The Japanese Tea Garden
From about the age of five, until our family moved to Colorado when I was 10, mother would bring four little friends and me on an adventure to San Francisco and the enchanting Japanese Tea Garden to celebrate my birthday.
What wonderful birthdays they were. I can still remember the aromatic smells, the crystal clear brooks, majestic goldfish slowly swirling in its pools, the little moon bridge, the red pagodas and the quieting peace of the gardens. But most of all, my fondest memories were of the Tea House and its “special tea” with a fortune cookie on the side that my mother adored and shared with me. How loved I felt then and to this day. Just the mention of green tea and its magic, begets a smile.
I never drank green tea as much as I should have throughout my life, coffee being my poison of choice, but as I grew older, especially after retiring; I was enlightened to its benefits and am now an avid tipper. ( I still love my coffee but limit it to the mornings. Green tea with lemon takes over after noon.)
The main purpose of this post is to go over some of the great benefits of green tea enhanced with a video demonstrating the ancient ceremony of its delicate preparation; but also to advise you of the tea’s shortcomings.
Remember as with any health food claim, without solid scientific backing: trust but verify or at least trend cautiously.
Benefits and Spoiler Alerts
Benefit #1
Green tea leaves come from the Camellia sinensis, a plant that contains antioxidants called catechins. These catechins fight and destroy cell damage. (1)
Fresh brewing is the way to get the most antioxidants from your tea. Three to five minutes is the recommended time to procure the most benefits. *Hint Add lemon; Vitamin C makes the catechins easier to absorb, dairy makes it harder to absorb.(2)
Spoiler Alert: Don’t add green tea to boiling water. It weakens the effect of catechins in the tea. Better: 160-170 degree water.
The most popular consumption of tea is served over ice. However, iced tea contains low to scant amounts of catechins compared with the high concentrations found in a cup of hot tea.
Benefit #2
Studies show that green tea can help combat heart disease by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.
Spoiler Alert: The FDA denied a petition filed by a green tea maker that wanted to put heart-health claims on its product’s label, ruling that there wasn’t credible scientific evidence to support the claims.
Benefit #3
Green tea can help prevent cancer.
Spoiler Alert: There’s no scientific evidence that drinking tea can prevent cancer as many factors affect cancer risk.
Benefit #4
Green tea can help weight loss.
Spoiler Alert: Sadly, no drink or food can magically reduce weight. While the active ingredient in green tea, EGCG, may help you lose in some studies, other studies show no significant loss by its use. However, according to Christopher Ochner, PhD; if you substitute 1-2 cups of green tea for one soda, [in a] year you’d save over 50,000 calories and the cost of 15 lbs of sugar! Now that’s great advice. (2)
Benefit #5
Green tea can help reduce blood sugar levels.
Spoiler Alert: There is some evidence that green tea may help control glucose (or blood sugar) levels; however, studies and test results are inconclusive and further research is ongoing.
Benefit #6
Green tea can help keep your skin healthy and vibrant and may protect it from sun damage (use of topical green tea under sun screen may destroy free radicals and reduce inflammation).
Spoiler Alert: There are again, no scientific studies to substantiate these claims. But if you are going to use a green tea topical, combine it with zinc oxide-based sunscreens. Zinc oxide is chemically inert and will not react with green tea, which some chemical sunscreens may do, especially in sunlight. (2)
Benefit #7
Green tea can be beneficial to your overall oral health. A study in the Journal of Periodontology states that because of the high levels of catechins in Green Tea, periodontal disease was significantly reduced in study subjects. (3) This is great news since periodontal disease is known to be a silent killer of gum tissue and the bone tissue protects.
Benefit #8
Drinking green tea is relaxing and thought-provoking. A natural chemical called theanine found in green tea can provide a sense of calm. Delicate Japanese music completes the moment.
Red Flags
**Pregnant and nursing women should not consume more than 1-2 cups of green tea daily as it contains caffeine. (2)
**Be careful not to consume copious amounts of green tea as it may be harmful to the liver.(2) The average Asian drinks 3 cups a day and this should be a good measure for everyone.
**People with irregular heartbeats or anxiety disorders should be cautious about how much caffeine they get, from green tea or other caffeine drinks. (2)
Conclusion
I personally drink green tea for all the benefits mentioned above, but primarily for its steaming, fragrant essence, laced with fond memories of my youth and the tranquil imagery of The Japanese Tea Garden.
References
(1)http://https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_tea
(2)http://http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/health-benefits-of-green-tea
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