Page 1 of 40 - Amazing Green Tea · Green tea is not oxidised, black tea is fully oxidised, while oolong tea is partially oxidised. Composition Green tea chemical composition is extremely

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ContentsWhat is Green Tea? 4

What Are The Green Tea Health Benefits? 7

Does Drinking Green Tea Help Lose Weight? 11

Which is the Best Green Tea To Drink? 15

Why Is Chinese Green Tea The Best? 18

How To Buy Loose-Leaf?All You Need To Know About Dragonwell Tea 22

How Much Green Tea Should I Drink? 26

Does Green Tea Have Any Side Effects? 28

How To Enjoy Green Tea Without Caffeine? 31

How To Avoid Green Tea Side Effects? 35

About the Author 38

References 39



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What is Green Tea?Contrary to what many people believe, green tea, oolong tea and black teacome from the same tea plant, but are oxidised, or fermented, for differentamount of time.

Oxidation is a natural process where tea compounds interact with oxygenmolecules they come into contact with. The same process makes applesbrown, iron rusty and copper penny green.

Green tea is not oxidised, black tea is fully oxidised, while oolong tea ispartially oxidised.

Composition

Green tea chemical composition is extremely complex. It contains as many as200 bioactive compounds.

The chemical composition of green tea depends on a large number of factors,such as plant varieties, where and how it is grown, and the subsequentprocessing: withering, rolling, fermentation and firing.

Young tender shoots harvested in the early spring have a different profile tolarger, mature leaves harvested later.

Antioxidant

Free radicals are highly reactive toxins that damage cells and DNA.

They are everywhere - in the air we breathe, food we eat and even sunlight.Every moment, the body absorbs oxygen and turns it into energy in aprocess called oxidation. This process also releases free radicals.

Free radicals are generally mopped up by substances called antioxidantsbefore they can hurt us. As we age, however, this process becomes moreinefficient.

Many experts believe that antioxidants could slow down aging and preventheart disease, strokes and cancers.



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Flavonoids

Flavonoids modify our body's reaction to allergens, viruses and carcinogens.They are anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-cancer.Most importantly, they are antioxidants.

The so-called superfood - berries, broccoli, onions and pomegranates - allcontain flavonoids. And so do red wine and dark chocolate.

Health experts love flavonoids so much that the many beneficial effects ofthese foods have been attributed to them, rather than to other knownnutrients.

Catechins

The single largest group of constituents in green tea is polyphenol.

Polyphenol is something that we all love and without knowing it, hate. Theycontain flavonoids, which have all the antioxidant benefits, but taste bitterand astringent.

The most important group of chemicals in polyphenol is catechins. Alsoknown as flavan-3-ols, catechins are a simple form of flavonoid.

According to scientist Graham Harold, dried tea extract can contain 30% to40% of catechins. The main catechins found in green tea are:

• Epicatechin

• Epicatechin-3-gallate

• Epigallocatechin

• Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (also known as EGCG)

EGCG, found in the highest concentration in green tea, is the most active andbest researched of all green tea catechins.

It has been found to be over 100 times more effective in neutralizing freeradicals than vitamin C and 25 times more powerful than vitamin E.



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It also tops other antioxidants such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA),butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and resveratol.

Theanine

Dried tea extract contains 4% to 6% of theanine, an amino acid that hasbeen found only in tea and mushroom. Catechins and caffeine taste bitterand astringent, but theanine tastes sweet.

Catechins have been drumming their benefits in recent years. But it istheanine that tea lovers have yearned for throughout the centuries.

Caffeine boosts energy. Theanine stimulates alpha brain waves, calms thebody and promotes relaxed awareness.

It is the interplay between catechins, theanine and caffeine that havefascinated tea drinkers for centuries.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a plant alkaloid found in coffee, tea and cocoa. It acts as naturalpesticide, protecting plants against certain insects feeding on them.

Green tea contains alkaloids known as methylxanthines such as caffeine,theobromine and theophylline.

As natural stimulants, they increase our capacity to think and exercise moreeffectively. Moderate consumption of caffeine has been found to bebeneficial.

Graham found that fresh leaves contain, on average, 3% to 4% of caffeineand very small amounts of the other methylxanthines.

Vitamins and Minerals

Green tea contains several B vitamins and C Vitamin. Unlike black tea, thesevitamins are left intact during the tea-making process.

It also contains 6% to 8% of minerals such as aluminum, fluoride andmanganese.



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What are the Green Tea Health Benefits?Green tea health benefits are well documented.

By the end of 2006, the Pubmed database contains 2,500 studies, with about350 published in just 2006 alone.

Today, green tea is associated with an unbelievable array of health benefits.Perhaps this shouldn't surprise us. Chinese physicians have used green teaas a medicine for thousands of years.

Scientists are catching up fast. Most studies are preliminary, with morehuman trials needed to confirm their applications. Nevertheless, it isextremely encouraging to see new green tea benefits being reportedfrequently.

Here is a sample of what researchers have found so far:

1. Act as antioxidants.

Green tea is head and shoulder above all other beverages in term ofantioxidant content.

Many experts believe that antioxidants could slow down aging and preventheart disease, strokes and cancers.

Not only are green tea antioxidants plentiful, they are also powerful.

EGCG, found in the highest concentration in green tea, is the most active andbest researched of all green tea catechins.

It has been found to be over 100 times more effective in neutralizing freeradicals than vitamin C and 25 times more powerful than vitamin E.

