Green Tea Weight Loss Facts

Is Green Tea Safe During Pregnancy?

The majority of eminent clinicians will not conclusively suggest that drinking green tea during pregnancy has any negative health effects and any potential side effects of consuming too much caffeine can be removed by drinking less of it. The main ingredient, just like other teas, that should be restricted during pregnancy is caffeine and doctors recommend that pregnant women should avoid excessive intake of caffeine, especially during the early stages of pregnancy. It is considered by many that excessive intake of caffeine can cause miscarriage during pregnancy or can delay conception although no firm research has supported this belief apart from for heavy smokers who drink more than 8 cups of coffee a day. This unfermented tea normally contains half of the caffeine found in other teas but stronger brews can contain just as much as some types of tea. It is recommended that pregnant women consume less than around two cups a day (or less than 200mg) during pregnancy as different brews contain different amounts of caffeine. One way of reducing the effects of caffeine during pregnancy is to drink the decaffeinated green tea version but so long as you follow the suggested recommendations there is no reason why you should not enjoy a green tea pregnancy.

Green Tea and Pregnancy Controversy

The main debate about green tea and pregnancy is concerned not just with the green tea caffeine (we should all limit the intake of caffeine) but with the cell destroying aspect of it as used as a weapon against cancerous cells. Those against green tea during early pregnancy claim that as it destroys cancerous cells it also destroys folic acid which is crucial for the growth of a healthy baby. Although there is no firm clinical evidence to support this it is advised that drinking just a moderate amount (one or two cups) during pregnancy is safe and will allow its other health benefits to be realized.

Is Decaf Green Tea Safe During Pregnancy?

One way of enjoying a green tea pregnancy is to only use a decaf blend although you should reduce your intake during the period you are trying to conceive and in early pregnancy.  Although research using the purest form of the antioxidant has supported the folic destroying properties of ECGC to some degree, most clinical research into the effects of drinking the tea has studied it as an extract in its drug form (ECGC). ECGC in a laboratory is more of a folic acid inhibitor than the antioxidant extracted directly from the tea when drank. Even these tests are not conclusive in proving that it is bad for pregnancy but as you are dealing with such an important thing as human life always err on the side of caution and heed advice by keeping your consumption during pregnancy to one or two cups a day.

Folic Acid and ECGC Research

Scientists stumbled upon the effects of ECGC accidentally during trials to test its inhibitory effect on carcinogenic cells. Although they noticed that pure ECGC had some sort of effect on the body’s ability to absorb folic acid they could not find significant enough results to apply the same results in a blanket fashion to its consumption by pregnant women. Nevertheless, some health websites run by non-medical editors still covered the results in a negative light.

What is Decaffeinated Green Tea?

Decaffeinated green tea is basically the same as green tea but with the caffeine removed. Many critics claim that when removing the caffeine from green tea the goodness is also removed although this is not necessarily the case as there are two main ways that green tea is decaffeinated and they each create different results nutrition wise. Decaf green tea benefits may be reduced slightly by the decaffeination process but decaf green tea still offers substantial health benefits in terms of the presence of polyphenols such as catechins which still act as antioxidants.

Decaffeinated Green tea Weight Loss

Drinking green tea is a great way to enhance your body’s natural fat burning ability by introducing caffeine and polyphenols to the body such as catechins which speed up your metabolism which speeds up weight loss. Green tea still contains catechins and therefore retains most of the normal green tea weight loss effects of regular green tea.

How is Decaffeinated Green Tea made?

The first of the two methods used to make decaf green tea involves introducing a chemical solvent (ethyl acetate) to extract the caffeine in the tea. Unfortunately this process removes around 70% of catechins naturally found in green tea but still offers a certain level of health benefit and is especially good for those who want to avoid caffeine whilst enjoying the healing power of green tea. The second method of removing caffeine from green tea involves the harmless use of carbon dioxide and water (effervescence) to remove the caffeine from of the tea. This process is referred to as the C02 decaffeination method and is the more positive decaffeination method leaving most of the antioxidants intact (95%).

Decaf Green Tea vs. Normal Green Tea

The benefits of drinking caffeine free green tea are the same as drinking normal green tea only that one type of decaf possesses much less antioxidants than the normal blend. Drinking the C02 decaffeinated blend of green tea achieves practically the same health benefits as normal green tea but with less harmful caffeine which is great for those who need to avoid caffeine for health purposes.

