Brew awakening…

Not too long ago, I drove down Fairview Street here in Boise, Idaho and noticed a coffee shop called Brew Awakening. What a great name for a coffee shop!  Recently, I found this space empty.  I am sorry to see someone’s dream not being realized.   Even if you have the benefit of high traffic street, cars don’t always stop.  Fast morning commuters won’t notice you if moving traffic is over 35mph.  Perhaps the owner found a better location. 

Here I am trying to offer you some simple guidelines on a perfect brew cup of tea.  The way to a perfect cup of tea can be as deep as the history of tea.  The whole process of brewing tea reminds us to be mindful of what we are doing.  It keeps us being in the present moment and pay attention to the detail of the three elements: the temperature, brewing time and serving traditions.  The steps are just as important as the drink itself.  The Japanese has gone as far as to creating a tea ceremony where every move has an intention.  Like mediation, the process slows down the mind and allows wisdoms to come through.

With Chinese tradition, the Kung Fu tea encompasses the reflective spirit, the etiquette, and the skills of making and pouring the tea. Drinking Kung Fu tea is not to crush thirst, but to experience the tea through the fragrance and the taste.  A special miniature clay tea pot is used.  This clay absorbs the fragrance of the tea.  Over time, one can smell the tea without having to brew the tea in the tea pot.

In modern days, the general guidelines are 2 to 5 minutes for steeping black tea.  Oolong tea takes longer, about 5-8 minutes. The recommended water temperature is 180-190 temperature. Green tea takes about 2-4 minutes at 160 to 170 degree water.  White tea steeps for 4-6 minutes at 180 degree temperature.  Second infusion will take twice as long for the flavor to infuse.  Steep time for Rooibos and other herbal tea varies, but most of them needs to steep 5 minutes or more.  Adjust these steps to your personal taste. 

Whatever method or tools you use, be with the process and enjoy the experience.  Make it your time to have a brew awakening.

Scientific studies continue to show that green tea is good for you. Tea began as a Chinese medicinal drink, and modern science proves just how green tea is good for you. In traditional Chinese medicine, tea helps to clear the eyes and head, resolve excess phlegm, promote urination, relieve toxins, aid the digestion, and quench thirst. As with so many foods and medicines, the traditional Chinese medicinal thoughts are being proven scientifically in modern times. Today, there is ample evidence that tea is good for you as a daily tonic in the interest of preventing or treating a wide range of maladies, including: cancer, hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, premature aging, food poisoning, dental decay and bad breath, and even arthritis.

How Is Green Tea Good For You?

• Tea 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. 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.

• Green tea may be good for your waistline. 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.

Green Tea Is Good For Your Immune System

• A Japanese report found that men who drank ten cups of green tea per day stayed cancer-free for three years longer than men who drank less than three cups a day (there are approximately 240 - 320 mg of polyphenols in three cups of green tea). Meanwhile, a study by Cleveland’s Western Reserve University concluded that drinking four or more cups of green tea per day could help prevent rheumatoid arthritis, or reduce symptoms in individuals already suffering from the disease.

• Scientists at the Saitama Cancer Research Institute discovered that there were fewer recurrences of breast cancer, and the disease spread less quickly, in women with a history of drinking five cups or more of green tea daily.

Green Tea Is Good For Your Prevention & Treatment Of Cancer

• Scientists also discovered that EGCG from green tea can help to prevent metastasis, or the movement and spreading of cancer cells from one organ or tissue to the other by bloodstream or lymph. Cancer cells secrete special enzymes in order to enter and colonize tissues. Research shows that EGCG stops the secretion of these special enzymes.

• A case study that was done in China, reports that those women who drank green tea regularly had a 50% lower risk of developing esophageal cancer. Men showed less risk as well, but not as significant as women.

• Researchers from Sweden reported that green tea blocked the development of new blood vessels in the lungs. By blocking the development of new blood vessels in the lungs, tumors are less likely to grow and metastasize. Scientists believe that EGCG plays a significant rule in blocking the development of tumors. Similar results were achieved in breast cancer, colon cancer and melanoma studies. It is believed that drinking green tea for an extended period of time will help to prevent and might cure cancer naturally.

• The antioxidants found in green tea–called catechins–may selectively inhibit the growth of cancer. In laboratory studies using animals, catechins scavenged oxidants before cell damage occurred, reduced the number and size of tumors, and inhibited the growth of cancer cells. National Cancer Institute researchers are investigating the therapeutic and preventive use of tea catechins against a variety of cancers.

• One Chinese study involving over 18,000 men found green tea drinkers were about half as likely to develop stomach or esophageal cancer as men who drank little tea, even after adjusting for smoking and other health and diet factors.

