green tea

More and more are exhibiting likeness of green tea. Some are already incorporating it into their diet. How do people see green tea? It’s a miracle drug that can enhance youthfulness, beauty, and a strong and healthy body. It is also considered as the protector of the human body from numerous diseases. For the fitness world, it serves as an agent in losing weight. These are just some of the benefits of having green tea diet.

Working out a natural diet

By incorporating at least 3 cups of green tea in your meal daily, you are enhancing a more balanced diet. Together with exercise, green tea has turned out to be more effective than ever. There is no such thing as how many servings every meal can green tea be incorporated. No exact doses. Just one cup every breakfast, lunch, dinner and even during midnight snacks is sufficient enough to be part of your daily diet.

Green tea preserves all its important compounds like antioxidants because it is brewed and not fermented, It is advisable to drink green tea while it’s still hot because live antioxidants are very prominent and its valuable nutritional affects are also preserved. It’s better to purchase and brew loose green tea leaves than the bottled or powdered ones because they are not as effective as brewing.

Black tea versus green tea

Black tea is not similar to green tea at all. While green tea is typically brewed, black tea is fermented. The fermentation process of black tea tends to eliminate the important vitamins and nutrients that are beneficial to health. Therefore, it is concluded that green tea is proven to be more effective than black tea.

Green tea diet benefits

• Reduce the risk for hypertension and high blood pressure

• Destroy free radicals

• Maintain healthy fluid and electrolyte balance that can help relieve fatigue and stress

• Lower increased amount of cholesterol level

• Toxin prevention in the liver

• Antiviral and antibacterial properties

• Reduce incidences of cancer in parts of the body like colon, pancreas, esophagus, rectum, bladder and stomach by up to sixty percent

• Increased metabolism

• Strengthen immune system

• Stops thrombosis formation which is the cause for heart attacks

Caffeine content

Thoughts about the caffeine content in green tea have bothered and quite alarmed avid drinkers of the beverage. Although, there are ways to lessen the caffeine content in your green tea by adjusting yourself in the effects and observing the tolerance of your body.

Warning on green tea caffeine

• If you have a medical condition or you’re pregnant, be sure to consult your physician first before consuming the beverage.

• Drink moderately. Caffeine is not the only thing that can do negative effects when increased. Higher concentration of polyphenols can damage the kidney and liver. Don’t drink 8-10 cups of green tea a day. That can be very harmful especially if you have a low tolerance level. The more acceptable intake is at least 3-4 cups a day.

• Don’t be fooled by energy drinks made from green tea. Aside from diminished or very less antioxidants, energy drinks have high sugar content. Drinks like these have already undergone a lot of processes that may lose important nutrients upon reaching your body.

When someone mentions green tea, what comes in your mind? Antioxidants? Health benefits? Weight loss? Caffeine? There are a lot of benefits that can be taken from green tea. Although, caffeine is not really ideal for most green tea drinkers. They may have some objections or second thoughts when it comes to drinking tea because of insomnia that can be caused by green tea’s high caffeine content.

Worry not dear drinkers and advocates of green tea. There is a better way of drinking green tea without experiencing the effects of caffeine or otherwise minimizing it.

Tip # 1 – Start moderately

Fact is, a cup of green tea contains a caffeine level of about 20-70 milligrams. With this kind of caffeine in your diet, it’s assured to keep you awake from dusk till dawn if your body is not used to drinking such dosage. Best advise is to take in small doses and try to observe your reactions. Start with a cup a day, then, when things still feel normal, increase gradually. Every time you increase, always observe for adjustments in your body. If you feel uneasy and somewhat irritated, then you can decrease to the level that your body can tolerate. If you are including it in your meal, and you’re feeling more calm and contented, green tea is for you.

Tip # 2 – Get to know your tea

There are several kinds of green tea, Different kinds mean different levels of caffeine. It is stated by researchers that, the type of tea leaf used, the more caffeine it can produce. You can’t indicate caffeine levels through color. Gyokuro is highly caffeinated compared to Lapsang Souchong which is a kind of dark tea.