Is Green Tea Decaffeinated Naturally

There are products marketed as naturally decaffeinated green tea but one should be careful with the term “naturally.” In fact, the term “natural” merely refers to the type of decaffeination process using ethyl acetate because green tea contains a small amount of ethyl acetate anyway and that is it. The process itself is not natural and the ethyl acetate used is not derived from green tea itself but rather from an external chemical compound. The best decaf is probably a matter of personal choice so long as it does not have and artificial additives and you like the way it tastes.

Decaffeinated Tea Products

For those who do not want to brew and drink green tea to enjoy the benefits of green tea there are always the option of taking the tea extract in tablet form. Always consult your doctor to make sure you do not exceed the recommended daily amount of ECGC polyphenols if you are pregnant. Arizona decaf green tea is a great idea for those people wanting to avoid caffeine but who love ice tea and want the benefits of green tea. However, think carefully about buying green tea products that have been adapted for convenience such as cold drinks and tablets because a large part of the ease of green tea is that it is simply drank and enjoyed both for health and relaxation.

The matcha is a neo-green, finely powered tea that is prepared from tea leaves that are grown in the shade.  It is specially brewed and served in traditional tea ceremonies in Japan.  It is also used as a flavour for cookies, sweets, alcohol beverages, as well as sweets and smoothies.  It is a little more expensive than other green teas.  However, the way it is produced as well as the quality of the tea is what dictates the price and has direct relation to matcha green tea benefits.

The production process begins a few weeks before the harvesting of the tea leaves.  The bushes are covered in an effort to generate 90% shade, and this is usually done for a three-week period.  When this is done, it slows down the rate of growth of the tea plants by impacting the rate of photosynthesis.  More amino acids and as well as higher level of chlorophyll are accumulated in the tea leaves and this is what is responsible for the matcha’s sweet flavour as well as for many of the unique  matcha tea health benefits.

To make the matcha, they harvest the best tea buds which are then steamed and set out to dry.  The stems and veins are then removed from the dried leaves before grinding them.  The tea leaves are then grounded in order to create great talc-like matcha green tea powder.  When you brew the matcha it is not strained or left in tea pot.  Instead, the leaf is also ingested with the tea thus matcha drinkers get the added health benefits from the chlorophyll.

Matcha green tea benefits are many including generak benefits of green tea as well as some unique health benefits just for matcha tea. They include the fact that they contain higher levels of amino acids, polyphenois, vitamins, cathechins, as well as other antioxidants than other green teas.  There are some studies that say that with respect to the matcha tea health benefits, the matcha’s nutritional value that is in it is comparable to ten glasses of other types of green teas.

• relaxation – yet another among our matcha tea health benefits is the fact that it also comprise of the amino acid known as L-theanine.  This helps with the relaxation of the mind.  As such, people ingest it as a natural mood enhancer.  Other amino acids are what give the tea the sweet flavour that it has, and it therefore tastes different from regular green teas
• body cleansing -the high concentration of antioxidants is also another great matcha green tea benefits.  Comparative studies show that in comparison to other fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants, matcha has in approximately ten times higher the amount per gram
• cancer fighting -still another one of the matcha green tea benefits is the fact that it contains a very high level of catechin EGCg.  This is said to have cancer-fighting properties and it is an anti-oxidant
• weight loss effects – high level of chlorophyll due to the matcha growing conditions makes matcha excellent tee for those seeking which type of tee to drink for green tea weight loss diet
• skin care – another of matcha green tea health benefits is are acne fighting effects thanks to its high level of chlorophyll
• sugar free – there is absolutely no sugar contained in matcha green tea so it is also great option for diabetics
• energy booster – according to recent studies the energy boosting benefit of matcha tea is not only because of the caffeine that it contains but because of other nutritional ingredients that have positive effect on physical as well as mental endurance
• fiber – matcha green tea also contains fiber, Potassium and vitamins A and C which are important for overall health

The Zen Buddist monks introduced the matcha green tea powder into the Japanese culture via the development of the chanoyu which is the tea ceremony.  Long before that however, the Chinese knew all about the benefits of the matcha, and now modern science is becoming more and more aware of the health benefits of the matcha green tea powder. The taste of matcha green tea is vegetal (grassy) and quite strong.

The goodness of the matcha green tea powder is better that other green teas as in a cup of matcha, you are able to get all of the dried leaf.  The process involves whipping the hot water with the matcha tea powder.  When this is done, you are not merely drinking water that has dried tea leaves that have been steeped, but instead, you are drinking the actual leaf. This makes all the difference with respect to the health benefits of this green tea.

