For respect to all who do not have the time to read the whole article I will make the beginning brief. Make your own powerful anti-oxidant drink for about $10 a month! Found in any grocery store.
1 Tin of Lipton Green Tea Bags (contains about 24)
1 Tin of Lipton Chai Tea (contains about 20)
1 Package of Instant Ginger Drink with Honey
Take 1bag of green tea and 1 bag of chai tea and let it steep in a large mug till just warm. Then add the ginger packet and drink with supper. The benifits are all listed below and at 1/10 of the price of the same drink found in health food stores. This drink works as I have been drinking it for several months and lost about 27 pounds. It is also great for diabetics, but that is explained below.
The Miracle of Green Tea
"Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one." (Ancient Chinese Proverb)
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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.
Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. For example, 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. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. 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.
To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:
cancer
rheumatoid arthritis
high cholesterol levels
cariovascular disease
infection
impaired immune function
What makes green tea so special?
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. 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.
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, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. 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.
Why don't 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.
Other Benefits
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.
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.
Chai Tea Specific Ingredient Health Benefits
TEA LEAVES
Camellia sinesis - A recent CNN article cites the latest science that shows tea is full of healthy substances, including antioxidants, that may help prevent everything from heart disease to strokes to cancer. The benefits of tea is extensively researched in China and Japan. It has been shown to positively effect many systems in the body and to inhibit the progression of some diseases. It contains among the highest concentrations of minerals and antioxidants, which have proven to benefit the body. The following are some of the health benefits of tea.
ENHANCE YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
Antioxidants are known to help slow degenerative diseases by helping to stop free radicals. Free radicals hurt the body by initiating chain reactions of electron scavenging that damage the body's cells. Polyphenols and flavinoids rank high in levels of antioxidant activity. Green tea is 30-40% polyphenols by weight. Many of tea's positive immune system effects are related to the high levels of polyphenols it contains. It is estimated that the necessary daily intake of polyphenols is from 300-400 mg. This translates to about 4 cups of green tea each day. Green and white teas have the highest concentration of all types of polyphenols because they are minimally processed. Vitamin C, another well-known antioxidant, is also present in tea.
HELP PREVENT CANCER
The National Cancer Center Research Institute in Tokyo suggests that "Drinking tea may be one of the most practical methods of cancer prevention available at present".* Tea has been shown to lower the occurrence of all types of cancers, with more significant decreases in digestive and urinary tract cancers. In animal studies, green tea applied topically was repeatedly shown to protect the skin against cancerous changes and slow the progression of skin cancer. Research has shown tea to be helpful in inhibiting oesophageal, stomach, colon, rectal, liver, pancreatic, bladder, breast, and lung cancers. Tea has also been shown to benefit white blood cells during chemotherapy treatment.
*Mitscher, L. A. & Dolby, V. (1998). The Green Tea Book. Garden City Park, NY: Avery Publishing Group.
HELP YOUR HEART
For some individuals, simply limiting their intake of cholesterol does not always significantly lower their blood cholesterol level. Green tea has been shown to help decrease cholesterol. Pu-erh tea has been shown to help enhance fat metabolism. Both green and Pu-erh teas seem to bond to the cholesterol, retarding absorption as it goes through the digestive tract. This means the body does not absorb the fat even though it was eaten. Although there are not as many studies specifically on Pu-erh tea, the one's that have been done have shown marked reductions in cholesterol. Pu-erh tea seems to outperform green tea in this category, and as more testing is done we will discover why these aged teas have such wonderful benefits. Tea also acts as a blood thinner and helps prevent unhealthy clotting. It has also been shown to be relaxing to the blood vessels. This translates to a decrease in fatal heart disease and stroke.
CARDAMOM
Stimulates the mind and gives clarity. Cardamom reduces the air and water elements increases appetite and soothes the mucous membrane. It relieves gas and heartburn caused by garlic and onion. A tea made from cardamom is valuable in headache caused by indigestion. It is used as a remedy for treating depression and impotency. The herb is useful is sexual dysfunction like impotency and premature ejaculation. It is also a great breath freshener; cardamom and cinnamon cures pharyngitis, sore throat, relaxes uvula and hoarseness during the infective stages of influenza.
CINNAMON
Cinnamonum zeylanicum -This herb is a stimulant to other herbs enabling them to work faster. It is very warming and stimulating to entire body. Lowers high blood pressure. Fights bacteria’s, staphylococcus aureus, E.coli and thrush. Contains salicylates, which helps reduce pains and fevers. Also contains catechins that help to relieve nausea and indigestion, gas and heartburn. Also controls diarrhea and eases menstrual cramps.
CLOVES
Eugenia caryophyllus - Derived from dried, unopened buds of a dense evergreen. Believed to invigorate & restore, & helps generate heat in the body, useful during the cold/flu season.
GINGER
Zingiberaceae - Root is believed to strengthen and heal the digestive and respiratory system, as well as to fight off colds/flu. Removes congestion, soothes sore throats, and relieves body aches. Recent studies have shown it to be effective in preventing motion sickness. Well known as a pleasant tasting cooking spice, it is not so widely known that ginger has been used for thousands of years, worldwide, for its numerous potent healing benefits. Ginger is an especially wonderful ally because its healing benefits are particular to so many of our daily health concerns. Probably best known as a superb digestive aid and nausea reliever, ginger also helps heal ulcers, supports cardiovascular health, reduces pain and inflammation, and speeds recovery from colds and flu while reducing fevers.
NUTMEG
Myristica fragrans - Seed comes from the nutmeg tree, a tropical evergreen. It adds a rich flavor and helps moisten the airways and reduce the drying of the mucous membranes and the throat that is often associated with smoking.
PEPPER
Imparts an underlying warmth to the body. Black pepper (Piper nigrum) stimulates the taste buds in such a way that an alert is sent to to the stomach to increase hydrochloric acid secretion, thereby improving digestion. Hydrochloric acid is necessary for the digestion of proteins and other food components in the stomach. When the body's production of hydrochloric acid is insufficient, food may sit in the stomach for an extended period of time, leading to heartburn or indigestion, or it may pass into the intestines, where it can be used as a food source for unfriendly gut bacteria, whose activities produce gas, irritation, and/or diarrhea or constipation.
Black pepper has long been recognized as a carminitive, (a substance that helps prevent the formation of intestinal gas), a property likely due to its beneficial effect of stimulating hydrochloric acid production. In addition, black pepper has diaphoretic (promotes sweating), and diuretic (promotes urination) properties.
Black pepper has demonstrated impressive antioxidant and antibacterial effects--yet another way in which this wonderful seasoning promotes the health of the digestive tract. And not only does black pepper help you derive the most benefit from your food, the outer layer of the peppercorn stimulates the breakdown of fat cells, keeping you slim while giving you energy to burn.
Ginger, the underground stem, or rhizome, of the plant Zingiber officinale has been used as a medicine in Asian, Indian, and Arabic herbal traditions since ancient times. In China, for example, ginger has been used to aid digestion and treat stomach upset, diarrhea, and nausea for more than 2,000 years. Since ancient times, ginger has also been used to help treat arthritis, colic, diarrhea, and heart conditions. In addition to these medicinal uses, ginger continues to be valued around the world as an important cooking spice and is believed to help the common cold, flu-like symptoms, headaches, and even painful menstual periods. Native to Asia where its use as a culinary spice spans at least 4,400 years, ginger grows in fertile, moist, tropical soil.
Today, ginger root is widely used as a digestive aid for mild stomach upset and is commonly recommended by professional herbalists to help prevent or treat nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness, pregnancy, and, sometimes, chemotherapy for cancer (although the latter has not been studied).