2. Prolong life.

This is one study that you can’t ignore. Probably the largest population studyever conducted - 40,530 Japanese adults were questionaired for 11 years.



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Researchers found that those who drink five or more cups of green tea a dayare 16% less likely to die from any cause than those who drink less than onecup a day.

Heavy green tea drinkers are also 26% less likely to die from heart disease.

3. Prevent and treat cancers.

Green tea anti-cancer prowess extends beyond its antioxidant activities.

It starves off cancer cells by restricting blood vessel growth. It wrecks havocin abnormal cells, causing them to self-destruct. It blocks over production ofharmful enzymes that act as catalysts to cancer growth.

From brain tumor to leukemia, from lung cancer, stomach cancer, coloncancer, oesophageal cancer to bladder cancer, not to mention breast cancer,ovarian cancer and prostate cancer, green tea studies have rewardedscientists with positive results.

4. Promote good heart health.

A preliminary study suggests that green tea speeds up the recovery of heartcells and alleviates organ damage. It works by blocking the action of aprotein called Stat 1, which plays a part in inducing cell death.

As we grow older, our arteries naturally harden. Fats, cholesterols and bloodplatelets accumulate in the artery wall. When they thicken and clog up theentire artery, a heart attack or stroke occurs.

A study involving laboratory hamsters suggests that green tea inhibitsatherosclerosis, or the hardening and thickening of arteries. A humanequivalent dose of 3 to 4 cups a day is associated with 26% to 46% lowerrisk of atherosclerosis.

Studies have also found that green tea reduces cholesterol, triglycerides andblood clots.

5. Prevent and treat diabetes.

Tea compounds EGCG and theaflavins have been found to increase insulinactivities and reduce blood sugar.



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A study conducted by Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center found thatbrewed tea, when added to the fat cells of laboratory rats, increases insulinactivities by more than 15 times.

Another study conducted discovered that drinking 6 cups of tea per day for 8weeks reduces blood sugar levels by 15% to 20%.

6. Burn fat. Exercise longer.

With green tea, you get two in one. Its fat burning property helps you burnfat and exercise longer at the same time.

Green tea promotes weight loss by increasing metabolism and burning fat.

It also increases exercise endurance. Green tea catechins burn fat andreduce carbohydrates utilisation, enabling athletes to exercise longer.

7. Protect your lung from smoking.

Irritated by second hand smoke? Why should we be forced to breathe incarcinogens just because the other people are smoking?

Green tea protects us from lung cancer by reducing the cellular damagecaused by the cigarette smoke. One study conducted by University of Arizonafound that green tea reduces cellular damage by 25%.

8. Protect your liver from alcohol.

I feel sorry writing this, but in a laboratory study, rats were intoxicated withalcohol for 4 weeks. It was found that green tea prevents damage to theirlivers.

If that wasn't nasty enough, in another laboratory study, mice were exposedto carbon tetrachloride, a toxic chemical solvent. Green tea so greatlyreduced the extent of their liver injuries that the researchers suggested thatgreen tea should be used to treat liver disease.

9. Sooth stress and calm the mind.

Green tea contains theanine, which has been known to stimulate alpha brainwaves, calms the body and promotes relaxed awareness.



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Theanine is found only in tea and mushroom.

10. Rehydrate. Better than water.

Scientists in United Kingdom found that drinking tea is more healthy thanpure water.

They dispelled common belief that tea dehydrates. Tea not only rehydratesas well as water does, it also has many other health benefits.

For further information, visit Green Tea Health Benefit athttp://www.amazing-green-tea.com/green-tea-research.html



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Does Drinking Green Tea

Help Lose Weight?

With scientists discovering new green tea benefits almost every other week,even the big boys are jumping on the bandwagon.

Coca-cola is launching green tea energy drink Enviga, which is said to havenot low, not zero, but negative calories. Lipton is following suit. Pepsi-cola isintroducing a fortified fruit drink with added chromium, a mineral claimed toboost metabolism and weight loss.

On the other hand, several companies are facing fines for false advertisingwhen selling over-the-counter weight loss products with unsubstantiatedhealth benefits. Who is right?

It has been found that green tea promotes weight loss in several ways:

• Burn fat

• Boost metabolism

• Block dietary fat absorption

• Prevent fat storage

• Reduce blood level triglyceride, the most common form of chemical fatexists in our body.

Many of the findings come from animal studies and may not translate toweight loss in human.

For example, higher metabolism may be offset by higher food intake. Ifgreen tea helps burn more energy and fat, we would expect less fat onregular drinkers.



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Long Term Benefit

A medium scale Taiwanese study provides the best evidence yet that greentea helps lose weight.

With more than 1,000 individuals took part in the questionnaire for morethan 10 years. Researchers found that long term regular drinkers of greentea have significantly less fat.

They found that it is not just the amount you drink; the longer you drink, themore weight you lose.

Insignificant Difference?

A study conducted Dr Dulloo in the University of Geneva found that drinkinga green tea extract beverage 3 times a day increases energy expenditure by4%.

Is 4% too small to make any difference?

If you burn 2,000 calorie a day, this translates to 80 calories, roughly thesame amount of calories in a small banana. It is no magic bullet.

But increasing metabolism is not the only way green tea helps lose weight. Italso promotes fat burning and reduces absorption and storage of fat. Thesum total of these actions has not yet been quantified, but is likely to besignificant.

It is not just 4%, but something greater.

Additional Health Benefit

A Japanese study found that taking 690mg of green tea extract for 12 weekspromotes weight loss and reduces cholesterol damage, at the same time.

