if faster ships could be built or more vessels could be found! The Chinese tried to keep the trade even with all countries but Britain in a show of determination wooed the Chinese with inbound Opium from India thus breaking any vestiges of rebellion. Through opium shipments and thus a resultant lack of orientation on the part of the Chinese through drugs the British controlled Tea Shipments out of China and to the rest of the world for many a year.
Bigger ships and faster ships but all still very slow and small in comparison to the ships of today. The start of the decline of the Clipper era was in 1869 when the Suez Canal opened thus shortening sailing times from Asia to Europe by many days. Then with the invention of the steam ship good-byes where said to the heroic dashes and brave men who battled the oceans to bring tea to our shores on the wooden sailing ships.
The story of Tea does not end with the demise of the sailing ships and clippers. Long before that happened many a budding tea drinker found great interest in Tea Growing. How was tea grown, where does it come from and many asked the simple question of "why do we have to buy it from China?" Of course, if the secret of "how to grow tea" could be found then all would be so much simpler. If somebody could get that secret from the Chinese then tea could be grown in other places and closer to the demands of European and American Tea drinkers. If somebody could steal the secret and grow it in India, Ceylon, Turkey and other such places where ships could ply their trade on shorter and therefore more frequent voyages and where tea was closer to the places it was needed in, life would be so much better.
Tea was first used in China a thousand or so years before the rest of the world even knew about it. It took a ‘thief' in 1849 disguised as a Chinese Merchant to go to the Tea regions in China, to learn how the closely guarded tea was produced and eventually to bring back samples of the plants. In fact this ‘thief' was Robert Fortune a Botanist from England and he was commissioned by the Tea Commission to steal from the Chinese and observe their secretive methods of Tea Making. Wow, what a brave man he must have been! He managed to watch and gain valuable insight into the arts of growing tea, to appropriate various tea plants and to take them to Calcutta. A Botanist to Thief to Tea Grower - an excellent career move!
He noted that: Tea needs loose, deep and acidic soil and high altitudes to grow best and he eventually saw his dream come alive with the planting of twenty thousand tea tree saplings at the foot of the Himalayan Mountains. And from this point we come across some of the famous names in Tea. Those that are with us today and who were at that time referred to as "gentlemanly Tea Merchants". To name but a few: Thomas Lipton, Thomas Twining and James Taylor. Through Robert Fortunes thieving skills the Tea Island of Cyprus sprang into being, India became famous for its Assam Tea and Darjeeling and today Tea is now a major revenue earner for over forty countries.
Tea Drinking is a ritual in many a society. In China guests must be greeted with a bowl of tea, tea is synonymous with Buddhism in the Far East and to the Zen faith in Japan. Russians love of tea is depicted through the Samovar, in Morocco we have the famous Mint Tea and in Europe's Tea Houses history and culture lives on deep and faithful as part of life itself. And in Japan one can gain a Diploma in Tea Mastery from one of three schools dedicated to the teachings in the "Way of Tea" (cha-do) So Tea culture is very strong all over the world but why is this so?
Why do we suddenly give up all that is necessary and sit back with a cup of tea and smile as if we have not a care in the world? Why do we drink tea? What is it that makes us sit down and slowly consume a cup when there are things to do, shopping to get and kids to feed?

Why do we insist on drinking tea every day of every week? Why do we drink tea? What is it that makes us sit down and slowly consume a cup when there are things to do, shopping to get and kids to feed? Why do we insist on drinking tea every day of every week?
The answer is in itself. People love Tea for its calming essence and the culture that goes with it. Tea is used in times of trouble and to escape from life, not because of any association but because Tea does have many a body altering ingredient, even if we know nothing about them. We in the Western World drink cups of Black Tea and do not associate such with any medical or body altering feature but little do we know. Even those thousands of years ago when China alone drank tea, they drank it to cure many an ailment or problem that they might suffer from. It is known today that certain teas can cure headaches, reduce cholesterol or improve ones sight amongst many hundreds of other cures and results. These are specialty teas and not the ones we associate with morning or afternoon Tea-time but they are readily available should one look into it. Our Western culture is sparked from the calming essence associated with the Black Tea, more from a cultural point of view than from its physical properties. For your information though; the average Tea contains vitamins A, B and E. A cup of tea is rich with minerals of iron, copper, zinc, sodium and contains fluoride to fight the cavities. So much, all in a cup? Yes, it is true that so much can be in so little! So whilst you are sitting back and relaxing, you can now think about what it is doing for you!
Two points that tea drinkers often struggle with is the question of milk! The first is the question of, "with or without Milk"? First of all Green teas and Mint Teas do not go with milk. They are kept well away from that sort of thing. Milk goes with Black Tea to dilute it's often bitter and harsh taste and has stemmed from there into an everyday requirement. The second is that of milk before or after pouring the tea into the cup? Does one pour the milk in first and then the tea, or the tea first and then top up with milk? Each to his/her own way, I say, but there is a rather more rooted reason for milk first. Milk was originally placed in the cup first to prevent the gentle porcelain from cracking when the hot tea was poured into it. What becomes more important is whether or not the Tea is brewed in a Teapot or it is being infused in the Cup itself. I say this with regard to people who place a Tea Bag in the cup, then pour milk onto the tea bag and then add the boiling water. This is not allowed! This way destroys all the culture associated with Tea and needless to say the Tea itself does not infuse correctly. In this case the Milk must be added after the water and infusion has taken place.
Whilst writing all the above a certain picture kept coming into my mind, a piece of "Tea Culture" that is depicted in the famous Asterix and Obelix Cartoon Series. It is in the one where The Romans come to Britain to expand their Empire and are very upset because the British always stop fighting at ‘Tea Time". The picture in my mind is of the Romans hanging around impatiently, wanting to attack and conquer the British, but they are all sitting back and sipping Tea - not fighting until they have finished their brews!
Beware though folks of the tea today! Tea bags are produced and made for the simple reasons of economy and ease of transportation to your supermarket shelves. Tea bags are easy to use but do be suspicious of a tea that as soon as it is in contact with water turns black! I am sure that it cannot be Tea. Stick to the real stuff that has taste. If you have any further questions please do go to the Tea Council Web Site to dialogue with the experts or to gain extra information to what has been given above. Failing that an excellent Book on Tea is available and called "The Little Book of Tea" and published by Flammarion. A French Publisher - good excuse to go to France and taste some wine!
"I'll put the Kettle on and we can talk all about it"
About The Author

