The Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea cures cancer, makes you look younger, and sets the mind in motion. Only one of those things is certain, but the other are accepted folklore. There is much reality to the first two claims, but they are exaggerations. Green tea does not cure cancer, but the antioxidants in green tea help your immune system neutralize the toxins, free radicals, that are known to cause cancer. It’s these same antioxidants that help you to look younger. The Japanese are said to drink about 6-10 cups of green tea a day to receive these health benefits. So that is the price. If you’ve got no love for the flavor of green tea, you are not alone. You are in eminent company. I found it to be bitter at first. But just like anything else, you learn to love the taste of it. Don’t let the taste of something stop you from living a more healthy life.

There are different kinds of teas, but all teas are from the same plant. Camellia sinensis. The main difference between black, white, and green teas arises from the processing methods. White tea is the least processed. Green teas receive very light processing. While black teas are very heavily processed in order to develop the strong flavor. Unprocessed tea leaves have very little caffeine. It is the oxidization that makes the tea caffeinated. A cup of green or white tea has about a third of caffeine as a cup of black tea. Black teas are also very harsh on the stomach and provide only a fraction of the antioxidant benefits.

The Chinese invented tea. They are still making the best teas today. Seasonal varieties of white and green tea such as the Star of China Tea, which is hand woven into delicate stars to represent the communist flag of china, and which was originally used only for affairs of state, sell for upwards of two hundred dollars per pound. There are many kinds of woven teas, which are often woven with the flowers of other plants to enhance the flavor of the tea. These teas are delicious and are beautiful to watch unfold. Serve this to your mother in law and you get big brownie points. If you’re interested in teas visit dragonwater.com for excellent variety and service.