Posted by Phillipa on March 25, 2009, at 14:40:08
If green tea is relaxing can it in turn help anxiety? Phillipa
GREEN TEA (o-cha).
Is Japanese tea always green?
Green tea, often drunk in Japan, has important health properties - far more than you may think.When people refer to Japanese tea, they usually mean the green variety - or varieties, as there are several. To the uninitiated, green tea sounds revolting, and if you are used to the English style strong black tea with milk and sugar (uugh!) then it probably is an acquired taste.
But like most things, once you get used to it you will find it is actually ..... rather nice! And it certainly has health-giving properties.But to answer the question: in Japan you will find many different types of tea, some green, some black, some golden brown .... By the way, they are never drunk with milk or sugar! But green tea is typically Japanese, and most people drink it regularly. It is green because the leaves are picked young and are fresh and not roasted, unlike the leaves used for black tea which are left on the plant until they are older and oxidised.
Here is a brief description of the most popular varieties:
Sencha
The most popular tea: clear, light green, delicate taste. Made from leaves picked from the middle of the branch.
Gyokurocha
Clear, green. From the tip of the branch. The best taste and aroma, but very expensive! Most people would drink this only on special occasions.Bancha
Light brown, made from the twigs of the tea plant. A stronger, more bitter taste.Hojicha
Green or sometimes brown (cheaper variety). A mixture of tea and roasted grain (wheat / barley / rice).Mugicha
Golden-brown, like beer! But it tastes different. Made from roasted wheat; need to boil it for a few minutes. Often drunk cold in summer - very refreshing.Matcha
This is the type used for the Tea Ceremony. It comes as a powder and is bright green, thick and frothy, slightly sweet. Maybe you have seen them mixing it in a bowl with what looks like a shaving brush!It is important to remember that when making green tea you should not use boiling water; let it cool for a minute or so first. It should not be made too strong, otherwise it may taste bitter. But it can be drunk cold and is quite refreshing this way. It is even used to flavour desserts (such as yokan) and ice-cream.
Tea and Health - a few surprises!
Green tea is a powerful antioxidant, can help you lose weight, and really is good for helping you to relax.
It is even thought to suppress the development of stomach cancer.
It helps prevent blocked arteries and maintain normal cholesterol levels. It strengthens capillaries and lowers blood pressure.But first, the inevitable question: But what about the caffeine?
Yes, most types of tea, including green tea, contain caffeine, sometimes as much as coffee - BUT - coffee (even decaffeinated) contains other harmful substances, whereas green tea, especially, contains substances which promote good health - like anti-oxidants - and recent research shows that the caffeine in tea is actually not harmful because it is neutralised by a substance called theanine, an amino acid found in tea.
Green tea also stimulates your bodys metabolism, thus helping you to burn those calories faster and therefore can help with weight loss, as part of a total weight-control program, of course. Green tea wont make you slim overnight just by itself, but it could help.
So how is it relaxing? - sounds like a contradiction!
Well, more of a paradox. Yes, it stimulates the calorie-burning process, but in other ways it helps you to relax, partly psychologically, especially if drunk at the famous tea ceremony where the whole tea-making, serving and drinking procedure is carried out slowly and calmly in a relaxed atmosphere - a far cry from the grab a quick cup on the way to the next meeting scenario many of us are more used to!
The other reason tea is relaxing is because of the theanine mentioned above, which is a relaxant. Trials have shown that it can help reduce stress and high blood pressure, it promotes relaxation without drowsiness and can even help increase concentration and memory.
It appears to work by blocking the effects of caffeine on your central nervous system and by increasing natural chemicals in the brain which have a calming effect. In this way it can even help to reduce anxiety and panic attacks.There is a higher level of theanine in green tea than in our traditional black tea.
poster:Phillipa
thread:886953
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090322/msgs/886953.html