Tip # 3 – Brew half strength

Very good solution for caffeine intolerance. To control your intake of green tea, you can choose to purchase loose green tea to allow you to adjust the way your green tea is brewed. The normal loose green tea brewing is at least two teaspoons. You can cut off the dosage in half. If you find the effects weak, increase it bit by bit.

Tip # 4 – Drink it while it’s hot

Cathechin, the one that contains powerful antioxidants and theanine, this provides freshness and sweetness, can both decrease the level of caffeine activity of in the body. Brewing allows the molecules of catechin and theanine to combine together with caffeine in hot temperature. This will render caffeine to be less effective. If you let your hot green tea to cool off after brewing, the molecules that is bonded with caffeine will breakdown and releasing caffeine.

Tip # 5 – Avoid teabags

Compared to loose green tea leaves, green tea bags can’t give you enough nutrition thus, giving you more caffeine in the process. Quality suffers from teabags. Rather choose green tea leaves that are loose.

Tip # 6 – Be familiar with your tolerance level

Several experts would recommend the consumption of not more than 300 milligrams of caffeine daily. Green tea has been found out that it can provide a steady and gentle source of stimulation. Side-effects like headaches and nervousness may be felt.

With these tips on how to minimize the effects of caffeine contents in your green tea, you can enjoy more tea with less caffeine.

In Asia, green tea is quite popular. For many generations, the tea has already been a part of family gatherings and even their day to day lives. There are various reasons why Asian people loved to drink green tea. Aside from its excellent taste, you can also derive some health benefits from drinking green tea. Recently, medical communities and the western countries have recognized the benefits of drinking green tea. There are various reasons why individuals should drink tea and these reasons are found in this article.

The very first reason is that green tea is something different. You're probably used to drinking softdrinks, coffee, fruit juices, and other beverages. Green tea is something new that you should try out. It's not everyday that you get to encounter something unique in terms of taste and most specially, very few beverages have health benefits.

Most Americans drink coffee several times a day and since it contains a larger amount of caffeine, some people are already looking into substituting green tea instead. You will surely enjoy the tea's nutty aroma and its sweet grassy flavor. Although some studies show that green tea also has caffeine, there are now decaffeinated green tea sold in the market.

Still, if you want to go for the traditional green tea, it would help to know that the caffeine content is lesser as compared to coffee. Some people get jitters and you can avoid this by taking green tea in moderate amounts. Those who plan to stay late or those who work at night should drink green tea instead of coffee to help them stay awake.

The second reason why people should drink tea is that it contains healing properties. Because of today's advanced science, many medical experts are discovering green tea's healing properties. Green tea is mainly made up of antioxidants which can help in improving the overall health of an individual. If you lack energy to carry out the day's tasks and chores, don't forget to drink your tea because you will feel a burst of energy especially if you drink it everyday.

Healthy cells are also promoted by drinking tea. There are still other health benefits that you can take advantage. You see, if you drink green tea, you can prevent heart diseases, cancer, and other health problems. Those who often get sick should take tea in order to boost the immune system's health. People with weight problems can also take green tea instead of water and juices to reduce weight since the tea can suppress appetite. You can take it anytime you like, before meals, during, and after meals.

Are there still other reasons that you can think of? So far, there is no other beverage that can give you a lot of health benefits. If you go to the groceries, you can find different kinds of green tea preparations. It would be best if you can grow a tea plant so that you can prepare the original serving. But anyway, since people today live a busy lifestyle, they always prefer the instant - from food to their drinks. There are now bottled green tea which you can purchase and they are ready to drink. Hurry and go to the local grocery now to purchse your green tea.

If you want, you can also take supplements of green tea but before you buy any, ask your doctor first. It would also be good if you check product reviews regarding the supplements. That way, you will know which brands sell more and which are effective. Seek the doctor's advice before taking any health supplement so that your actions can be guided, most especially if you're a pregnant woman or if you have certain allergies and illnesses.

