Posts Tagged ‘antioxidant’

10
Dec

Best Green Tea – Imbibe in Green Tea Happy Hour

   Posted by: Lita    in General

I can’t remember just when I gave up drinking coffee.  I believe it’s been about 2 years.  I kept having the feeling of being dehydrated and I was blaming it on the coffee.  The more coffee I drank the more dry my lips became and because I hadn’t yet been introduced to Gano coffee,  I just simply replaced it with what I thought to be the best green tea for overall health benefits.  Now, I really enjoy drinking green tea, with a lovely cup of white tea thrown in every now and again. Based on the following actions and uses I’m glad that I do:

  1. Acts as an antioxidant and helps to protect against cancer
  2. Lowers cholesterol levels
  3. Reduces the clotting tendency of the blood
  4. Stimulates the immune system
  5. Fights tooth decay
  6. Helps regulate blood sugar and insulin levels
  7. Combats mental fatigue
  8. May delay the onset of athero-sclerosis
  9. Good for asthma
  10. Studies show promise as a weight loss aid
  11. May help prevent enlarged prostate

Recently, while imbibing in my afternoon green tea happy hour it became obvious to me that I really don’t know much about the blends or the brands I’m buying or whether or not I’m drinking the best green tea.  Sometimes I’ll buy based on price, other times I’ll buy because it’s organic and sometimes I’ll buy because I want to try something different.  What I do know is that the differences between the types of tea results from the different methods of processing the leaves.

  • Tea leaves are steamed, rolled and dried to make green tea.  This method preserves the content of the antioxidant compounds known as polyphenols which provide us with the health benefits of tea. 
  • Black tea is brought to us from leaves undergoing a process of oxidation which reduces the polyphenols content while changing the color and taste.
  • Oolong falls between green and black tea in color, flavor and the polyphenol content.
  • White tea is imported from a specific region of China.  The leaves undergo the least processing so you get even better antioxidant activity than green tea.  White tea is very pale and produces a very delicate taste.

All green teas are from the species Camellia sinensis.  There can be quite a difference depending on the region where the leaves are grown and, of course, the processing methods.  90% of teas sold are Chinese teas which can be broken down into various regions, the best known being lung ching (dragon well).

There are other teas from Japan which are equally good.  There are two types of Japanese green teas, sencha or gyokuro.  The difference between the two being that sencha is grown in the full sun while gyokuro is shaded a few weeks before harvesting.  There are many different brands but the basic difference is that gyokuro makes a sweeter, darker green tea than sencha which has that somewhat grassy taste.  Gyokuro also costs over twice as much.  Gyokuro is the special hand made powdered tea that is used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

There seems to be much controversy on the issue of organic vs non-organic when it come to the best green tea.  The jury is out for me on that issue but I’ll stick with organic while I continue to research.

Have you found a tasty brand that you consider to be the best green tea? Would you recommend it? I’d like to hear from you if you have an opinion on brands, blends or the organic vs non-organic issue.

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15
Oct

Healthy Coffee – Pour Us a Cup

   Posted by: Lita    in Nutrition

I came across the most delicious, organic, healthy coffee completely by accident.

My friend told me about a package of coffee that was left behind at her house by her “extremely health conscious cousin”.  She decided to try it and was pleasantly surprised at how much it tasted like regular coffee while being a healthy beverage.  She told me the name was Gano.

Later on I sent a twitter message out asking if anyone had heard of Gano coffee.  Not long after, I got a reply from Parrish and Tammi Strozier of Winstrowellness.  After some communication they were kind enough to send me some samples to try.

They sent me a sample of each of the beverages including gourmet black coffee, gourmet latte, gourmet mocha, gourmet organic green tea and gourmet hot chocolate.  I have to say I immensely enjoyed each one of these beverages and I have been thinking about the Gano black coffee ever since. 

Regular coffee is acidic and toxic, can raise your blood pressure, cause dehydration, increase stress levels in the body and can cause jitters and a caffeine crash. 

Gano coffee and Gano green tea contain Ganoderma – an ancient Chinese herb that has been used for more than 4,000 years to enhance wellness.   In Cantonese, “Lingzhi or Reishi”, is the name for one form of the mushroom Ganoderma Lucidum. It enjoys an honorable place in Asia, where it has been used as a medicinal mushroom in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 4,000 years. In China it’s known as the “Miraculous King of Herbs”.

Gano coffee is a healthy, nutrient rich gourmet coffee with the following features:

  • Certified organic Ganoderma eliminates the jitters and the caffeine crash
  • Balances your PH levels
  • Contains natural antioxidants
  • Boosts the immune system
  • Provides energy
  • Oxygenates the body
  • Great gourmet taste minus the negative side effects

The Gano green tea is a blend of Ganoderma and organic green tea which makes it a powerful antioxidant.

Contact Parrish & Tammi to order some Gano coffee and Gano green tea and while you are contemplating your new and healthy lifestyle choices enjoy a cup of this Organo Gold.

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22
Jul

Acai – A Berry Good Friend

   Posted by: Lita    in Nutrition

Since our original article written about the acai berry (pronounced ah-sah-ee), that we at healthtopics categorized as a super food, there has been much publicity on the weight loss benefits of Acai. 

Many well known news agencies have also been commenting on the acai berry now gaining in popularity.

ABC reports:

You’ll be hearing a lot more about this rain forest fruit going forward.  Acai is off the chart for almost everything that kale is, in addition to naturally occuring Omega-3, 6 and 9 oils. It´s not only good for you, but many world class athletes drink it while training because it’s so loaded with nutrition and protein it can be a complete meal.”

TODAY reports:

Stars make a livelihood from being fit… that’s why they’re taking to daily cleanses. Our diets are full of processed, refined foods, tainted with pesticides, hormones and antibiotics, which can collect in the bloodstream, causing us to feel tired, or become overweight. Acai is designed to cleanse the body while easily integrating with your daily routine.”

Unlike fad diets, the Acai easily fits into your lifestyle.  The Acai can be beneficial to you in more ways than weight loss.  Acai provides essential fibers and antioxidants that will give your digestion system some fighting power against the buildup of toxins.  Anyone who combats toxins has a better chance at good health while also reducing bloating and headaches.  You may also be pleasantly surprised to be rid of that lethargic feeling that shows up uninvited every day.  

According to the method called ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbence Capacity) which is used by the USDA to measure antioxidant capacities of different foods, the acai berry far surpasses the antioxidant power of other popular fruits.

Not only do you get the healthy benefits of antioxidants from Acai but you will also benefit from a proprietary blend of 8 powerful herbs that work to help rid your body of all the unwanted buildup and pounds in your digestive tract which may be weighing you down.

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