Favorite Tea Herbs to Grow

The list of herbs one can use for tea is long, with their uses crossing over from pure culinary pleasure to folk remedy and healing. Here are some all-time beverage favorites, from South African natives to North American natives and many others you might want to try.
Starting with the mints (Mentha spp.), a fun, sometimes hard-to-find variety is banana mint. While the common name for some plants uses the word "banana" to describe color or shape, banana mint really has the aroma of bananas. Chocolate mint is another favorite. Children marvel over and over at how sniffing a plant growing in their own gardens smells like a chocolate peppermint patty. The citrus-scented mints: lime mint, orange mint and lemon mint, make especially delicious iced teas. Peppermint, spearmint, and licorice mint, of course, are better-known candy flavors for both hot and cold beverages. Mints are usually grown in pots or some sort of contained area because of their rampant ability to spread, and prefer lots of surface space versus depth to their growing area. They are hardy perennials and can usually take partial shade.
Another South African native that grows in Europe and the US is the scented geranium (Pelargonium spp.). It was introduced to Europe in the 1600s where its popularity spread. Although it resembles real geraniums, it is actual not a geranium at all, yet it is in the same botanical family. The leaves offer even more tea flavors to choose from than the mints, including apricot, strawberry, apple, rose, lemon, almond, licorice, and coconut. Scented geraniums are tender perennials that can be grown in containers and moved indoors or covered in winter.
German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) and Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) have long been infused into tea, dating back thousands of years to the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks. It is quite easy to grow, usually already well-known to potential customers, and offers a slight apple-like aroma. Although legend says that Peter Rabbit was given Roman chamomile, German chamomile is the most popular variety used for tea, and only the flowers, without the leaves or stems, are used for this purpose.
Two more lemony favorites include lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla), and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis). Lemon verbena is a tender perennial said to have the best lemon flavor of the entire plant kingdom, reminiscent of lemon drops, making a great lemonade iced tea. Lemon balm, however, a native to the Mediterranean and cultivated there for close to 2000 years, also has its faithful followers who insist its fragrance is quite beautiful. It is hardier than verbena, and while its top will die back in cold winters, the roots return new growth. Its native habitat also stretches to western Asia, southwestern Siberia, and northern Africa, and it has naturalized in North America and other areas. Bees love its flowers.
Hibiscus (Abelmoschus moschatus) is a tender perennial with a delicious tart flavor and ruby red color. The Pharaohs of the ancient Nile Valley drank it, as did many cultures around the world, including those of China, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe. Hibiscus grows profusely in Africa (as well as the Caribbean and Hawaii). In temperate climates it can be grown in pots to bring inside or covered in winter. The flowers are more often used for making tea, with leaves occasionally used, although leaves give it a more ‘green' flavor.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is another tender perennial. Its flavor as a tea is described as having hints of ginger and quite pungent. Both its leaves and flowers are used for tea. Long ago, people were well acquainted with rosemary which was associated with remembrance, fidelity and love. And it has many folk remedies attributed to it.
Rosehip tea and dandelion root tea are considered a very healing beverage. The Native Americans on the island where this author lives have shown me how they use a sprig of native wild rose to make a tea they once used for respiratory ailments. Strawberry and raspberry leaves make delicious and healthful beverages.

