“Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one.”
~ (Ancient Chinese Proverb)
A cup of green tea.
One of life’s basic pleasures. People have been enjoying the taste and health benefits of tea for thousands of years. Tea was first cultivated by India and China but is now consumed around the world and is second only to water. It is grown around the world in tropical and sub tropical locations but is native to Southeast Asia. Camellia sinensis – green tea’s scientific plant name – comes from a type of evergreen shrub or laurel tree. The leaf buds and leaves are the parts used to make the tea. Plants have always been used in traditional Chinese medicine and now the Western medical community is taking notice. Can the claim be made that green tea heals?
A cup of green tea.
There is an entire science surrounding this basic and simple beverage. Tea has been touted as being the magic cure-all for everything, especially the green variety. It is said to hold curative properties for human illnesses and preventive health. There is proven truth to many of the claims and the jury is still out on many others. There are still studies to be done and analyzed but the ones that are completed paint a fairly impressive picture of the powerful benefits of this powerful tea.
Many of these medical headlines do have merit.The majority of the therapeutic health benefits attributed to the tea are due to the polyphenols, the potent anti-oxidant compounds found in it. Polyphenols contained in teas are classified as catechins. There are six primary catechin compounds found in the green version of the tea: catechin, gallaogatechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and apigallocatechin gallate (also known as EGCG). EGCG is the most studied polyphenol component in green tea and also the most active. Catechins are present in nearly all teas made from Camellia sinensis including white tea, green tea, black tea and Oolong tea.
The National Cancer Institute has ongoing clinical trials on the health impact that this tea can offer in the fight against skin cancer. Two current studies are testing to see the effects of a green tea pill on sun-induced skin damage and another is making a determination whether a topical application shrinks pre-cancerous skin changes. These scientific studies suggest that EGCG and green tea polyphenols have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties that may help prevent the onset and growth of skin tumors.The catechins have a strong antibiotic effect and play a role is disrupting the replication of the DNA in bacteria. In in-vitro experiments the EGCG was able to reverse methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. This could prove to be a treatment for such resistant bacteria.
There is another clinical study through the National Institute of Health to determine the effect of the tea as an extract in preventing cervical cancer in patients with Human Papillomavirus (HPV).Dental caries, dental plaque formation and bad breath – which are bacterial infections – have been treated successfully with green tea. Aside from being a powerful antioxidant, green tea promotes healthy cholesterol, healthy blood pressure, good blood sugar and a healthy metabolism, cardiovascular health, younger looking skin, digestive health, and energy.
One of the more recent claims that has much interest is that green tea promotes weight loss and acts as a diuretic.As powerful as this tea appears to be, it is best to take a precautionary approach. With any herbal or plant based supplement there could be interactions with medications being taken so it is always advised to consult with your physician before implementing any dietary changes that include green tea beverages or its supplement and extract forms. People with heart problems, kidney disorders, stomach ulcers, and psychological disorders (particularly anxiety) should not take green tea. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also avoid this tea.
A cup of green tea.
Who knew? Can the claim be made that green tea heals? It may be the new powerhouse miracle that could prove to change lives and improve health just as penicillin or the invention of aspirin. Something so simple yet so promising.
Green Tea Effective for Treating Tumors and Genetic Disease:
Researchers at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia have discovered that a compound found in green tea shows great promise in the treatment of two types of tumors and a deadly congenital disease. The discovery is the result of research led by principal investigator, Dr. Thomas Smith at The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and was published in The Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Posted on August 15th, 2011 in Matcha Tea by admin
How is it ground up? What tea is used for it? Also can I make my own at home by just sticking green tea in a blender or coffee grinder to grind it into a powder, or using a mortar and pestle?
Matcha tea is a fine, powdered green tea used in Japanese tea ceremony and to dye and flavour foods such as mochi and soba noodles, green tea ice cream and a variety of wagashi. Matcha is generally expensive compared to other forms of tea, although its price depends on its quality. It can be hard to find outside Japan, as can the implements traditionally used to prepare and consume it, but you can find it easily in any tea-specialized shop (like “The Tea Shop” franchise), as well as the apparatus used to brew it. Prior to serving, the matcha is often forced through a sieve in order to break up clumps. There are special sieves available for this purpose, which are usually stainless steel and combine a fine wire mesh sieve and a temporary storage container. A special wooden spatula is used to force the tea through the sieve, or a small, smooth stone may be placed on top of the sieve and the device shaken gently. If the sieved matcha is to be served at a Japanese tea ceremony, then it will be placed into a small tea caddy known as a chaki. Otherwise, it can be scooped directly from the sieve into a tea bowl. A small amount of matcha is placed into the bowl, traditionally using a bamboo scoop called a chashaku, and a modicum of hot (not boiling) water is added. The mixture is then whisked to a uniform consistency, traditionally using a special kind of whisk made of bamboo known as a chasen. There must be no lumps left in the liquid, and ideally no ground tea should remain on the sides of the bowl. Usucha, or thin tea, is prepared with half a teaspoon of matcha and approximately 75 ml (2.5 oz) of hot water. Some drinkers (and schools of tea ceremony) prefer to whip the mixture to produce a light frothy “head,” while others prefer as little foam as possible. Schools also vary on the amount of water and matcha. Usucha creates a lighter and slightly more bitter tea. Koicha, or thick tea, requires significantly more matcha, as many as six teaspoons to 3/4 cup of water. Because the resulting mixture is significantly thicker, blending it requires a slower, stirring motion which does not produce foam. Koicha produces a sweeter tea, and is served almost exclusively as part of Japanese tea ceremonies. Special chasen designed for this purpose are often employed. Here is more info on it if you’re interested in buying some: http://www.matchasource.com/
Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins : 1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size. 2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime. 3. When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors. 4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, but also to environmental, food and lifestyle factors. 5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet to eat more adequately and healthy, 4-5 times/day and by including supplements will strengthen the immune system. 6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc. 7.. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs. 8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction. 9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications. 10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites. *CANCER CELLS FEED ON: a. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color Better alternative is Bragg’s aminos or sea salt. B. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved. c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little other meat, like chicken. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer. d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).. e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine Green tea is a better alternative e and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it. 12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup. 13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells. 14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells.. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells. 15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. I know it’s a bit long, but I think it’s worth the time it takes to read it. I know it’s a bit long, but I think it’s worth the time it takes to read it. I wonder how much it cost for the John Hopkins Hospital to finally discover and publish what holistic health practitioners have been saying for decades. So this brings us to the question: Are we striving for longevity, or are we just trying to have some control over what method the grim reamer uses to finally take us? That question has to be thought about for a while.
