Topic Shorts & Resources

Green Tea Leaf:

Is any other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits
as green tea? The Chinese have known about the medicinal
benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it to treat
everything from headaches to depression. In her book Green Tea:
The Natural Secret for a Healthier Life, Nadine Taylor states that
green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000
years.

Another anti-oxidant, green leaf tea has become one of the world's
most popular beverages. True tea comes from only one plant,
Camellia sinensis, and is naturally processed to various degrees to
produce black, green, or oolong tea (a black and green tea blend).
Herbal teas are not true teas as they are not made from the
Camellia sinensis plant, and therefore do not have the antioxidants
that come from this plant. A growing body of scientific evidence
suggests that the antioxidants in tea, called flavonoids, help
neutralize "free radicals" in the body, therefore, helping to maintain
healthy cells and tissues.

Tea is seen by many as more than just a beverage; it is also noted
for its restorative effects. Emerging evidence suggests that this
folklore actually may have a scientific basis, though more work is
needed. Scientific research is just beginning to systematically
explore the possibility that tea can restore the body and mind or
help maintain homeostasis or balance. Researchers are
investigating the relaxation and rejuvenation properties of tea,
which are unrelated to the effects of caffeine, as well as tea's
potential to stimulate alertness and mental performance.

While tea can have a mildly diuretic effect, much of the fluid it provides is retained by the body. In addition, tea contains
other minerals, such as potassium, that help maintain a body's fluid levels, so tea's diuretic effect does not pose a huge
concern. (Diuretics generally deplete the body of potassium.) Both black and green tea may help prevent or delay the
formation of tumors specifically in the skin, lungs, esophagus, stomach and colon. Black tea consumption is associated with
a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke. Drinking more than four cups of tea per day was associated with a 69 percent
reduced risk of stroke compared to those who drank less tea each day. Studies indicate that tea may help reduce the risk
of heart disease and stroke in two ways: by improving the health of the body's circulatory system of arteries and veins; and
by reducing the risk of a blood clot.

Guarana:   A woody vine native to the Amazon. Guarana prevents drowsiness and may reduce the risk of heart attacks.
However, a cup of guarana contains three times more caffeine than a cup of coffee. People in South America either chew
a spoonful of the seeds or crush the seeds with a mortar and pestle and add a bit of water to mix up a paste. The dried
paste is then used to make a hot beverage like coffee.

Guarana may have the ability to keep your red blood cells moving when they have a tendency to clump together and
trigger a heart attack according to a laboratory study conducted at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. However, further
studies are needed. Guarana may hold potential as a heart protector but, it's still too soon to recommend it.

Harmful Effects?

To date, the only negative side effect reported from drinking green tea is insomnia due to the fact that it contains caffeine.
However, green tea contains less caffeine than coffee: there are approximately thirty to sixty mg. of caffeine in six - eight
ounces of tea, compared to over one-hundred mg. in eight ounces of coffee.