If the Asian people benefited from green tea for hundreds of years, then there's probably no reason why you shouldn't try it yourself. Medical communities are already promoting the intake of green tea, so don't be left behind. Join other people who are now discovering the health benefits of drinking tea.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It is very important to give proper attention to one's health especially in today's times. There are individuals who encounter problems with caffeine and as you know, green tea does contain caffeine. You can see a lot of advertisements on television about the positive effects of drinking the said tea but for those individuals who can't take caffeine, they should be extra careful.

It seems that despite the good things about green tea, the modern community was able to prove that it also has a negative effect. Well, before you decide whether you will continue drinking green tea or not, read on and discover some amazing facts about the intake of green tea.

Some of the harmful effects of caffeine intake in people are heart palpitations, jitters, insomnia, and many other unwanted effects. Because of this realization, manufacturers of green tea are now producing decaffeinated extracts to cater to the needs of those who can't take caffeine.

In fact, there are now supplements which are also decaffeinated. You should get this type of green tea and supplements especially if you're not allowed to take beverages with caffeine. Although the caffeine content in green tea is much less than coffee, a person who is extra sensitive to caffeine will experience the same unwanted effects by drinking the tea.

For every eight ounces of tea, the caffeine content is about forty milligrams. Are you already computing your tea intake and the caffeine that you're getting? The caffeine contents are relatively smaller in green tea and if you can can get away with it without any bad effects, you will also benefit in other health areas.

Even if green tea contains caffeine, it also contains antioxidants like polyphenols which can benefit the body. The antioxidants can help in preventing certain types of cancer, lowers the bad cholesterol in the body, and it can enhance the immune system. The health benefits are truly amazing and this may the very reason why even the ancient Chinese continued to serve green tea at home and to their guests.

The modern world enjoys advanced medical technology and so it is no longer a surprise if scientists and researchers discover the good things about green tea. More and more advanced clinical studies and lab tests are conducted to prove the tea's healing properties. If you think that the positive effects of green tea outweighs the negative, then there's no reason for you to stop taking it.

In truth and in fact, caffeine occurs in cocoa beans, tea, and coffee. Cola drinks also contain caffeine because manufacturers use it to enhance the drink's flavor. Green tea and black tea defintely has caffeine because the plant (Camellia sinensis) itself contain caffeine.

If you're afraid of the effects of caffeine, you can just purchase the decaffeinated green tea. Even if the tea no longer contains caffeine, it would still taste the same; you will still get the great 'kick' in taste when you drink it. Most of the tea's caffeine are removed in the decaf process. However, some studies show that because of the decaf process, the healing properties are ruined.

If you do have extreme problems with caffeine, then most probably you will go for the decaf green tea. For people who don't have any problems connected to caffeine, it is advisable to drink the original green tea so that you can benefit from its healing properties.

All in all, the benefits of drinking the original tea preparation outweigh the negative effects. It is up to you whether you drink the decaf green tea or the original one. There's black, green, and red tea. Green tea is obviously in the middle in terms of caffeine content. So what's it's gonna be? Decaf, original, or no tea at all?

How true is it that one disadvantage of green tea is insomnia because of its caffeine content? You may put it as a “disadvantage” but people who works on a night shift will disagree. True, green tea contains caffeine but compared to coffee and other tea, it has a lesser level but has a very incredible amount of antioxidants.

What is caffeine?

It is a kind of drug that acts as a stimuli that basically stimulates the central nervous system and the heart. A person having caffeine in his system can instantly increase his blood pressure but not having any evidence of definitive long-term effects in the blood pressure itself. Long term increase of blood pressure are still taking excessive amounts of green tea.

Caffeine content in green tea stays unless it is decaffeinated. According to studies, green tea is more likely to be higher than coffee but with preparation, a person can greatly reduce the caffeine that the body takes in. how? Through the infusion length of hot water and how many times you have used the leaves.

Surprisingly, caffeine in green tea is more beneficial than the caffeine taken from coffee. It works through the body in a slighter difference than coffee. Aside from caffeine, green tea has other constituents that work perfectly with caffeine namely vitamins, oils and tannin.

Caffeine difference

As mentioned, compared to coffee, the caffeine content in green tea can have a different approach in the human body. By its own substance, it doesn’t have to trigger increase heart rate and blood pressure unlike what caffeine can instantly do. Typically, green tea is more applicable to drink for those who wanted to lose weight but are caffeine sensitive.