The study only involved 38 men, but the findings are encouraging.

One word of caution. 690mg is a lot of tea extract. No study has suggestedthat taking large quantity of tea extract over long period of time is safe.

In fact, one laboratory study suggests that consuming large quantity of teaextract is counter productive and stimulates tumor growth.



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Increase Exercise Endurance

The healthiest way to lose weight is to exercise regularly. Drinking green teacan increase your endurance level.

Laboratory rats were give green tea for 10 weeks. Researchers found thatthis increases the amount of time the animals could swim before becomingexhausted by as much as 24%.

When you exercise, your muscles get their energy from carbohydrates, fatsor proteins. The proportions vary depending on what exercise you do andhow fit you are.

Using carbohydrates as an energy source is undesirable because it causesyour body to secret insulin, which suppresses fat burning and stimulateslactic acid. Lactic acid builds up and causes muscle ache.

Green tea catechins burn fat and reduce carbohydrates utilisation, enablingathletes to exercise longer.

Better than Green Tea

An Japanese study conducted found that oolong tea burns more energy thangreen tea. With only 11 healthy Japanese females aged around 20 yearsparticipating, this study is too small to be conclusive.

Even if oolong tea does burn more energy than green tea, it may not helplose more weight. Tea promotes weight loss in a number of ways: higher fatburning, lower absorption and storage of fat, not just higher metabolism.

No population study has found that oolong tea produces greater weight lossthan green tea over the long term.

Which type of tea is healthier is still largely a matter of personal taste.



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Conclusion

These studies are by no means conclusive, but they are decent evidence thatgreen tea help lose weight, especially when taken regularly over long term.

Green tea can't help you lose weight quickly, but as a healthy supplement toyour weight loss program, they are perfect.

For further information, visit Tea Weight Loss at http://www.amazing-green-tea.com/tea-weight-loss.html



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Which is the Best Green Tea to Drink?Green tea has many health benefits. How do we get the best out of it? Thereare many choices: instant green tea, flavored green tea, decaffeinated greentea, teabag and loose-leaf green tea. We are spoilt for choice.

Even the big boys are jumping on the bandwagon. Coca-cola and Lipton areselling green tea energy drinks.

Like a little child who has been given too many toys to play with, we areconfused. Which is the healthiest type of green tea to drink?

Green tea contains three important constituents: catechins, theanine andcaffeine. Ideally the healthiest type of green tea should contain a lot ofcatechins and theanine, and less of caffeine.

Avoid Energy Drink

Caffeine intolerance is the most common cause of green tea side effects.

Experts recommend 300 milligrams of caffeine a day as being safe for mostindividuals.

Energy drinks contain high concentration of caffeine. Coca-cola’s Enviga, forexample, contains 100 milligrams of caffeine per serving.

Avoid Instant Drink

Not only does instant green tea contains a small fraction of catechins found ina hot brew of green tea, it has also been found to contain high level offluoride.

Much controversy surrounds fluoride. We get most of it from drinking water.Low level of fluoride helps prevent dental caries, but high level of fluoride isharmful to the teeth and bone.

A 2005 study conducted by Dr Michael Whyte from the Washington Universityin St. Louis raised concerns about the high fluoride content in Lipton’s instanticed tea.



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In the study, a middle aged woman diagnosed with skeletal fluorosis drank17 to 33 cups of double-strength instant iced green tea everyday.

Why An Original Brew Is the Best

The 2007 report published by the US Department of Agriculture comparesnearly 400 foods for their flavonoids content.

The USDA study shows why an original brew is the healthiest.

It seems that the longer green tea has been processed, the more nutrients itloses.

A 100 millimetres of brewed green tea contains 127 milligrams of catechins.

Decaffeinated brewed green tea contains only 56 milligrams, less than half ofthe catechins found in an original brew.

Flavored brewed green tea has 43 milligrams.

Disappointingly, instant green tea has only 12 milligrams.

Loose-leaf versus Teabag

According to the USDA report, an 8-ounce or 225 millimetres cup of greentea contains about 180 milligrams of green tea catechin epigallocatechingallate (EGCG).

EGCG, found in the highest concentration in green tea, is the most active andbest researched of all green tea catechins. EGCG can make up more than halfof the total catechins.

According to The World Healthiest's Foods, one green teabag contains only25 to 30 milligrams of EGCG, way below the 180 found in a loose-leaf brew.

Drinking one cup of loose-leaf gives you as much catechins as 6 cup ofteabags. It also tastes much better.

Young versus Old Leaves



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Not all parts of the tea plants are created equal. High grade green tea ismade from the bud and first two leaves. They are the purest: they containthe most nutrients and least pollutants.

Tea plants accumulate minerals such as aluminum and fluoride from soil andwater. Environmental pollution, such as the excessive use of fluoridepesticide, can result in high fluoride and heavymetal contents.

The younger the leaf, the less environmental pollutants it contains. Accordingto some sources, mature, old leaves can contain 10 to 20 times more fluoridethan the young leaves of the same tea plant.

Harvested in early spring, these tender shoots are the sweetest and tastiest.They also contain the most catechins and theanine.

What about Caffeine?

Unfortunately, these tender shoots also contain the most caffeine. Theyounger the leaf, the more caffeine it contains.

It is no coincidence that the finest green tea from China (Longjing orDragonwell) and Japan (Gyokuro) have one of the highest caffeine content.

