The Green Tea Health Benefits

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Green tea may help reduce inflammation associated with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the two types of IBD. If green tea proves to be helpful for preventing colon cancer, this would be an added benefit for those with IBD because they are at risk for colon cancer.

Diabetes

Green tea has been used traditionally to control blood sugar in the body. Animal studies suggest that green tea may help prevent the development of type 1 diabetes and slow the progression once it has developed. People with type 1 diabetes produce little or no insulin, a hormone that converts glucose (sugar), starches, and other foods into energy needed for daily life. Green tea may help regulate glucose in the body.

A few small clinical studies have found that daily supplementation of the diet with green tea-extract powder lowered the hemoglobin A1c level in individuals with borderline diabetes.

Liver Disease

Population-based clinical studies have shown that men who drink more than 10 cups of green tea per day are less likely to develop disorders of the liver. Green tea also seems to protect the liver from the damaging effects of toxic substances such as alcohol. Animal studies have shown that green tea helps protect against the development of liver tumors in mice.

Results from several animal and human studies suggest that one of the polyphenols present in green tea, known as catechin, may help treat viral hepatitis (inflammation of the liver from a virus). In these studies, catechin was isolated from green tea and used in very high concentrations. It is not clear whether green tea (which contains a lower concentration of catechins) confers these same benefits to people with hepatitis.

Weight Loss

Clinical studies suggest that green tea extract may boost metabolism and help burn fat. One study confirmed that the combination of green tea and caffeine improved weight loss and maintenance in overweight and moderately obese individuals. Some researchers speculate that substances in green tea known as polyphenols, specifically the catechins, are responsible for the herb's fat-burning effect.

Other Uses

Drinking Chinese tea has been found effective in a small clinical study for dental caries, or tooth decay. More studies need to be performed. Green tea may also be useful in inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis. Research indicates that green tea may benefit arthritis by reducing inflammation and slowing cartilage breakdown. Chemicals found in green tea may also be effective in treating genital warts and preventing symptoms of colds and influenza.

 You can find a great selection of green tea by clicking here.


(Article reprinted from articlesbase.com.)

Coffee -- Everything You Need to Know From Arabica to Zanzibar

Whether you order a cup a "joe", some hot "java" or a caffe macchiato, the primary ingredient remains the coffee bean. Coffee begins on a tree in a warm climate where rainfall is about 50 inches a year, the soil is well drained and preferably volcanic (this is why Hawaiian Kona coffee is so highly prized). The fruit of the coffee plant is called a "cherry" and is appropriately red in color. The heart of the cherry, generally two beans, is separated from the husk by hand and then air and sun dried. Separating the bean from its outer husk, called "hulling" is done either mechanically or by hand. These green beans, as they are now known, have a shelf life of about two years.

The mythical story on the discovery of coffee and its use by human beings, involves an Ethiopian goatherd named Kaldi. Kaldi watched in awe and amusement as his flock behaved very strangely each time they ate the bright red fruit from a special plant. He tried the berries and found himself suddenly alert and full of energy. The following day Kaldi reported his experience to a Muslim holy man at a nearby monastery who later gathered some berries which he found to have a bitter taste. Hoping to improve their flavor he roasted them in a fire, crushed them with a stone and boiled them in water. Almost immediately after trying his new concoction, his brain became more active and he was able to stay awake all night without being tired in the morning. News of this miracle berry drink spread rapidly throughout the Middle East and by the 16th century, European travelers were praising the drink in their journals. The secret was out!

Most gourmet coffee is produced from Arabica beans which results in a coffee rich and full, providing an intense and fulfilling taste experience. Unlike Robusa coffee, which is considered inferior in taste, aroma and body, Arabica beans grow at higher elevations which means that they take longer to mature thus allowing the beans to produce more of the oils which give coffee its remarkable flavor. With tastes including caramel, chocolate, nutty, earthy, spicy or even floral, gourmet coffee has something for nearly every palate.

It is the roasting process, however, correctly described as both an art and a science, that is essential to the outcome of any coffee. Roasting gives coffee beans their characteristic dark color and intense aroma. The heat cracks the beans, releasing the rich oils hidden inside. Roast at a temperature that is too low, and the bean becomes sour. Roast at too high a temperature and the bean is burnt with a the taste of wood ash. The darker roasts produce the espressos, while the lighter roasts yield the more mellow morning coffees.

Grinding the coffee, another critical phase in preparing the "perfect" cup, should be done at the last possible moment, just before brewing. Utensils should be clean and the water cold and untreated. A good rule of thumb is a ratio of about one tablespoon of ground coffee to every six ounces of water. Of course individual tastes vary, so adjust accordingly.

The Internet is a tremendous source for the refined drinker of gourmet coffee. In addition to buying the world's greatest beans online, there is easy access to the miscellaneous accessories necessary to prepare the ideal beverage. Coffee can be both a food and a pleasure and with a little online help the perfect ingredients can be easily gathered.

P.S. In Italy, espresso is considered so essential to daily life that the price is regulated by the government.






(Article reprinted from articlesfactory.com)

Why We Pay Any Price for a Good Cup of Coffee

What is the appeal of the coffee shop? What makes people go to coffee shops everyday? Why do people pay the outrageous amounts of money for a cup coffee they can just as well make at home?

