Green tea is tea that has been dried out quickly
to stop it from oxidising and turning black. The
best green teas, like sencha, are steamed to break
down the cell structure of the leaves and let the
moisture out gently; cheaper green teas are dried
by being heated in pans. Green tea has about one
third of the caffeine of black tea, and significantly
greater quantities of various antioxidants; oolong
tea lies in between the two on both counts. The
taste of green tea bears little resemblance to that
of black tea, although it does share a little of
its astringency and just a hint of bitterness. The
experience of drinking green tea is dominated more
by the aroma than by its effect on the taste buds
- good green tea has a fresh, leafy, grassy aroma.
Teas like gunpowder green have overtones of smoke
in their aroma, while Japanese teas like sencha
often carry a hint of sea air.

Green and black teas are the same plant processed
in a different way. This difference in processing
results in more of the polyphenols being destroyed
in the black teas. Green teas therefore seem to
have more of the beneficial effects mentioned, but
black teas still retain some of the benefits.
In a study reported on in the American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition, it was found that green tea
extract resulted in a significant increase in energy
expenditure (a measure of metabolism), plus also
had a significant effect on fat oxidation. One way
would be to choose a reputable brand of organic
green tea at a health food store or natural grocery,
and start by taking a cup of tea every day. You
can also take a green tea extract, in the form of

What
does Green Tea do?

Inhibits and Lowers blood cholesterol
Kills bacteria (Including harmful intestinal bacteria)

Kills Influenza
Inhibits increase of blood sugar and blood pressure

Protects cells against radiation damage (Hyronalin
Be Damned!)
Slows (and may prevent) tumor development and growth

Can aid in the prevention of Skin Cancer
Aids in Fertility
Increases metabloism

Suggested
Use
250 to 500 mg EGCG content daily, or as desired. Usage
ranges from 250 mg to 2.5 g per day of EGCG content
in studies reporting significant results.
That's just the tip of the iceberg, however. Green
Tea contains Vitamin C which reduces stress, and
helps to prevent and fight the flu. It has Vitamin
B Complex which assists the carbohydrate metabolism,
Flavonoids in general to strengthen blood vessel
walls, Fluoride to help prevent cavities, and Vitamin
E to help reduce and possibly reverse the effects
of aging. Green tea has also been shown to lower
intestinal fat absorption, protect the brain from
oxidative stress, enhance memory and brain function
by raising the levels of serotonin and/or dopamine
in certain brain regions, the hypothalamus, hippocampus
and striatum in particular. Green Tea also assists
in detoxification to help to keep the kidneys healthy,
and can aid in treating constipation. Green Tea
polyphenols also inhibit the growth and adherence
of oral bacteria, resulting in a dramitic decrease
in plaque and bad breath. Recent studies have also
found that Green Tea may even inhibit the replication
of HIV and other viruses.
Although many people enjoy it straight away, and
others grow to love it, the vegetative flavour of
standard green tea is not to everyone's taste; for
those who don't much like it, and indeed those who
do, several variants are worth exploring. Hojicha
is green tea which has been roasted to bring out
a delicious toasty flavour with a hint of caramel;
it has quite a bit less caffeine than sencha. Kukicha
is quite similar, being made with the roasted twigs
of the tea plant; it has even less caffeine, and
a slightly sweeter, earthier flavour. Green tea
is also available flavoured with mint, various fruits,
jasmine flowers, or roasted rice. Green tea with
roasted rice is what the Japanese call genmai-cha
and the Koreans call hyun-mi-nok-cha; its taste
is dominated by the savoury, toasted flavour of
rice tea. Oolong tea - tea which has been only partially
oxidised, making it a close relative of green tea
- has many of the same health benefits, and a completely
different taste without the leafiness of green tea;
if you like the sound of green tea, oolong is certainly
worth a try too.
Tea may enhance Fertility
Although previous research has suggested that women
who drink coffee and other caffeinated beverages
regularly may experience fertility problems, a new
study did not find that coffee drinking had a significant
effect on fertility.
But researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Medical
Care Program of Northern California in Oakland were
surprised to note that women who drink more than
one-half cup of caffeinated tea every day may actually
increase their odds of conceiving, according to
findings published in the American Journal of Public
Health
The study of 210 women who were trying to conceive
found that those who drank as little as half a cup
of caffeinated tea each day were twice as likely
to become pregnant as women who did not drink tea.
Polyphenolic compounds in tea may promote fertility
by inhibiting chromosomal abnormalities, thereby
decreasing the number of nonviable embryos, suggested
the researchers, led by Bette Caan, Dr.P.H.
And hypoxanthine, another chemical in tea, might
be the primary component of follicular fluid contributing
to maturation and fertilizability of oocytes.
On the other hand, tea drinking may simply be a
marker for a healthier lifestyle that would enhance
fertility, Dr. Caan noted. Women who drink tea typically
eat less fat, exercise and smoke less than do coffee
drinkers, she said.
However, "there may still be a [negative]
relationship between caffeine and pregnancy, so
that women should still be cautious about the amount
of caffeinated beverages they consume during pregnancy,"
said Dr. Caan, a senior investigator at Kaiser Permanente.
All the women reported their caffeine consumption
and pregnancy status monthly and were followed for
12 months or until they became pregnant. The positive
effects of tea drinking were only observed in the
first three cycles.
However, Green Tea is available in decaf as well.