But this is easy to deal with. Read How to Enjoy Green Tea WithoutCaffeine to find out.



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Why Is Chinese Green Tea The Best?The Old World of green tea consists of China and Japan. They still grow andconsume the most green tea. In particular, China is the largest producer withabout 70% market share worldwide.

India, California and Germany also produce small quantity of high qualityorganic green tea.

Why is Chinese Green Tea is the best? Six reasons:

• Vast geography

• Imperial history

• Selective Harvesting

• Sophisticated Firing

• Large Varieties

• Affordable Price

In China, most leaves are still handpicked, which yields a higher quality crop.Many of the top grade teas are still hands-made, allowing tea masters tofinetune their process to optimise the quality of the individual leaves.

Knowledgeable tea drinkers can find the best of the finest in the Land of theDragon. The low cost of living in China often results in affordable prices formany teas.

Vast Geography

China is the third largest country in the world, with land area slightly largerthan the United States of America. Green tea is grown in Southern China,where the subtropical climate and fertile soil are ideal for growing tea.

The best Chinese green tea is usually found in regions of exceptional naturalbeauty, such as West Lake, Huang Shan or Er Mei Shan, where tea has beencultivated for thousands of years.



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Many of these high quality green teas are naturally organic. There simply isno need to spray pesticides and fungicides.

Imperial History

Nothing shapes the long history of Chinese green tea as much as Gong Cha,or imperial tea. The development of Gong Cha was as tragic as it willultimately be glorious.

For a long time, local governments offered Chinese green tea as tribute tothe imperial court. When Gong Cha was introduced in the Tang Dynasty ataround 700 A.D., stringent high standard was imposed.

No longer just a medicinal tonic, Chinese green tea became an intergral partof the imperial court's everyday life. Well educated and appreciative, theseimperial tea connoisseurs were at the cutting edge.

Emperor Song Wei Zong (1101 to 1126 A.D.) was the most eminent teadrinker of his generation. Throughout more than 1,000 years of Gong Chasystem, tea makers innovated rapidly to keep up with the shifting tastedemanded by the imperial court.

While the people languished, tea flourished. Today, many of the finestChinese green tea were Gong Cha. They dominate the tea export market,rewarding local tea growers with lucrative foreign dollars.

People like you and me can enjoy Gong Cha, made with the same highstandard that mesmerised Emperor Song Wei Zhong hundreds of years ago.

Selective Harvesting

Not all parts of the tea plants are created equal. The best Chinese green teais made from the bud and first two leaves. They are the purest: they containthe most nutrients and least pollutants.

These tender shoots are the sweetest and tastiest. They are the richest incatechins, which contain the antioxidants, and the sweet and fresh tastingtheanine, which calms and soothes the mind.



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Harvesting is a tedious process. Pickers have to exercise meticulous care topluck only the tenderest buds and leaves at the top of the tea bushes. Theseleaves are tiny - machines just won't yield the same quality.

Amazingly, one kilogram of top grade Chinese green tea may contain asmany as 100,000 pluckings. Moreover, pickers only have a few days at atime to harvest the leaves. Phew!

Sophisticated Firing

The long history of Chinese green tea affords it time to experiment anddevelop many processing techniques.

Unlike black tea, Chinese green tea is made with minimal processing. Aprocess - called firing - applies heat to kill the enzymes and halt theoxidation, or fermentation.

Traditionally, the Chinese uses three firing methods: steaming, pan-fryingand baking.

Steaming is widely used in China until the 16th century. Steamed leaves andtheir liquor have an attractive green colour and are a beauty to behold.

Early Gong Cha were made by steaming. Japanese monk Kobo Daishi learntthis when he visited China in A.D. 804 and introduced tea drinking to Japanwith the Chinese tea seeds he brought back.

Today, most Japanese green tea is made using the steaming method.

Pan-frying was later preferred over steaming for two reasons: it is quicker topan-fry than to steam, and it stimulates an intense chestnuty aroma andflavor.

Today, pan-frying is the most popular firing method in China.

Baking can be done using either charcoal or electric oven. It is preferred overpan-frying when it is important to preserve the shape and texture of the tea,such as when making floral infused green tea.

Baked green tea usually have a floral or fruity favor, and because it is lessmanipulated than pan-fried green tea, its tiny white hairs are often left intact.



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Many Chinese green tea are produced using combinations of pan-frying andbaking, allowing the advantages of each method to be exploited.

Large Varieties

The varieties of Chinese green tea are unrivalled anywhere else in the world.

Chinese green tea expert Mr Hai-Gen Si estimated there are as many as 676varieties of Famous Green Tea (Ming Cha) in China today. His sampleincludes only the highly regarded tea where written records exist.

The large varieties means Chinese green tea has the best, and possibly theworst, of green tea.

When buying Chinese green tea, or any high grade tea, it is important to buyfrom knowledgeable vendors who has a lot of original information about theirtea. They are likelier to know where their tea comes from.

For further information, visit Green Tea at http://www.amazing-green-tea.com/chinese-green-tea.html



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How To Buy Loose-Leaf?

All You Need To Know About

Dragonwell TeaAlso known as longjing or Lung Ching tea, the Dragonwell tea is the mostrenowned of Chinese green tea.

1. What is so special about the Dragonwell tea?

Make no mistake, this is China’s foremost green tea.

If you were to become the President of the United States and flew to Beijingfor a meeting with the Chinese Premier Mr Hu Jin Tao, this is the tea youwould be served with.

