 GREEN TEA
Botanical name: Camellia sinensis
Common name: Chinese tea plant.
True 'teas' are made from the dried leaves of the Camellia sinensis, the tea plant, which was first cultivated in China and found growing wild in India. Chinese monks and European
traders introduced it to Japan, Sri Lanka and other countries. Today there are more than 3000 varieties of tea, each having its own distinct character and named for the district in which it is
grown. Green tea is produced by steaming fresh-picked leaves before heat-drying. Green tea has a more delicate taste and is pale green to golden in color. All teas in our catalog are kosher certified.
The Miracle of Green Tea
"Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one." (Ancient Chinese Proverb)
Is any other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits as green tea? The Chinese have known
about the medicinal benefits of fresh green tea for at least 4,000 years, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression.
Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long
associated with drinking fresh green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking
green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent.
University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of
cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.
To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking fresh green tea is reputed to be helpful:
cancer
rheumatoid arthritis
high cholesterol levels
cariovascular disease
infection
impaired immune function
The secret of fresh green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin
gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer
cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and
inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider
that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.
Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the "French Paradox." For years,
researchers were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains
resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet. In a 1997 study,
researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately
seventy-five percent are smokers.
Why don't other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come
from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green
tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other
compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases. However, the high level of EGCG starts to break down within eight months of harvest; therefore, green tea
should always come from the current seasons harvest. ChinaDirect guarantees that all Green and Jasmine tea is direct from the plantation and
from the current seasons harvest. There is no warehousing of our teas.
Other Benefits
New evidence is emerging that green tea can even help dieters. In November, 1999, the American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers
found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.
Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay! Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food
poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque. Meanwhile, skin preparations containing green tea - from deodorants to creams - are starting to appear on the market.
Harmful Effects?
To date, the only negative side effect reported from drinking green tea is insomnia due to the fact that it
contains caffeine. However, green tea contains less caffeine than coffee: there are approximately thirty to
sixty mg. of caffeine in six - eight ounces of tea, compared to over one-hundred mg. in eight ounces of coffee
How to Brew a Cup of Green Tea
Producing the perfect cup of green tea is a tricky process. If not handled properly, those same polyphenols
that provide health benefits can ruin the flavor, making the tea taste "gassy." It's particularly important not to
overbrew. While it's best to follow the manufacturer's instructions for each variety of green tea, here are some general instructions:
Use one tea bag, or 2 - 4 grams of tea,* per cup.
Fill a kettle with cold water and bring to a boil.
After unplugging the kettle, allow it to stand for up to 3 minutes.
Pour the heated water over the tea bag or tea, and allow it to steep for up to 3 minutes. If using a tea bag, remove the bag.
Allow the tea to cool for three more minutes.
*One to two teaspoons, depending on the variety of green tea you are brewing.What makes green tea so special? Back to Top
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Price: USD $35.00 [800g]
Plus Registered Post direct from China $9.90
PACKAGING: 800gram (28.2oz) per bag
What Is Green Tea?
Description
Green tea is the second-most consumed beverage in the world (water is the first) and has been used
medicinally for centuries in India and China. A number of beneficial health effects are attributed to regular
consumption of green tea and dried/powdered extracts of green tea are available as dietary supplements
Green tea is prepared by picking, lightly steaming and allowing the leaves to dry. Black tea, the most popular
type of tea in the U.S., is made by allowing the leaves to ferment before drying. Due to differences in the
fermentation process, a portion of the active compounds are destroyed in black tea, but remain active in green tea. The active constituents in green tea are a family of polyphenols (catechins) and flavonols which possess potent antioxidant activity. Tannins, large polyphenol molecules, form the bulk of the active
compounds in green tea, with catechins comprising nearly 90%. Several catechins are present in significant quantities; epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin
gallate (EGCG). EGCG makes up about 10-50% of the total catechin content and appears to be the most
powerful of the catechins – with antioxidant activity about 25-100 times more potent than vitamins C and E.
A cup of green tea may provide 10-40mg of polyphenols and has antioxidant activity greater than a serving
of broccoli, spinach, carrots or strawberries. A number of commercial green tea extracts are standardized to total polyphenol content and/or EGCG content.
Claims
Anti-atherogenic / Reduces cholesterol & triglycerides
Reduces blood clotting
Enhances immune function
Enhances weight loss
Anti-cancer
Theory
Because the active compounds, the catechins, found in green tea are known to possess potent antioxidant
activity, they may provide beneficial health effects by protecting the body from the damaging effects of oxidative damage from free radicals. A number of chronic disease states have been associated with free
radical induced oxidative damage, including cancer, heart disease, suppressed immune function and accelerated aging.