Lose weight with caffeine

Base on studies, caffeine has the capacity to increase metabolism inside the body which results to helping out the body in burning excess calories. Caffeine content in green tea is undoubtedly more prominent than other beverages but you can lessen it based on the kind of green tea that you have chosen to drink. Contrary to what other people know, oxidation doesn’t have the capacity to raise the caffeine content in the body. Truth is, some studies were made and is found out that the longer the oxidation is, the lower the content of caffeine will be present.

Green tea without caffeine

For medicinal purposes, green tea is sometimes made caffeine free. Green tea that is decaffeinated has a more pleasant taste and has an impressive antioxidant activity. It is very effective in the prevention and even treatment of cancer, decreasing cholesterol levels, collagen formation, decreasing triglyceride levels and preventing arteriosclerosis.

Therefore, with caffeine present in green tea, it can decrease the metabolic processes going significantly inside our body but not having any effect on blood pressure and heart rate.

Caffeine content

Compared to the caffeine found in black tea, green tea is only composed by the half of it. And compared to coffee, green tea only has quarter amounts thus, making it the perfect beverage you can include in your meals. But there are precautions that should be followed. One which is the moderate amount of green tea that should be consumed within a day. It should only be at least 4 cups. More than that will generate negative reactions that is felt inside the body.

The introduction of decaffeinated supplementary green tea, benefits were further provided ruling out any unwanted effects.

For starters, all tea came from the same botanical source and that is camellia sinesis, but the difference is on the processing of the tea leaves, giving each and every type of tea its distinctive aroma, taste and even color, and also its properties. Green tea is steamed and dried thus maintaining its color, chemical properties and natural taste while other types of tea are fermented. Studies proved that green tea had a lighter flavor and aroma compared to that of black tea, which makes all the beneficial chemicals intact, putting greatness to your enjoyable cup of green tea.

How to make a cup of green tea

• Brewing green tea is similar with other tea. Whether it is bagged or loose green tea. It is important to remember not to use boiling water. Brewing with water that’s just about to reach its boiling point is the right temperature; this is for the reason that green tea is more delicate than other tea.

• The best tasting green tea is brewed under one minute and let it steep for a short period of time, it is recommended not to prepare it with boiling water and longer time of steeping because it will make the tea bitter to the taste.

• However increased level of polyphenols in green tea is directly proportional with water temperature and time of steeping. It means that the longer time it was brewed under boiling water and the longer it is steeped means a greater concentration of polyphenols on every cup of green tea making it more potent than that of shorter time to brew and steeped. Polyphenols are the anti oxidants found in green tea which contributes to the green teas’ medicinal properties.

Suggestions on how to boost antioxidant concentration of your green tea:

• Temperature- studies proved that with the use of boiling water more of the polyphenols, the anti oxidants on green tea is extracted from the tea leaves. The higher the temperature used for brewing tea leaves the greater is the concentration of polyphenols to be found, thus making a more effective tea against diseases and illness.

• Steeping time- in order to attain more of the goodness in a cup of tea, longer steeping time is advised. Longer steeping time allows more polyphenol presence. Tea should be steeped 2 to 5 minutes to allow more polyphenol to emerge. Shorter steeping time means less or the polyphenol and greater caffeine content in your tea.

• Size of tea leaves- the smaller the leaf is, the better, even in size, green tea has proven the power of small things to create wonder. Studies have shown that small loose green tea leaves infuses quickly compared to that of tightly curled and large tea leaf which requires more or longer infusion time.

• Loose leaf versus Tea bags- it is more preferable to use leaves compared to tea bags. By simply allowing the green tea leaves to float on the water more of the polyphenol are being extracted while in order for tea bags to produce this anti oxidant, the tea bags must be continuously dunked in the tea pot.

To this day, green tea has already proved to help cure and protect people against a lot of health problems. In order to attain optimum protection against illness proper nutrition, healthy lifestyle plus a cup of your favorite green tea will do the job.