2. How does it taste like?

If you like strong-tasting beverage, then Dragonwell tea is NOT for you.

It has a very subtle taste. The Chinese poet Lu Ci Zi famously praised its“tastelessness”, saying that this is the ultimate taste of all.

It has such a kick to it that you have to sample a high grade to reallyunderstand.

Dragonwell tea is pan-fried - which gives it a delicious chestnuty favor.

High grade tea leaves a long lingering sweet aftertaste and a tinglingsensation to the tongue.

3. Which Dragonwell tea do you recommend?

Don’t just buy any Dragonwell tea. Get a really special one and take time toappreciate it.

The highest quality tea is produced in the West Lake region of China.



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Ask the vendors where are the tea is grown. Climate and processes varyacross the sub-regions, different varieties of West Lake longjing tea can lookand taste different.

4. What are the main types of West Lake longjing tea?

Historically, West Lake longjing tea was divided into four sub-regions: Lion(Shi), Dragon (Long), Cloud (Yun) and Tiger (Hu). As the distinction betweenthe sub-regions blurred over the years, this categorisation has now beenadjusted to:

• Lion Peak longjing, or Shi Feng longjing

• Mei Jia Wu longjing

• The rest is collectively called West Lake longjing, or Xi Hu longjing.

Shi Feng longjing tea is of the highest quality. Fresh tasting, its frangrance issharp and long lasting. Its leaves are yellowish green in colour.

Mei Jia Wu longjing is next best. It looks more attractive then Shi Fenglongjing: jade green tea in colour, it is flat and smooth.

The remainding Dragonwell tea produced from West Lake is simply known asXi Hu longjing. It is inferior to either Shi Feng or Mei Jia Wu longjing.

5. Could you tell me about Gong Zhi longjing tea?

Some Shi Feng longjing is “Gong Zhi”, which literally means “Imperial Word”.

Imperial longjing tea is of the highest quality and produced under strictnaturally organic environment.

It is normally reserved for powerful politicians in Beijing. The Chinese WhiteHouse, Zhong Nang Hai, acquires one tonne of Imperial longjing tea eachyear.

6 Where can I get Imperial longjing tea?

We are not aware of anyone who sells them in the West.



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We have a friend in China whose family is a designated producer of ImperialDragonwell tea. If you are interested, contact us at http://www.amazing-green-tea.com/contact-us.html

As we are getting direct, the prices are competitive compared to the otherDragonwell sold in the West.

7. Are there else anything that I need to be aware of?

Definitely. As for all things in China, beware of fakes.

Shi Feng longjing is so esteemed in China that most people have difficultyacquiring them. The supply tends to be monopolised by powerful politiciansand wealthy tea drinkers.

Some unscrupulous tea makers over pan-fry their tea to imitate the yellowishgreen colour of Shi Feng longjing.

Some merchants mix a small amount of high grade with low grade tea, andsell it as expensive high grade.

Others take fresh tea leaves produced in Yunnan, Guizhou and SichuanProvinces and process them using Dragonwell tea techniques.

Buy from knowledgeable tea vendors who has a lot of original informationabout their tea. From experience, the best tea vendors always havesomething to teach and know where their tea comes from.

8. I heard that the best tea is harvested early spring. Could you tellme more?

Dragonwell tea is only harvested in spring. The earlier the harvest, the higherthe quality.

The highest quality tea is picked before Qing Ming Jie, or 5 April. Tea vendorscalled this Pre-Ming, or Ming Qian Cha.

But some tea growers make a finer distinction.

Tea picked in late March is known as Pre-Ming, or Ming Qian Cha. Tea pickedfrom 1 to 5 April is known as Qing Ming Cha.



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Most vendors would ignore this distinction and sell Qing Ming Cha as Pre-Ming Cha.

9. How about the grades?

Dragonwell tea is divided into seven grades: ultimate (Ji Ping), special (Te Ji)and then from 1 to 5. Sub-grades also exist within the special grade.

10. How do I drink it?

Add about a teaspoon of tea leaves to a glass. Pour hot water of about 85degrees Celcius. Cover and steep for about 1 minute. Leave to cool. Drinkwhen it is at about 60 degrees Celcius.

A high grade can be re-infused at least 3 times.

For further information, visit Dragonwell Tea at http://www.amazing-green-tea.com/dragonwell-tea.html



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How Much Green Tea Should I Drink?Drinking too much green tea is harmful. Take any healthy food excessively, itis likely to turn into a poison.

Many population studies documenting the health benefits of drinking greentea are based in Asia, where people typically drink 3 cups of green tea a day.

The usual practice is to infuse loose-leaf green 3 times. Unlike teabags,loose-leaf retains its favor after the first infusion. The second infusion usuallytastes the best.

A typical cup is 8-ounce, or about 225 millimetres.

Studies conducted by Imai suggest that drinking as many as 10 cups a day tobenefit from green tea. Hence most experts recommend drinking between 3to 10 cups a day.

The United Kingdom Tea Council recommends drinking up to 6 cups a dayowing to the caffeine content. Individuals with special conditions should drinkeven less and take appropriate precautions.

What can go wrong drinking too much green tea? Caffeine intolerance andminerals overdose.

Caffeine Intolerance


Green tea contains about half the amount of caffeine found in coffee, somoderate consumption of green tea is unlikely to cause problems for themajority of people.

Experts recommend 300 milligrams of caffeine a day as being safe for mostindividuals. According to the United Kingdom Tea Council, this is equivalent to6 cups of tea a day.