• In the laboratory, studies have shown green tea catechins act as powerful inhibitors of cancer growth in several ways: They scavenge oxidants before cell injuries occur, reduce the incidence and size of chemically induced tumors, and inhibit the growth of tumor cells. In studies of liver, skin and stomach cancer, chemically induced tumors were shown to decrease in size in mice that were fed green and black tea.

Green Tea Is Good For Your Teeth

• Green tea is good for your teeth, the catechins prevent decay by killing the bacteria (Streptococcus mutans) that cause dental plaque. Green tea also contains fluoride. One cup of brewed green tea contains around 0.3-0.5 mg of fluoride. This is an optimal level of fluoride according to dentists. As we all know, fluoride builds in our teeth’s enamel, making it more resistant against acidic environment, of our mouth. Green tea also eliminates other bacteria that responsible for bad breath. According to researchers, green tea polyphenols can inhibit, by 30%, the growth of bacteria that causes unpleasant breath.

• A study at the Beijing Dental Hospital found consuming 3 grams of green tea a day, or about 2 cups, along with the application of a tea extract reduced the size and proliferation of leukoplakia, a precancerous oral plaque.

• Recent research suggests that green tea is good for your HDL cholesterol ( the “good one”) and lowers triglyceride levels. Several tests have been done. And green tea extract has been shown to be good for your cholesterol.

Green Tea Is Good For Your Blood Pressure

• At the the end of a 5 week experiment, one group with the regular diet showed blood pressure increases. For the catechin fed group, the blood pressure stayed normal. After this initial testing the scientists switched the diets for the two groups. This switch led to a reversal of the blood pressure trends. The study concluded that drinking moderate amounts of green tea each day can help to prevent high blood pressure.

The catechins in green tea have additionally been shown to help prevent excess cholesterol in the blood, killing the bacteria that causes food poisoning, lower blood sugar, additionally green tea is good for your high blood pressure by suppressing the production of angiotensn II. Catechin is also a strong anti-oxidant, which aids in aging related concerns.

Green and white tea leaves are less processed than oolong or black teas, which prevents oxidation and retains the highest levels of beneficial compounds. But all tea is good for you, so find the ones you like and drink them daily!

How many times do we just want to drink tea after a heavy meal, but are then bombarded with all the various tea flavours that we get lost. This article answers that need.

What you should always remember is that there are only four types of tea.

1) Black tea

2) Green tea

3) White tea

4) Oolong tea

All these are made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis, also known as the tea plant. Other herbal infusions such as chamomile tea, ginger tea or red tea made of rooibos leaves are disqualified as types of tea since the tea plant is not involved in their making. The difference between the four tea variations lies in the process of making them. In addition, each type of tea has another flavor and various health benefits.

1) Black Tea

The strong flavored burnt Sienna colored hot beverage is the most popular type of tea in the West. Either served with a squeeze of lemon or added milk and a cube of sugar, the cup of black tea is part of daily tea ceremonies that take place worldwide. Black tea is made of heavily oxidized Camellia sinensis leaves. When served plain, it contains no calories, carbohydrates, or fats. A cup of black tea contains more caffeine than any other types of tea but less than in any cup of coffee.

2) Green Tea

The lightly oxidized tea has been popular in China, Japan and Korea for centuries. Recently, rumors on its health benefits increased its popularity in the West as well. It has been proven that drinking green tea can lower cholesterol, prevent cancer, increase metabolic rates and be helpful in variety of other conditions and illnesses. The green tea is lightly oxidized, dried, but not fermented. It is usually served plain, without sugar or milk. Since some of the green tea variants taste a bit bitter, it should be brewed in lower temperature than the boiling point.

3) White Tea

White tea is rarer and more expensive than the other types of teas mentioned above. Originated in the Fujian province of china, the white tea is made of young Camellia sinensis leaves, which go through a long process of steaming or frying, inactivate fermenting and drying. Since the leaves are harvested while the buds are still covered by white hair, it is called white tea. White tea has the most delicate, sweet taste than the other types of tea. Moreover, it contains the smallest amount of caffeine and the largest amount of antioxidant that help prevent cancer.

4) Oolong Tea

The traditional Chinese tea is the common companion of Chinese foods such as dim sum and chop suey in American Chinese restaurants. The oolong tea, black dragon in Chinese, got its name after its long, dark distinguished leaves that look like wild black dragons when brewed. The unique taste of the oolong tea is achieved by a long process that includes sun drying of the Camellia sinensis leaves, light oxidization, cooling and drying processes. The result is a lighter flavor than the popular black tea and stronger than the delicate green tea.

Tea is one of the reality’s second almost favorite drink (after water), but most Americans regard it an impoverished minute to chocolate as a caffeine-laced pick-me-up or after-meal drink. Recently, however, tea has gained original popularity, in region because of its healthful value. A cup of tea contains simply around half as often caffeine as a cup of brewed chocolate, and many folk favor its preference and regard its buzz less jarring.