And remember the organic strawberries, raspberries, dandelions and roses you may already have growing in your garden or as a farm crop. There are many, many more herbs to choose from: pineapple sage and bee balm to name just a few.
Be sure all herbs used for consumption are safe from sprays or other contaminants, and check your local authorities for regulations on growing and selling any food product.
Once you dive into the mystery, legend and history of herbal tea, it can be tempting to experiment with making tea from unknown or even well-loved garden plants. But some of our garden favorites, such as the leaf, roots and flower of rhubarb, and those fragrant sweet peas, are considered toxic or poisonous when consumed. Be alert to possible allergies, as well, and stick to the documented tea herbs, as herbal teas from every continent and every culture throughout humankind's history (and prehistory) will provide a treasury to choose from that will last, and enhance, a lifetime.
(c) 2006 Barbara Adams

How About Drinking A Soothing Cup Of Tea - A Great Way To Relax, And Add Medicinal Benefits To Boot!

Furthermore, at Pace University new studies conducted have indicated that White Tea Extract may have prophlactic applications in retarding the growth of bacteria that cause Staphylococcus, Streptococcus infections, pneumonia and dental caries. As far as the medical community goes, a study at the University of Oregon indicated that consumption of moderate amounts of green or white tea might provide a protection against colon tumors about as well as a prescription drug, sulindac that has been shown effective for that purpose. Some leaves even have slight hairy down on them. The leaves of these varietals are slightly paler in color which is evident in the brewed infusion.

According to the Metropolitan Tea Company, white teas are slightly fermented and come from selected varietal tea bushes. What is White Tea? Wow, this is good!! I love tea with vanilla in it and I like white tea so I chose a tea called Wedding Tea. Today I chose to drink a cup of TEA while I relaxed on the porch of my store.
More on the medicinal side of Tea: Cinnamon in tea can reduce blood sugar, cholesterol & triglyceride levels. Cinnamon fights tooth decay, is an antiseptic that help kill the bacteria that cause tooth decay & gum disease, soothes an upset stomach and cleans up urinary - tract infections. You may want to try Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon & Spice Tea. You will get a cinnamon JOLT for sure in this Tea!!!
Harney & Sons also has a Peppermint Tea as well. In olden days some doctors claimed mint was an aphrodisiac. As an infusion they may stimulate the stomach and be intestinal antiseptic.

Spearmint and Peppermint are known for their digestive properties.
I hope this helps you out a little, just a bit of information to convince you that maybe you Herbal teas have special and unique flavors and many are often consumed for their medicinal properties, and, Herbal Teas have NO CAFFEINE!! Now as for Herbal Teas, these are not true teas. That's just my opinion!!

It tastes crisp and feels good on my tongue. I like to think of White Tea as the champagne of Tea. White teas are particularly high in polyphenols. White Teas are slightly fermented and come from selected varietal tea bushes. Oolongs are easily recognized by appearance of the leaves which are stout, crinkled and when infused, often look greenish with reddish edges.

For instance: Oolong Tea is a semi-fermented compared to Green Tea which is fully fermented. The variety of teas is due to differences in growing conditions, the kind of leaves harvested and the processing technique. So here we go; all tea comes from the same species of plant -CAMELLIA SENENSIS. I don't want to overwhelm you with information like some articles do to me. I'll try to help you a little.

You might ask: What are the differences between Green, Black, Oolong, White and Herbal Teas?
Here are a few things you might not know - I know I didn't until I started researching Tea Facts a few years ago:
- Ceylon is the general name for tea produced in Sri Lanka. The plant is a close relative of the Assam indigenous tea plant that is the ancestor of most teas grown in India, Sri Lanka and Kenya.
- The term ORANGE PEKOE refers to the size of the leaf and not to the flavor of the tea. The size of the black leaf affects the speed of infusion with large leaf types steeping more slowly. I have always said Orange Pekoe is just your plain old regular type Tea!!
- Tea is a rich source of Antioxidants that are believed to fight free radicals that can cause cancer, heart disease and strokes, rheumatoid arthritis, cataracts and Alzheimer's disease.
- The Tea Council of Canada states: tea taken without milk or sugar contains no calories or fat; but if milk is taken in tea it is a vital source of calcium. The British Dental health Fdn. Confirms Tea is a healthy drink which has many beneficial properties for teeth and everyone should be encouraged to drink it.
- In tea taster's jargon there is a term called ‘Agony of the Leaf' which refers to the unfolding of the tea leaves when boiling water is applied to them.
- Tea sometimes may taste bitter. It contains tannins and if a tea is allowed to steep too long, more of the tannins are released causing what some people say is a bitter taste. A dash of sugar can reduce this bitterness or alternatively add some milk, as this will reduce the pH level of the tea.
Much of my knowledge comes from The Metropolitan Tea Company - whose tea I have enjoyed for about 3 ½ years now. I respect this company and all their research and their Tea is good too.
Blessings, Shyrll Olson
www.sandjcountrystore.com

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.