Simply enough, it's because people just love coffee! They love the taste and the smell of the hot liquid craved by so many. It's that "eye-opening" sensation you get from that first cup of coffee of the day. Of course, everyone has a favorite so the tastes and smells of the coffees and blends will vary from person to person. But from the first sip to the last, people love coffee. Some might argue that it's the stimulating affect of the caffeine of the coffee bean that keeps them coming back again and again; however, those who drink decaf still can't seem to get enough either!

Another reason people love coffee is the social factor: people love people! A coffee shop is a great place to meet people and socialize. You walk in for a cup of coffee in the morning and your chances of running into someone you know are very high. Who's not happy after they their first cup of coffee?

A coffee shop is a great place to have a business meeting. You could meet either for breakfast, lunch or after work and it's not as formal as the boardroom. A coffee shop is also very convenient for college students. Most coffee ships are open around the clock; there's always one on campus (or just around the block). And who doesn't need the caffeine to keep the creative fires burning!

Coffee beans and blends and other coffee condiments make great gifts. Different coffee types and accessories can put a smile on a gift recipient's face.

For many people, stopping at the coffee shop is just part of the morning ritual they couldn't do without - almost like putting on socks. It is a quiet time to relax before starting the day, a time to stop and read the paper, think about plans for the day, or make a few decisions. Life is busy and hectic, and time for a coffee is time to relax and unwind or to get charged up for the day ahead.

Other than the love of coffee, the socializing and the rituals, going to a coffee shop is just plain easier than making the coffee at home. You don't have to worry about grinding the beans or working the coffee maker. You don't have to wait for the coffee to be ready. You don't have to clean up. All you have to do is walk in off the street, place your order, and in minutes you have a great tasting cup of coffee just like you wanted. What could be better?

You can order some great coffee here.

(Article reprinted from articlecircle.com.)

The Metabolics of Chinese Tea

Chinese Tea Comes In Many Forms

You will learn many things about tea as you read this article. One of the things you will learn is that there are several ways to buy Chinese tea. You can buy tea from a tea shop (there are shops all over the country these days); you can purchase tea over the Internet; and you can buy tea in grocery stores, convenience stores, and even pharmacies.

That’s not to mention every place you can get tea already brewed for you. Every dining establishment, from a five-star restaurant to a roadside diner and even the ubiquitous coffee shop, serves tea, both hot and cold. When you are buying Chinese tea to brew at home, you can get it in two forms: loose leaf tea or tea bags.

You are probably most familiar with tea bags. This is known as commercial grade tea, and it is made of dust and fannings, the by products of the tea-making process. Dust is the tiniest particles of tea, and fannings are broken tea leaves one grade larger than dust. Here’s the first thing you need to know about tea bags: You get the same health and weight-loss benefits from tea whether you brew it from dried loose tea leaves or from a paper tea bag, as long as it is white, green, oolong, or black tea. The second thing you need to know is that a paper tea bag is meant to be used only once (you will understand why that is important as you read on in this chapter). The flavor you get from a tea bag may not be as rich as the flavor from loose leaf teas, but the only way you will know which you like best is to do a taste test.

Loose leaf tea is just what it sounds like: tea that comes not in a bag, but as full or cut tea leaves. These are leaves and buds that are harvested and processed as explained above, and usually sold by weight. Because you are getting more surface area from loose tea than you get from dust and fannings, you usually get a richer flavor.

Oolong Tea

The Oolong tea protects the heart by helping to lower blood pressure. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the most common form of heart disease, and is a major risk factor for heart-related death. A study of Chinese tea drinkers published in 2004 showed that drinking as little as a half-cup of green or oolong tea per day may lower the risk of high blood pressure by nearly 50 percent.

Researchers found that men and women who drank tea on a daily basis for at least a year were much less likely to develop hypertension than those who didn’t, and the more tea they drank, the bigger the benefits. Those who drank at least a half-cup of moderate strength green or oolong tea per day for a year had a 46-percent lower risk of developing hypertension than those who didn’t drink tea. Among those who drank more than two and a half cups of tea per day, the risk of high blood pressure was reduced by 65 percent.The evidence that tea helps prevent cancer is overwhelming.

Since the 1990s, hundreds of studies have been performed showing that Oolong tea can inhibit the formation of tumors, and slow the growth of those already formed. In 1997, researchers at the University of Kansas discovered that the antioxidant power of EGCG is about 100 times greater than vitamin C and twenty-five times greater than vitamin E in protecting DNA from the kind of free radical damage that is thought to increase the risk of cancer. Researchers also found that EGCG is able to signal cancer cells to stop reproducing by promoting apoptosis, a normal cellular process leading to the death of a cell—without harming any healthy cells. One study out of Purdue University in 1998 found that an enzyme called quinol oxidase, or NOX, is necessary for the growth of both normal and cancerous cells. The overactive form of NOX is known as tNOX, for tumor-associated NOX. In test tubes, using purified NOX protein solutions, researchers found that low doses of EGCG—such as those that could be consumed by drinking several cups of tea a day—were capable of inhibiting the activity of the tNOX cells but did not inhibit the NOX activity of healthy cells.

You can find a great selection of tea by clicking here.

(Article reprinted from articlesbase.com.)

Tea Versus Coffee - An Introduction

Tea. Coffee. Both are staples of our morning routine. But which one is better for you? Which one will help you make it through the daily grind? These and other questions will be examined here.

This particular blog will also show you where to find good tea and coffee that you can download right to your mug! When that's invented, of course. In the meantime, we'll check out some online stores that offer coffee and tea and post our recommendations.

Thanks for checking out our Tea Versus Coffee blog!