Cancer. Studies indicate that chemicals known as polyphenols in tea assistance forbid cancer. Researchers compared the diets of 900 folk with esophageal cancer with those of 1,500 who did not get the cancer. The folk with cancer drank significantly less greenish Organic Tea . The much greenish tea, the little cancer. In addition, greenish tea was added to the drunkenness water of empirical mice and so exposed them to chemicals known to induce a kind of tumors in rodents. The mice who drank the green-tea-laced water developed substantially less tumors than the mice who drank simple water.

These studies prompted headlines proclaiming “Green Tea Prevents Cancer. ” Unfortunately, few Americans drink greenish tea outside of Asian restaurants; most Americans drink dark tea. It has the related consequence overly. Tooth Decay. Tea is a better origin of fluoride, which prevents tooth decomposition. Both greenish and dark teas carry much fluoride than fluoridated water. The tannins in tea too assist defend the bacterium that induce tooth decomposition. Osteoporosis. Buy Tea Online, a better origin of manganese, a vital retrace mineral that helps maintain ivory. Colds, Congestion And Asthma. As with chocolate, the caffeine in tea eases breathing by opening the bronchial passages. Tea too contains another stimulus, theophylline. Physicians frequently dictate pharmaceutical theophylline preparations to handle asthma. Heart Attack. Men whose diets are wealthy in polyphenols have a remarkably reduced danger of eye blast.

Subsequent diet surveys showed that the heart-healthy Hollanders obtained some of their polyphenols from apples and onions but got a whopping 61 percentage from dark tea. Diarrhea. Tea contains astringent tannins. Ancient Chinese physicians valued tea’s balmy astringency for handling of diarrhoea. Today’s doctors concur, since balmy astringents are widely used to handle diarrhoea. Leading house medical guides indicate treating diarrhoea with the BRATT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, toast and tea. Raymond Lee Geok Seng is one of the foremost experts in the health and fitness industry and is an author specializing in system health, muscle growth and dieting.

For thousands of years, tea has been considered a traditional tonic for the body and soul in the Oriental. Today, it has become an uplifting and invigorating beverage worldwide.

In modern times, scientific studies have continually confirmed the health potency of tea, in particular, the link between green tea and human cancer. Other ongoing studies have been conducted to establish its connection with cardiovascular diseases, oral health and hygiene, detoxification, and the immune system, among other health issues.

Why is tea a healthful drink?

Tea is rich in antioxidants, and antioxidant nutrients are important to your longevity health.

Free radicals are reactive oxygen molecules that could damage your body and contribute to many diseases, if left unchecked. Your body naturally creates free radicals during the complex process of converting food to energy. Unstable free radicals can steal electrons from other stable molecules, thereby producing a chain reaction of generating more unstable free radicals that can be extremely reactive and damaging to body proteins and fats, in particular the DNA.

Fortunately, antioxidants can effectively arrest free radical reactions, thereby stopping further cell damage.

Tea is rich in polyphenols, which are antioxidant nutrients for your body.

In most Asian countries, black tea is the predominant drink. However, green tea has higher levels of polyphenols, compared to black tea. Polyphenols make tea a healthful drink, and for this reason, green tea is gaining popularity worldwide.

For centuries, the Chinese have believed that green tea holds the key to longevity health, duet to its health-preserving and revitalizing ingredients. Western scientists had been skeptical of the health potency of green tea until recently when scientific findings have repeatedly attested to its health benefits.

Polyphenols are phytonutrients, which are naturally occurring compounds in plants to protect them from free radicals, bacteria, parasites, insects and diseases. Apparently, what is good for the plants is also good for the humans.

There are many types of tea, but only one plant. The differences in varieties come from the different processing methods. The three most common tea types are green tea, black tea, and oolong tea.

Green tea is lightly processed, thereby preserving the natural oxidation in the tea leaves. Black tea, as the name suggests, has a darker color and a stronger flavor, is the most popular tea in Asia. However, due to its considerable oxidation processing, it has lost a significant amount of polyphenols in the tea. Oolong tea, also known as the “black dragon” is between green and black tea. Due to its partial auto-oxidation, its taste is stronger than that of green tea but with relatively more polyphenols preserved than in oolong tea.

According to Lu Yu, the famous Chinese tea master of the 7th century, tea could cure common ailments, such as aches and pains, headaches and depression, because it increases blood circulation, stimulates mental responses, detoxifies the body system, brightens the eyes, aids digestion, enhances the immune system, and promotes healthy skin.

Nowadays, with scientific evidence, green tea may protect you from heart diseases because it lowers your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In addition, the antioxidant properties of green tea may effectively combat cancer-causing agents in your body. Furthermore, the anti-bacterial capabilities of polyphenols are conducive to optimum oral hygiene and health.