tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948816397620270756.post8600646088119969855..comments2023-12-04T07:52:16.028-08:00Comments on KARAKALPAKSTAN BLOG: CHAIKHANAS (TEAHOUSES) OF UZBEKISTANVance Painterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13211389044326396600noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948816397620270756.post-78764245272171083692010-04-16T00:14:30.747-07:002010-04-16T00:14:30.747-07:00WHY GREEN TEA IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH
The Chinese...WHY GREEN TEA IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH<br /><br />The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea for at least 4,000 years, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression. <br /><br />In 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. <br /><br />University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. <br /><br />There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.<br /><br />To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:<br /><br />The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. <br /><br />It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.<br /><br />Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the "French Paradox." For years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat and heavy smoking the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. <br /><br />The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet. In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.<br /><br />Other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases. <br /><br />Other Benefits<br /><br />New evidence is emerging that green tea can even help dieters. In November, 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.<br /><br />Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay! Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque. Meanwhile, skin preparations containing green tea from deodorants to creams - are starting to appear on the market.<br /><br />To date, the only negative side effect reported from drinking green tea is insomnia due to the fact that it contains caffeine. However it is a lot less than other similiar beverages. The caffeine content of a cup of green tea depends greatly on the type of tea and how it is prepared. Sources quote anywhere from 15 to 30 mg of caffeine in a cup of green tea. Regular tea contains between 30 and 60 mg. A can of Coke contains 34 mg. Instant coffee contains between 65 and 100 mg. Drip filtered coffee can contain up to 200 mg.Vance Painterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13211389044326396600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3948816397620270756.post-32365314401079151282010-04-15T04:33:34.615-07:002010-04-15T04:33:34.615-07:00The 3rd Tea Science Symposium: Focused Mind and He...The 3rd Tea Science Symposium: Focused Mind and Healthy Body – New Studies on Theanine and Tea Flavonoids” held in Bangkok (12 Oct 2009) confirmed that drinking tea daily can help improve your physical and mental well being. <br /><br />Symposium discussions and presentations explored three areas of health benefits associated with tea: positive psychological effects, enhanced cognitive performance and cardiovascular health. <br /><br />Key findings presented at the 3rd Tea Science Symposium include: <br /><br /><strong>Tea and enhanced cognitive performance</strong> : Studies at the Lipton Institute have shown that drinking black tea can help focus your attention and improve subjective alertness. After a high dose of theanine and caffeine, two actives naturally present in tea, brain attention networks are activated more efficiently. <br /><br />This brain activation allows better focus during tasks so we can concentrate harder. Brain activity was measured using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) technology. fMRI is a way to measure brain activity via blood flow while subjects complete a task. The fMRI results in this study showed more efficient brain activity after high dose of tea. <br /><br />The Lipton Institute also found that tea has positive psychological effects, showung that a persons mood can be positively impacted by drinking tea, it is also associated with benefits like increased creativity and support to our immune system. Mood enhancement helps us maintain our well being. <br /><br /><strong>Tea and increased cardio-vascular health </strong>: The latest study conducted at the University of L’Aquila in Italy demonstrates that drinking one cup of tea per day significantly improves vascular function. The research, is the first study to confirm black tea consumption deliver a notably better cardiovascular health profile by improving blood vessel reactivity. <br /><br /><strong>Tea and stroke risk reduction </strong>: Researchers at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA have found that daily consumption of tea potentially lowers the risk of ischemic stroke by 21 per cent. Strokes are the second most common cause of death globally. With up to 20 million strokes occurring annually, strokes are also a major cause of disability. Ischemic stroke, which happens when vessels become clogged, account for around 83 per cent of all stroke cases. The study discovered that the health benefits relate to black and green teas but not herbal teas. <br /><br />Tea flavonoids help blood vessels to relax. The ability of blood vessels to dilate is critical for a healthy cardiovascular system. When blood vessels cannot relax properly, the risk of cardiovascular disease is increased. The study also shows that only 100 mg per day of tea flavonoids, which is equivalent to less than a single up of tea per day, helps improve the elastic capacity of the blood vessels. This is the first study showing the positive impact of drinking tea on vascular function may be relevant for the majority of people in the world who drink only one or two cups of tea per day, rather than just being relevant for heavy tea drinkers. <br /><br />Tea is the second most consumed drink in the world after water, and is a major source of dietary flavonoid intake in Europe and Asia.Vance Painterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13211389044326396600noreply@blogger.com