We have been taught by modern science that foods that are higher in antioxidants are good for us.  These foods are inclusive of peanuts, blueberries and pomegranates.  The matcha tea powder has proven to be extremely high with respect to its concentration of antioxidants.  In a comparative look, blueberries have ninety units/g while the matcha green tea powder on the other hand, has thirteen hundred units/g.  Since this is good for you in regards to its anti-aging properties, think of how much more you get from ingesting the matcha tea powder.

The chlorophyll level of the plant is increased as the mathcha tea is usually grown in the shade.  Due to the fact that all of the leaf is ingested, then the chlorophyll of the plant is also taken in as well.  The chlorophyll is said to be great for cleansing the body of heavy metals as well as chemical toxins like lead and mercury.  As such, the matcha green tea powder works to improve the detoxification enzymes of the body and assist with the removal of the harmful elements from the body in an easier, less strenuous on the body than other processes used for cleansing the body. According to some studies chlorophyll can increase level of the enzymes that break down fatty acids what can contribute to body fat reduction. Matcha green tea powder is therefore an excellent green tea for weight loss.

The Buddhist monks have long had the knowledge that the matcha helps to both keep them calm as well as mental alert while they are meditating.  As for the scientists, they have found out that it contains L-theanine which is an amino acid.  This has an impact on the functioning of the brain with an increase in the dopamine production.  The lowering of our mental as well as our physical stress is usually achieved via the dopamine which is a set of brain chemicals.  Te L-theanine is also said to help to fight infection in the T-cells of the body.  The matcha green tea powder is also said to boost the immune system.

Many people wonder “Does green tea have caffeine?” If you suffer from high blood pressure or you just don’t like the feeling that caffeine has on you, it is natural to want to avoid drinks that contain the substance. However it is important to realise that small amounts of caffeine will have a positive health effect if added to your diet. Drinking green tea is one of the best ways of absorbing caffeine into your body. Not only is the overall caffeine level lower than other drinks; the health benefits of green tea are fantastic.

Green tea does contain caffeine. But the amount of caffeine contained within a cup is much lower than that of comparative drinks. For example a can of coca cola has twice the amount of caffeine than a cup of green tea does. Not only this but the manner in which tea is produced sets it apart from other types of tea, such as the traditional cup of English black tea. With black tea the leaves are prepared through a process of fermentation. However green tea leaves are steamed. The difference is the processed means that the leaves are not oxidised. Hence the green tea leaves retain all of their nutritional value.

The green tea caffeine contained with the drink is known as theophyliine and theobromine. These two substances are not found in anywhere near as large as quantities as the typical caffeine that is coffee, but there benefits are significant. They actually stimulate the central nervous system, increase renal blood flow and act as an anti-inflammatory. This is why when you drink green tea you can feel more alert without experiencing the type of buzzy effect of coffee and energy drinks.

Green tea has other outstanding health benefits, the most popular is probably green tea weight loss effect. As noted the process of fermentation lets coffee retain its nutritional value. That means that contained within green tea is iron, calcium, vitamins A, B1, B2, C and D. Not only this but it contains compounds which have been show to be effective in fighting cancer cells. Green tea is also useful for lowering cholesterol levels, alleviating arthritis and reducing the likely hood of cardiovascular disease. What’s more green tea has recently become even more popular in light of its weight loss qualities. Many people in the west choose not to drink green tea because they don’t like the bitter taste. Firstly don’t add sugar to the drink in order to make it more palatable. This will reduce the health benefits of the drink. Secondly green teas can be a found in a variety of blends with different spices. If you want a sweeter green tea try one of these. And thirdly if you are find green tea to not to be to your own tastes, you need to understand that it is an acquired taste. The western diet contains far too much sugar and as such this is what our body is used to. Try drinking green tea consistently for a month and you will notice that you become used to and look forward to your cup of green tea. If you do not like drinking tea you can always take the green tea nutrition in green tea extract or green tea pills.

The health benefits of green tea are fantastic. Unless you are suffering from an allergy to caffeine, green tea can be an excellent addition to anybodies diet. If you want to have the alertness and energy that caffeine provides but in a more sustained manner then green tea makes an excellent substitute. Green tea diet will give a prolonged state of alertness and the impact on your overall health can be incredible.