The Benefits of Green Tea

The Latest Craze: "I'll Have An Oolong Tea shochu, please"

Sake is dead, reports the Telegraph. Apparently it’s not hip to be drinking Sake anymore in Japan - that’s the domain of the elders. Now, the brazen young crowd may saunter up to the bar and order…drum roll please…an oolong tea cocktail. Go figure. Called an oolong tea shochu, this drink is made from rice, sweet potato or wheat and it’s mixed with oolong tea.

Now I know all about oolong tea and have come up with some varied uses, i.e. it’s now being used as a cooking spice, however, who would have thought it would be the drink of choice in bars!

I will look into the health benefits of this cocktail to determine if the alcohol counteracts the health benefits of the oolong tea. Stay tuned.

What is a flavonoid and why should you care?

Oolong Tea: The Best of Both Worlds

Ancient Chinese legend has it that almost 400 years ago there lived a simple man by the name of Wu Liang. He had just finished harvesting the tea leaves for the day when he was distracted by a deer. He soon forgot about the tea leaves and went after the deer for a kill. The day swiftly passed by and it was not until the next day, by which time the tea leaves had changed in color that Wu Liang remembered them. Unwilling to let the tea leaves go to waste, Wu Liang brewed them and found that he discovered a very special but unique brew. To this day millions of people from around the world drink Wu Liang’s oolong tea.

It is a common fact that for centuries the Chinese people believed in the health benefits of tea. Recent studies and research have affirmed these claims. Teas are found to be a natural source of flavonoids. Flavonoids are anti-oxidants that have anti-allergy, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral effects and can be found in most plants.

The processing of tea determines the amount of flavonoids found within each cup. Green tea undergoes a very minimal fermentation process and is often referred to as the unfermented tea. Black tea is called the fully fermented tea because it undergoes the whole fermentation process. Unfermented teas are rich in catechins which research has shown contain anti-cancer properties while fermented teas are high in enzymatically polymerized catechins which have proven cardiovascular disease fighting properties.

One of the primary reasons for Green tea’s rise in popularity as “the” drink of choice for today’s health conscious consumers is due to its assumed anti-cancer effect due to the high level of catechins found within. Chemically speaking, catechins are simple forms of flavonoids. On the other hand, black tea is known for its anti-cardiovascular disease effect because it is rich in complex catechins such as theaflavins and thearubigins which lowers cholesterol in the body and speeds metabolism.

What about Oolong Tea? Oolong tea has the best qualities of both green tea and black tea. Its taste and aromas may not be as robust as that of the black tea nor as subtle and gentle as that of the green tea but Oolong tea has a wide range of complex aromas and flavors often compared to the taste of fresh fruits and the smell of fresh flowers.

In the same breath, one can say that Oolong tea offers the health benefits of both the green tea and black tea. Oolong tea is rich in catechins, theaflavins, and thearubigins that make Oolong tea a unique and special tea. One can also assume that Oolong tea has diverse biochemicals and anti-oxidant effects beneficial to health. Added to this are recent studies and research showing the weight loss and weight maintenance effects offered by Oolong tea due to the presence of other highly complex polyphenolic compounds found within.

All these can be attributed to the process by which Oolong tea is produced. Oolong tea is made up of tea leaves that undergo a partial fermentation process, thereby ensuring the highest level of anti-oxidants.

The Health Benefits of Green Tea

It has often been said that there are many health benefits of green tea and the research findings are proving to be more and more positive.  One such study illuminates the effect of green tea on our dental health and this alludes to the following question.

Which drink contains more fluoride: Green Tea or Water? 

Depending upon where you live, a great majority of you would have selected water.  But studies show that green tea contains the same amount of fluoride as water if not more so in some countries and/or States. 

Why is this important?  Due to rising sugar consumption in the West, our dentists and dental hygienists are flooded with tooth decay and periodontal disease.  According to the American Dental Association, a whopping 3 out of 4 American adults suffer from some form of periodontal disease. 

To combat this rising problem, the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) of the Institute of Medicine recommends adequate fluoride intake levels (see chart below) that have shown to reduce the occurrence of tooth decay.  And considering our population has an unwavering thirst for bottled water, which contains little, if any, fluoride, we may not be getting the recommended amounts.

Adequate Intake (AI) for Fluoride

Life Stage          Age                    Males (mg/day)      Females (mg/day)
Infants              0-6 months               0.01                        0.01
Infants              7-12 months             0.5                          0.5
Children            1-3 years                   0.7                          0.7
Children            4-8 years                   1.0                          1.0
Children            9-13 years                 2.0                          2.0
Adolescents     14-18 years                3.0                          3.0
Adults              19 years and older      4.0                          3.0
Pregnancy         all ages                       -                            3.0
Breast feeding   all ages                       -                            3.0
Chart courtesy of the Linus Pauling Institute

Fortunately, we can supplement our fluoride intake by eating and drinking rich sources of fluoride.  Fluoride sources include green tea, which concentrates fluoride in its leaves, and marine fish that are consumed with their bones (e.g., sardines).  As a rule of thumb, foods generally contribute only 0.3-0.6 mg of the daily intake of fluoride.

For all your health information on the health benefits of green tea, please visit Oolong Tea For Weight Loss.

The Amazing Benefits of Green Tea

As a tea connoisseur and nutrition expert I am often asked of the benefits of green tea. One of its most powerful benefits is that is is loaded with antioxidants.

What Is an Antioxidant and How Can It help YOU?

The word du jour is antioxidant and all are touting its benefits. From cosmetics to vitamins and even chocolates, it seems everyone is on the antioxidant bandwagon. So just what is an antioxidant and why is everyone lauding its abilities.

Here’s the scoop: Aside from trauma, the process of death, at the cell level, is oxidation. The death of cells is caused by an invading molecule called a “free radical”. Where do these free radicals come from? Everywhere. They are part of our environment - pollution, smoke, herbicides, preservatives in food, even water. Basically any foreign substance in our body can potentially produce a free radical.

And our bodies have a natural defense against free radicals in the form of antioxidants. Antioxidants help to prevent cell and tissue damage by acting as free radical scavengers aiding in the removal of such from the body.

Normally, the body is adept at handling these radical intruders, however, if antioxidants are unavailable, or if the free radical production becomes excessive, damage can occur.

Immunodeficiency combined with a weak antioxidant defense system are the primary causes of illness. This is why there are strong links and many studies performed of antioxidants and their relation to prevention of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and a host of other forms of illness.

The only logical solution is to help the ailing antioxidant defense system through the use of antioxidants. A great source of antioxidants can be found in many of our fruits and vegetables. In particular, soy, red wine, red grapes, cranberries,pomegranates and, of course, green tea.

For more information and further discussion on the benefits of green tea, visit us at oolongteaforweightloss.com