Scientific Support
Although numerous laboratory investigations have shown the powerful antioxidant activity of green tea and
green tea extracts, prospective clinical studies in humans are few. From the laboratory findings, it is clear
that green tea is an effective antioxidant, that is provides clear protection from experimentally induced DNA
damage and that it can slow or halt the initiation and progression of cancerous tumor growth. There is also
evidence from some studies that green tea provides significant immunoprotective qualities, particularly in
the case of cancer patients undergoing radiation or chemotherapy. White blood cell count appears to be maintained more effectively in cancer patients consuming green tea compared to non-supplemented patients
Several epidemiological studies show an association between consumption of total flavonoids in the diet
and the risk for cancer and heart disease. Men with the highest consumption of flavonoids (from fruits and
vegetables) have approximately half the risk of heart disease and cancer compared with those with the
lowest intake. The primary catechin in green tea, EGCG, appears to inhibit the growth of cancer cells as well
as play a role in stimulating apoptosis (programmed cell death), both of which are crucial aspects for cancer prevention.
In terms of heart disease protection, the potent antioxidant properties of
polyphenols would be expected to reduce free radical damage to cells and prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol – both of which would be
expected to inhibit the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.
Aside from the clear benefits of green tea as an antioxidant, recent studies have suggested a role catechins
in promoting weight loss. In one animal study, the anti-obesity effect of green tea was evaluated by feeding
different levels of green tea (1-4% in their diets) to female mice for 4 months. The study found that the mice
receiving the green tea in their diets had a significant suppression of food intake, body weight gain and fat
tissue accumulation. In addition, levels of cholesterol and triglycerides were lower in mice receiving the
green tea diet. Perhaps the most interesting finding from this study was that Leptin levels in serum showed a
decrease with green tea treatments – indicating that green tea may have a direct effect on the regulation of body weight (downward).
In some studies, green tea is associated with a mild increase in thermogenesis (increased caloric
expenditure) – which is generally attributed to its caffeine content. At least one study has shown that green
tea extract stimulates thermogenesis to an extent that is much greater than can be attributed to its caffeine
content per se – meaning that the thermogenic properties of green tea may be due to an interaction between its high content of catechin-polyphenols along with caffeine. A probable theory for the thermogenic effect of
green tea is an increase in levels of norepinephrine – because catechin-polyphenols are known to inhibit
catechol-O-methyl-transferase (the enzyme that degrades norepinephrine). One study examined this theory,
and the effect of green tea extract on 24-hour energy expenditure, in 10 healthy men – who each consumed
3 treatments of green tea extract (50mg caffeine and 90mg epigallocatechin gallate), caffeine (50 mg), and
placebo (at breakfast, lunch, and dinner). The results of the study showed that, relative to placebo, the green
tea extract resulted in a significant (4%) increase in 24-hour energy expenditure (approximately 80 calories
per day) and a significant increase in the body's use of fat as an energy source (24-h Respiratory Quotient).
In addition, the 24-hour urinary norepinephrine excretion was 40% higher during treatment with the green tea
extract than with the placebo. It is interesting to note that treatment with caffeine in amounts equivalent to
those found in the green tea extract (50mg) had no effect on energy expenditure of fat oxidation – suggesting
that the thermogenic properties of green tea it due to compounds other than its caffeine content alone.
Safety
Green tea consumption of as much as 20 cups per day has not been associated with any significant side effects. In high doses, teas that contain caffeine may lead to restlessness, insomnia, and tachycardia.
Decaffeinated versions of green tea and green tea extracts are available – but due to differences in caffeine
extraction methods, the amounts of phenolic/catechin compounds can vary between extracts. Be sure to
choose an extract that is decaffeinated as well as standardized for total polyphenol content and/or catechin
concentrations. In addition, individuals taking aspirin or other anticoagulant medications (including vitamin E
and ginkgo biloba) on a daily basis should be aware of the possible inhibition of platelet aggregation (blood clotting) associated with green tea (in some cases, green tea may prolong bleeding times).
Value
Especially beneficial to individuals at high risk for cancer (e.g. family history) or those undergoing
chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Also beneficial as a general protective measure and dietary
"insurance" of adequate polyphenol intake. Recent data provides strong evidence that green tea may be
effective in stimulating thermogenesis, increasing caloric expenditure, promoting fat oxidation and controlling body weight.
Dosage
Typical dosage recommendations are for 125-500mg/day – preferably of an extract standardized to at least 60% polyphenols and/or EGCG as a marker compound (this should be equivalent to 4-10 cups of brewed
green tea).Back to Top
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Green tea extract testimonial:
"My dentist couldn't believe how much my gums and teeth had improved! He was so impressed he ordered some
Green Tea for himself."
Sarah B., KansasPrice: USD $35.00 [800g]
Plus Registered Post direct from China $21.50
PACKAGING: 800gram (28.2oz) per bag |
