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| The Green Revolution |
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| Courtesy - The Hindu ,Monday, Dec 12, 2005 |
| Tea may be India's national beverage, but it's time to switch to the green version, says PANKAJA SRINIVASAN |
| Chai! The magic four-letter word that instantly conjures up deliciously strong, steaming hot tea on cold misty mornings. We are a nation of great tea drinkers. But the beverage we gulp down is not exactly what the doctor ordered. Have you heard of green tea? Not many people are drinking that. But now with `wellness' campaigns, weight loss and holistic health treatments being aggressively pursued, there are those who have woken up to the benefits of green tea and the more upmarket of supermarkets are stocking various brands of green tea promising miraculous cures— from glowing skin, great hair, a better figure right up
there to fighting cancer. |
| The beginning |
| Actually green tea is the mother of all teas. At one time it was the only kind of tea there was. Five thousand years ago a sprig of tea accidentally found its way into the royal cup of hot water that Emperor Shen Nung was sipping, and that was perhaps the first ever cup of brewed green tea. The Chinese emperor was smitten and soon the brew became the sought after drink the rich and the famous sipped. And they called it `Cha'. |
| The difference between green tea and the other kinds of tea is that the former is not fermented. This helps in preserving its powerful anti-oxidants. And what are anti-oxidants? They are substances that keep sickness at bay and oxidise fat. In fact, the story goes that poorer Chinese people stopped drinking the non-fermented green tea as it so effectively reduced fat. They wanted to retain some of the fat in their bodies as they were living in hard times. So they started drinking partially fermented tea instead as that had less fat-oxidising elements. "Findings did not depend on whether the women were smoking or not, whether or not they took hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and whether or not they suffered from vascular disease," she said. |
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| Packed with vitamins |
| Green tea is also packed with vitamins and minerals that really make it a healthy alternative to any other kind of beverage. |
| Despite its beneficial effect, green tea has not quite caught on in the Indian sub-continent. The owner one of the popular supermarkets said, "Perhaps only one in a thousand drink green tea. While we do stock it, it moves very slowly. It is mainly foreigners who ask for it. As compared to regular tea that sells about 70 kg a month, only 10 kg a month of green tea is sold." |
| This could perhaps be because we are not used to drinking tea without adding milk and sugar, said a spokesperson from the R&D department of a leading tea manufacturing company in South India. But she added that no one could deny the health benefits of green tea. |
| "While we do not actively recommend that they take green tea, a few of our clients who have been losing weight quite successfully have been drinking it regularly," said a dietician of a leading weight-loss clinic in the city. |
| "My skin seemed to clear up when I started drinking green tea, on the recommendation of a friend who is in tea business," said boutique-proprietor . Not everyone however has positive things to say about this tea. |
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| A cultivated taste |
| Diet-conscious Maya confesses, "I tried green tea but it tasted like sawdust in hot water to me!" Green tea experts say that this may be because the average Indian palate is not used to this tea, the flavour of which could be best described as grassy. Obviously green tea has some way to go before it jostles for shelf space in Indian kitchens. |
| But studies have shown it as being an effective remedy for colds and flu, and there are statistics that show entire villages in the green tea belt of China showed fewer incidences of cancer and other illnesses when compared with the national norm. |
| If that doesn't get you exclaiming "Wah Green", nothing will. |
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| Tea facts |
Boosts your immune system
* Lowers blood sugar
* Helps prevent cavities and tooth decay
* Helps reduce the risk of cancer
* Lowers cholesterol
* Aids in weight loss
* Reduces high blood pressure
* Prevents arthritis
* Reduces the risk of heart disease
* Reduces the risk of stroke |
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| Perfect brew |
Cool boiling water in a teapot to the proper temperature. Put green tea leaves in an empty teapot. Pour hot water over the tea leaves. Cover the lid and wait for a while before serving (approximately three minutes).
You may brew green tea a few times from the same tea leaves The first cup could be a little stronger but will blander every time you add water to the same tea leaves |
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| Editor’s Note |
| Green Tea is bringing a revolution in dietary supplement industry and Camillotek is the leader in bringing the finest products of green tea in the segments of health care, hair care and skin care. To take the best advantage of the green tea health benefits try Camillotek products like GT PLUS, OPTIMEAL PROTEIN SHAKE, GREEN CLEAN HAIR TONIC, ALOE FOAM and many more. |
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| Disclaimer |
| These materials are intended to educate and inform. These materials are not to be relied upon as professional, financial, business or health advice. If a product is recommended, it is not intended to diagnose, prevent or cure any kind of disease. You should consult your physician for your health care advices. |
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