Green tea is made from the common tea plant, or Camellia sinensis.
The difference between various types of teas is the preparation methods used.
While black and some other teas allow some type of fermentation of the leaves depending on how much they are crushed and allowed to dry, green tea leaves are not pressed or rolled and are allowed to dry naturally, foregoing the fermentation which is standard with the darker teas.
Other types of "teas" on the market likely contain no tea, and refer to tea being a brewed beverage rather than containing leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.
Different types of teas contain different types of antioxidant combinations.
They contain several types of flavonoid catechins, which have been determined to be protective against an assortment of cancers and keep blood vessels in good shape.
Green tea contains caffeine as well, but the effects of caffeine in tea are blunted by L-Thenanine, which itself can be purchased as a supplement that promotes relaxation.
You can buy decaffeinated tea, but at least try the regular one first and you may be pleasantly surprised that the caffeine in tea does not have the same effects as that in coffee.
Green tea has been positively implicated in a host of health issues.
Research has been done linking it to reductions in breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers.
Apparently it blocks the growth of new blood vessels that feed blood to cancerous tumors.
This process is called angiogenesis.
Both green and black teas drank every day have been shown to lower the risk of ovarian cancer.
The catechins that take the credit for stopping ovarian cancer are EGCG, or Epigallocatechin gallate.
The growth of prostate cancer cells are also stopped by the catechins contained in it.
The substances in it reduce the inflammation that is common to causing artery and blood vessel damage.
They have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol after a few weeks of consumption.
Blood vessel health is improved by it and blood pressure has also been reduced by extracts.
Diabetes is kept in check by catechins in tea which improve the body's ability to control blood sugar.
The healthful effects that the drink has on blood vessels are also of benefit to diabetics.
Catechins also help the body burn more fat during exercise.
The key is to drink the green tea before the workout so that they are in the system during the exercise session.
Leaves should be steeped in hot water from three to five minutes.
Loose tea is usually of higher quality than bagged tea, but if you choose this type then you have to have equipment to strain the leaves from the tea.
These range from mesh tea balls to strainers.
Some pots come with cleaver ceramic tea leaf holders that allow the hot water to pass through the tea chamber.
Green tea extract can be purchased if you do not wish to drink it.
Leaves are edible and there are recipes that include tea leaves.
These recipes are easily found in an Internet search.
The only known warning about consumption involves it interacting with some forms of chemotherapy, so check with your doctor if such a scenario is a risk for you.
The difference between various types of teas is the preparation methods used.
While black and some other teas allow some type of fermentation of the leaves depending on how much they are crushed and allowed to dry, green tea leaves are not pressed or rolled and are allowed to dry naturally, foregoing the fermentation which is standard with the darker teas.
Other types of "teas" on the market likely contain no tea, and refer to tea being a brewed beverage rather than containing leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.
Different types of teas contain different types of antioxidant combinations.
They contain several types of flavonoid catechins, which have been determined to be protective against an assortment of cancers and keep blood vessels in good shape.
Green tea contains caffeine as well, but the effects of caffeine in tea are blunted by L-Thenanine, which itself can be purchased as a supplement that promotes relaxation.
You can buy decaffeinated tea, but at least try the regular one first and you may be pleasantly surprised that the caffeine in tea does not have the same effects as that in coffee.
Green tea has been positively implicated in a host of health issues.
Research has been done linking it to reductions in breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers.
Apparently it blocks the growth of new blood vessels that feed blood to cancerous tumors.
This process is called angiogenesis.
Both green and black teas drank every day have been shown to lower the risk of ovarian cancer.
The catechins that take the credit for stopping ovarian cancer are EGCG, or Epigallocatechin gallate.
The growth of prostate cancer cells are also stopped by the catechins contained in it.
The substances in it reduce the inflammation that is common to causing artery and blood vessel damage.
They have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol after a few weeks of consumption.
Blood vessel health is improved by it and blood pressure has also been reduced by extracts.
Diabetes is kept in check by catechins in tea which improve the body's ability to control blood sugar.
The healthful effects that the drink has on blood vessels are also of benefit to diabetics.
Catechins also help the body burn more fat during exercise.
The key is to drink the green tea before the workout so that they are in the system during the exercise session.
Leaves should be steeped in hot water from three to five minutes.
Loose tea is usually of higher quality than bagged tea, but if you choose this type then you have to have equipment to strain the leaves from the tea.
These range from mesh tea balls to strainers.
Some pots come with cleaver ceramic tea leaf holders that allow the hot water to pass through the tea chamber.
Green tea extract can be purchased if you do not wish to drink it.
Leaves are edible and there are recipes that include tea leaves.
These recipes are easily found in an Internet search.
The only known warning about consumption involves it interacting with some forms of chemotherapy, so check with your doctor if such a scenario is a risk for you.