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Minerals Overdose

Tea plant accumulates minerals such as aluminium, manganese and fluoridefrom soil and water. These minerals can be harmful when consumed in largeamount over many years.

A 2005 study conducted by Dr Michael Whyte from the Washington Universityin St. Louis raised concerns about the high fluoride content in instant icedtea.

In the study, a middle aged woman diagnosed with skeletal fluorosis drank17 to 33 cups a day, double-strength, because of the hot weather. This isunusual, but highlight the dangers of drinking too much green tea.



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Does Green Tea Have Any Side Effects?Green tea is safe. The United States FDA categories tea as "GenerallyRecognized as Safe".

Green tea is also powerful. The Chinese have been drinking green tea formore than 2,000 year. But until A.D. 600, green tea was used mainly as amedicinal tonic, not an everyday beverage.

Like any other herbal medicine, green tea's healing power has to be carefullyharnessed. There are times when we should avoid drinking green tea.

Read through the ten situations below to see if they apply to you. Exercisecaution if it does.

1. When you suspect that you have too much caffeine.

Read How to Enjoy Green Tea Without The Caffeine.

2. When you have a sensitive stomach.

Stomach upset is the second most common complaint I hear from teadrinkers, after caffeine.

Caffeine can cause stomach upset. Tea also contains other compounds thatcause indigestion by stimulating the production of gastric acid.

Tea can also be a problem for those prone to heartburn and stomach ulcer.Heartburn results when gastric acids rise up and spill into the esophagus,causing irritation.

3. When you suffer from, or is susceptible to, iron deficiency anemia.

There are two kinds of dietary iron: heme and non-heme.

Heme iron, found in meat, fish and poultry, is absorbed by our body veryefficiently.

Non-heme iron, found in flours, cereals, and fortified grain products, is moredifficult to absorb.



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A published study in the March 2001 edition of the American Journal ofClinical Nutrition reports that green tea extract reduces the absorption ofnon-heme iron by 25%.

5. When you are pregnant or are breastfeeding.

Green tea contains catechins, caffeine and tannic acids. All three substanceshave been linked to pregnancy risks.

Studies suggest that drinking large amount of green tea can cause neuraltube birth defect in babies. High consumption of caffeine and tannic acid havebeen linked to fertility problems and miscarriage risk.

Nevertheless, moderate consumption of green tea is considered safe.

6. When you are trying to conceive.

This is an area where further studies are needed. Two small scale studiessuggest that green tea may help woman conceive baby. The evidence,though positive, is unsatisfactory.

7. When you are undergoing menopause

In preliminary research, green tea has been associated with decreased levelof estrogens in the body. It is not clear if significant green tea side effectssuch as hot flashes may occur. Exercise caution if this is a concern to you.

Nevertheless, a 2003 study suggests that green tea, when taken with otherherbs, may alleviate postmenopausal symptoms.

8. When you have or are prone to forming kidney stones.

Kidney stones are mineral deposits made up of calcium, uric acid or theamino acid cysteine. At least three quarters of kidney stones are composedof calcium combined with phosphate or oxalic acid. Green tea is a concernbecause it is rich in oxalic acid.

Recent studies seem to indicate that green tea actually inhibits the formationof urinary stones.



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9. When you have young children.

Green tea contains caffeine, which may cause anemia and other problems inchildren. It also contains tannin that inhibits the absorption of protein.

Some experts say green tea is good for children because it prevents toothdecay. That is true, but if you have kids under three, do not let them drinkgreen tea, or any other tea and coffee beverages.

10. When you are on medication or have a medical history.

Green tea, like any other tea beverages, can interfere and interact withcertain medications. As a safety precaution, avoid drinking tea for at least 2hours after taking medications.

Tea reduces the absorption of thiamine, or vitamin B. Thiamine deficiencyleads to a condition known as beriberi. Once common to sailor, beriberi isnow relatively rare in the Western world except for alcoholics.

Green tea contains caffeine. Caffeine can increase heart rate and bloodpressure, although people who consume caffeine regularly do not seem toexperience these effects in the long-term.

Caffeine can also increase blood sugar levels. Diabetes patients should usegreen tea cautiously.

Those with psychological disorders, especially anxiety or panic disorders,should drink green tea cautiously.

Those with overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism, should also exercisecaution.

The same applies to those with severe liver disease, as the level of caffeine inthe blood may build up and last longer.

Finally, if you have any other health concerns, play it safe. Consult with yourhealth adviser before drinking green tea.

As you can see, there is a lot of information on this topic. This article is only abrief summary. Read How To Avoid Green Tea Side Effects for tips. Forfurther information, visit Green Tea Side Effects at http://www.amazing-green-tea.com/green-tea-side-effects.html



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How To Enjoy Green Tea Without Caffeine?Contrary to popular belief, green tea can have as much caffeine as black tea.

You can't tell how much caffeine tea has from its colour. The finest Japanesegreen tea - Gyokuro - contains more caffeine than the black LapsangSouchong.

High grade green tea is made from bud and the first two or three leaves.These tender shoots are the sweetest and tastiest.

Unfortunately, the younger the leaf, the more caffeine it contains. It is nocoincidence that the finest green tea from China (Longjing or Dragonwell)and Japan (Gyokuro) also have one of the highest caffeine.

Understand Your Tolerance


Green tea contains about half the amount of caffeine found in coffee, somoderate consumption of green tea is unlikely to cause problems for themajority of people.