In American history, one hears of the Boston Tea Party where the rebel colonists threw chests of tea delivered from England into the harbor. What kind if tea was available back in the 18th century? Was it like tea today? Black or green?
Whatever the British supplied, and Great Britain was the sole source for tea in the colonies until the American Revolution. Alone among the UK’s former colonies, the American colonies began our habit of preferring to drink coffee instead. As noted, China sold the British only second-rate tea leaves pressed into dried bricks to endure the long sea voyages. Until the mid-1800s foreign traders were forbidden to live in China itself, and only allowed temporary access through restricted areas of a few cities, mainly Canton. Hence the real pleasure of tea was not widely known until after the so-called Opium War forced open Chinese ports and cities. Both the British and the Dutch introduced tea plantations into India, Malaysia, and Indonesia as an alternate–and cheaper– source of supply. China sold tea only for silver, and Europe couldn’t long afford the strain on its silver reserves.
I’m studying Geisha and I am doing a presentation on them. I have decided that during the presentation the veiwers will sit on the floor and I will offer them Japanese Green Tea to get them feeling what I am saying to them but I dont know what to give them to snack on. I have however found rice cakes to maybe work – any ideas??
If you can make or buy some, I would suggest the little cakes filled with bean paste. Something like this should work: http://japanesefood.about.com/od/japanesecake/r/manjucake.htm There are a few other possible ideas here, if you scroll down to the Japanese section: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bean_jam
When I went to the Japanese tea ceremony before the Miyako Odori in April, we were served either Manju or some kind of Daifuku with the tea (sorry, I still get them confused), so it strikes me as pretty authentic for a geisha tea ceremony.
Hello, I am writing a paper on the Japanese Tea Ceremony and I am trying to find out the differences of Japanese and Chinese Tea Ceremonies. I ask that you please provide me with a preferably ACADEMIC source so I can actually use it for my paper. Thanks a lot in advance!!!
Types
The Japanese tea ceremony features a quietly reflective ceremony where the preparation of tea takes place in silence. The Chinese tea ceremony takes place to celebrate a wedding and is seen as a fun and happy occasion.
Preparation
During the Japanese ceremony guests sit in silence watching the host prepares matcha tea. As the newlyweds in the Chinese ceremony prepare tea the good luck woman speaks positive, often funny phrases to amuse the guests.
Food
Sweet candies are served before the Japanese tea ceremony while the Chinese ceremony uses dried fruits served with the tea.
Reasons
The Japanese ceremony is a social event completed by the guests discussing both the tea and handmade utensils used by the host. The making and giving of tea in the Chinese ceremony bares similarities to the exchange of vows during a Western wedding ceremony.
Principles
A number of Zen principles govern the Japanese tea ceremony which include harmony, respect and purity. The presenting of tea in the Chinese ceremony serves as an introduction by the newlyweds to their new families and a sign of respect to the parents. Hope it helps ^.^
My school is doing something equivalent to a science fair (though it’s not just for science its for all classes) and my friend and I wanted to perform a Japanese Tea Ceremony…i’ve researched it a bit but I’m pretty sure I don’t have any of the rules for one? Does anybody know?
Is it True that Matcha Green Tea Powder Can Prevent/Treat Breast Cancer?Is there a green tea cancer connection?
I’m asking because both my mother and sister have battled breast cancer and I want to arm myself with protection. I heard about matcha green tea powder on one of the morning shows.
Men who drink coffee regularly can lower their risk of prostate cancer, in particular the lethal form according to a recent Harvard University medical study. The study found that men who regularly consumed large amounts of coffee (more than six cups per day) had a 20% lower risk of developing regular cancer and a 60% reduced chance of developing the deadliest form of the disease.
Consuming relatively small amounts of coffee, one — three cups per day – lowered the risk of lethal prostate cancer by 30%. According to Dr. David Samadi, a robotic prostatectomy and prostate cancer treatment expert, as well as Vice Chairman, Department of Urology, and Chief of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery at The Mount Sinai Medical Center, says the results of the study are notable.
Anti-oxidants found in coffee, caffeinated and decaffeinated, may reduce the odds of prostate cancer and reduce the likelihood of deadly tumors by altering levels of sex hormones that regulate blood sugar levels, insulin, and mitigate inflammation.
However, Dr. Samadi cautions people that more studies are needed to understand the mechanisms behind coffee’s role in reducing prostate cancer. “Men should not regularly consume six or more cups of coffee per day to prevent prostate cancer, which can lead to high blood pressure and other health issues. The study is encouraging, though, for men that have a high risk of developing prostate cancer and drink smaller amounts of coffee regularly,” concludes Samadi.
