Greens: Green Tea

Green Tea

For the Newbies, Greens is a new column on Topmost Blog,  just to spice things up and discuss on topics other than Christian News & Inspirational Messages. Natural fruits, vegetables & green smoothies are good for you. You can check out the first post HERE

Today's Topic is Green Tea. We’ve all been told that green tea is good for us, but there are still some non-believers out there. Green tea is the healthiest beverage on the planet, it's made from Camellia sinensis leaves that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process used to make oolong and black tea. Green tea originated in China, but its production has spread to many countries in Asia, it's a smart swap for sugary drinks.

The main green tea nutrients are polyphenols (catechins), caffeine (called theine), tannin (flavonols), theophylline, theobromine, fat, wax, saponins, essential oils, carotene, vitamin C, vitamins A, B1, B12, K and P, flouride, iron, magnesium, calcium, strontium, copper, nickel, zinc, and trace of elements such as molybdenum and phosphorus. There are over 450 organic substances in this tea.

The nutritional value of green tea is very high – the most vital of all ingredients is the antioxidant known as polyphenol. Green tea is rich in catechin polyphenols. Catechins are the major group of polyphenols in green tea and the most active catechins are called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Other catheins compounds are: catechin, gallaogatechin (GC), epicatehcin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECg). EGCG is a powerful antioxidant that helps in slowing down the aging process.

Benefits of Green Tea are:

• Green Tea contains bioactive compounds that improve health. It is loaded with polyphenols like flavonoids and catechins, which function as powerful antioxidants.
• Compounds in green tea can improve brain function and make you smarter. Green tea does more than just keep you awake, it can also make you smarter
• Green tea increases fat burning and can help you lose weight
• Green tea has been shown to improve blood flow and lower cholesterol. 
• Green tea is known to aid healthy cells in all stages of growth

But perhaps the biggest benefit, which you get right away, is just taking a tea break. Here’s how to make your next cup:

Don't add green tea to boiling water. It's bad for catechins, those healthy chemicals, in the tea. Better: 160-170 degree water.

Don’t leave the bag or leaves in too long, or you’ll have too much catechin in the water. Between two or three minutes is ideal.

Add lemon. Vitamin C makes the catechins easier to absorb. Dairy, on the other hand, makes it harder to absorb them.

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Nutrient levels in green tea can vary. Pricier teas usually have more, and canned green-tea drinks generally have less.

Sip your tea.  Enjoy!

N.B. Always check the most vital of all ingredients in green tea known as catechin polyphenols before you purchase one.

Evan. Tee Jay

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