For those who are sensitive to caffeine, here are symptoms to watch out for:restlessness, irritability, sleeping problems, tremor, heart palpitations, loss ofappetite, upset stomach, nausea, frequent urination and skin rash.

Caffeine can increase heart rate and blood pressure, although people whoconsume caffeine regularly do not seem to experience these effects in thelong-term.

Caffeine can also increase blood sugar levels. Diabetes patients should usegreen tea cautiously.




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This recommendation is just a guide. In reality, individuals can have veryhigh or low caffeine tolerance. As far as we are aware, scientists have notfound any problems with caffeine intake of less than 75 milligrams a day.

Find your limit and stick to it. Remember, caffeine is also found in coffeebeverages, chocolate products, energy drinks, energy chews and soft drinks.

Don't Know Where To Start?

It is generally accepted that green tea contains half the caffeine in coffee. Soit is less likely to give you caffeine problems than coffee.

Start with one cup a day and increase if you do not observe any discomfort.A cup of green tea can contain anything from 15 to 75 milligrams of caffeine.There have been few reports of side effects with this level of caffeine.

The standard measure of a cup is 8 ounce, or roughly 225 millimetres.Typically, one teabag, or 2 to 3 grams of loose-leaf green, brews one cup oftea.

Brew Green Tea

Have you noticed that green tea gives you a boost without the jitters? Unlikecoffee, it is a smooth ride with a gentle touch down.

Green tea contains catechins and theanine that reduce caffeine activity.Brewing green tea allows these molecules to combine with caffeine in hotwater, rendering the caffeine less effective.

Always drink green tea hot. It has been found that green tea catechins startto break down just after a couple of hours.

Theanine also eases off caffeine in another way. It stimulates alpha brainwaves, calms the body and promotes relaxed awareness.

Thanine is only found in tea and mushroom.

Hot Wash It

Caffeine is quicker to dissolve than the other tea compounds. Throw awaythe first infusion, as it soaks up 70% of the caffeine.



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Drink the green tea without caffeine - subsequent infusions have all thegoodness, but minus the caffeine.

We call it "tea washing" in China. As a precautionary measure, it is used toremove any dust and residue that might be found on the tea. Little is lost -the second infusion usually tastes better.

If you are drinking green teabag or low grade green, don't bother. Thesecond infusion would taste bland. It is green tea without caffeine, and favor.

Avoid Decaffeinated Green Tea

This is a complex topic by itself. Unfortunately, the industry is not regulatedby the FDA.

Decaffeinated green tea contains less than 5 milligrams of caffeine a cup, or0.4% in dry weight. Tempting as it may seem, most commercially availabledecaf tastes pretty awful.

The decaffeination process destroys the favor and nutrient of green tea.Papers published by the USDA and UCLA Center for Human Nutrition foundthat decaf contains less than a third of the catechins found in brewed greentea.

It is green tea without caffeine - and catechins.

To add insult to injury, a 1996 study conducted by University of Texas foundthat decaffeinated tea infusions contain an average of 3.2 ppm of fluoride,twice the level found in naturally caffeinated tea infusions, which contain 1.5ppm.

The authors suggested this is due to the use of high fluoride mineral waterduring the decaffeination process.

Today, the best decaffeinated green tea is made from the carbon dioxidemethod. Avoid the so called "natural decaffeinated".

Avoid Energy Drink

They contain high concentration of caffeine. Coca-cola’s Enviga, for example,contains 100 milligrams of caffeine per serving. Why can't they stoppretending it is a health drink?



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All Else Fail?

Okay, let say you go for a half-strength brew, drink fewer cups, skip the firstinfusion and even try out a few greens. And it is still not working out. What todo?

Try oolong tea. Made from more matured leaves, it has less caffeine. Somesources indicate that the Formosa oolong from Taiwan has lower caffeinecontent.

Flower and herbal infusions are not Camellia Sinensis and do not containcaffeine. If you are caffeine sensitive, they can be a good alternative.

Also check out Rooibos from South Africa and Yerbal Mate from SouthAmerica. Apparently they taste like tea and have many health benefits.

For further information, visit Green Tea Without Caffeine athttp://www.amazing-green-tea.com/green-tea-without-caffeine.html



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How To Avoid Green Tea Side Effects?1. Don't drink tea when it is scalding hot.

Chinese tea experts generally recommend drinking tea between 56 to 62degree Celcius. Drinking very hot tea is harmful to the digestive system.

2. Don't drink tea when it turns cold.

Leave freshly brewed tea for a while and you'll notice that its colour darkensand its fragrance fades. This is because tea compounds become oxidised afew hours after brewing - so drink while it is hot.

Nutrients like catechins, theanine, vitamin C and B diminish over time.

Tea contains amino acids. Leave it even longer and bacteria starts to breed.

In Asia, folk wisdom says that one should never drink tea that has been leftovernight.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, cold tea is "damp" and gathersphlegm.

3. Don't drink tea full-strength.

This applies only when you are brewing loose-leaf. Teabags are generally toomild to cause any problems.

A typical cup of tea contains 2 to 3 grams of leaves. A full strength can haveas much as 15 grams of leaves.

Generally speaking, it is better to have less than more leaves when brewingtea.

Full-strength tea contains concentrated caffeine and causes side effects.

Tea polyphenols can stimulate the production of gastric acids, resulting instomach upset.

4. Don't over-brew your tea.



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In Asia, it is common practice to multiple infuse tea leaves. Most tea can beinfused up to three times.

The chemical composition of the brew alter with each infusion. Over-brewedtea not only tastes awful, it is considered harmful.

5. Don't drink tea on empty stomach.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, drinking tea on empty stomachcause the "coldness" to enter the lung and stomach system.

6. Don't drink tea around meal times.

The alkaline nature of tea conflicts with the acids produced by the stomach.Drinking tea around mealtimes can cause indigestion for those with sensitivestomach.

Tea reduces the absorption of non-heme iron, causing problems to thoseprone to iron deficiency anemia.

Tea reduces the absorption of thiamine, or vitamin B. Thiamine deficiencyleads to a condition known as beriberi. Once common to sailor, beriberi isnow relatively rare in the Western world except for alcoholics.

7. Don't mix tea with medications.

Tea can interfere and interact with certain medications. As a safetyprecaution, avoid drinking tea for at least 2 hours after taking medications.

8. Don't mix tea with alcohol.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, drinking tea and alcohol togetheris harmful to the kidney system, causing constipation and problems to sexualorgans.

Similarly, as a safety precaution, avoid drinking tea after a heavy drinkingsession.

9. Don't drink tea when suffering from fever.

Drinking tea won't get rid of high temperature.



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As a mild stimulant, tea may further increase the body temperature. Thebody cools down by sweating - tea tannins actually inhibit this effect.

10. Don't drink too much.

Many population studies documenting the health benefits of drinking greentea are based in Asia, where people typically drink 3 cups of green tea a day.

Studies conducted by scientist Imai suggest drinking as many as 10 cups aday to benefit from green tea. Hence most experts recommend drinkingbetween 3 to 10 cups a day.


Individuals with special conditions should drink even less or avoid green teaaltogether.



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About The AuthorHey, my name is Julian Tai. I grew up in Southeast Asia drinking oolong teafor breakfast. At that time, I was too young to appreciate it...

Then I migrated to Europe and occupied my life with schools, qualificationsand work – all the things people expected of me. All worthwhile, of course,but no more oolong tea for breakfast :(

My forefathers came from the Fujian province of Southern China, near theWuyi mountain, famed for producing oolong tea. To these days, we stillmaintain close contact with our distant relatives.

My passion with tea started after I visited the tea gardens in China someyears ago. I was amazed! They taste great and are affordable! I broughtback Dragonwell green tea, Wuyi oolong tea and Yunan puer tea.

Tea became my daily routine. And before I knew it, my health, which hadn'tbeen great at that time, started to improve.

I became less prone to infection. My skin cleared up. I was alert andproductive at work. Being caffeine sensitive, I found that tea perks me upnicely without the unpleasant side effects of coffee.

I began to learn about tea systematically. Then I came across Site Built It! –which makes starting a website really easy, even for a novice like myself.

Site Built It! makes it possible for me to set up Amazing-Green-Tea.com toshare my knowledge with other tea lovers.

Sure, it is hard work, and for very little money. But tea is my passion. Andwhy should I live any other way than doing what I love and enjoy? I havediscovered the joy of a great cup of tea – may be I can help you to do thesame!



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References:Harold N, Graham PD (1992). Green tea composition, consumption andpolyphenol chemistry. Journal of preventive medicine and hygiene. 1992May;21(3):334-50.

Dulloo AG, Duret C, Rohrer D, Girardier L, Mensi N, Fathi M, Chantre P,Vandermander (1999). Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechinpolyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fatoxidation in humans. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 1999 Dec;70(6):1040-5.

M.Whyte, K. Essmyer, F. Gannon, W. Reinus (2005). Skeletal fluorosis andinstant tea. The American Journal of Medicine, Volume 118, Issue 1, Pages78-82.

US Department of Agriculture (2007). USDA Database for the FlavanoidContent of Selected Foods Release 2.1.http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/Flav/Flav02-1.pdf

The World Healthiest's Foods. Green Tea.http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=146#nutritionalprofile

Imai K, Suga K, Nakachi K (1997). Cancer-preventive effects of drinkinggreen tea among a Japanese population. Prev Med 1997;26:769–75.

Imai K, Nakachi K (1995). Cross sectional study of effects of drinking greentea on cardiovascular and liver diseases. BMJ 1995;310:693–6.

Chan JT, Koh SH (1996). Fluoride content in caffeinated, decaffeinated andherbal teas. Caries research 1996;30(1):88-92. Department of BasicSciences, University of Texas Houston Health Science Center, USA.

Medline Plus: Green Tea (Carmellia sinensis).http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/print/druginfo/natural/patient-green_tea.html.

Henning SM, Fajardo-Lira C, Lee HW, Youssefian AA, Go VL, Heber D (2003).Catechin content of 18 teas and a green tea extract supplement. NutrCancer. 2003;45(2):226-35. UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, School of



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Medicine, Warren Hall 14-166, 900 Veteran Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095,USA. [email protected].

Chen Zhong Xian (1992). Zhongguo Chajing. Shanghai Wenhua Chubanshe.

Si Hai Gen (2000). ZhongGuo Mingcha Tupu: Luchapian. Shanghai WenhuaChubanshe.

Chen Qikun (2005). Zhongguo Lucha. Guangdong Luyou Chupanshe.

Liu Xiang Lian (2006). Dangdai Chajing. Zhongguo Haiguan.



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Page 1 of 40 - Amazing Green Tea · Green tea is not oxidised, black tea is fully oxidised, while oolong tea is partially oxidised. Composition Green tea chemical composition is extremely