What's the hype with "green tea?"

[SiamBeast]

Everywhere, I see people (both Thai and foreigners) drinking the so-called "green tea" that is extremely popular in Thailand. Even my wife came back home today with a bottle of green tea for me, "drink this, it's good for you and your health, it's tea".

 

Just wondering, is there any campaign currently running to let Thais know that green tea is just a sugary drink with empty calories and no nutritional value?

 

I think that's one of the main reason of obesity in the country and the #1 misrepresented drink around. Just food for thought.

[brewsterbudgen]

You can buy sugar-free green tea. It's healthy and delicious.

[cliffspab]

Unsweetened green tea is delicious and healthy.

 

Big fan here.

[SiamBeast]

^ Indeed. I was mostly talking about the pre-mixed bottles of green tea often marketed as "healthy" but in fact loaded with sugar. There are some delicious unsweetened variations of the product that I often enjoy.

[cliffspab]

Oh, those things are dreadful.  Just as bad for you as any soft drink.

[tutsiwarrior]

freshly brewed green tea is very nice...I like the japanese genmaicha that has toasted rice...look fer it at foodland and villa in the tea section, very, very nice...

 

like cliffspab said above that bottled shit has as much sugar as a coke...

 

 

[Jingthing]

It's good point.

Healthy foods are often ruined by processing and still fool a lot of people to think they are still healthy. 

I drink green tea daily. I brew it myself. No sugar.

[wayned]

I.m sure that the green tea ice cream that Dairy Queen sells is healthy and sugar free!!!

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Regular green tea with hot water is nice and refreshing. 

 

Not so keen on all the matcha ice cream, lattes and whatever else though

[maoro2013]

This is common in Chinese restaurants, but this tea is brewed and hot. It is reputed to aid digestion. The bottled stuff here is just a soft drink in my opinion.

[imagemaestro]

Just a cautionary note.  Green tea, unsweetened and preferably freshly brewed or prepared, hot or cold is an acquired taste... but delicious and refreshing.... however if you have for dietary or other reasons been warned about caffeine use be careful.  Many contained substantial levels of caffeine.

 

I have gastro  reflux problems.....  severe.  (GIRD)  or (GORD) depending on USA or Britain.   I was chugging green tea like a madman believing it was good for me.  Not so.  It's caffeine levels were making life worse.

[SpokaneAl]

Thai people seem to like to ascribe medicinal properties to a variety of food and drink. I have been eating at Thai restaurants with the family and someone will encourage me to eat a particular soup or dish because the vegetables are good medicine. In most cases it appears to me that the more bitter the vegetables, the stronger medicine they supposedly provide.

 

I look in wonder each new year as people spend a great deal of hard earned money buying those fancy wrapped holiday packages for other family members, which include a supply of small bottles of something that one is supposed to drink each day.  When they gift someone a thirty day supply I am guessing that is supposed to inoculate that person for the rest of the year.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

31 minutes ago, imagemaestro said:

Just a cautionary note.  Green tea, unsweetened and preferably freshly brewed or prepared, hot or cold is an acquired taste... but delicious and refreshing.... however if you have for dietary or other reasons been warned about caffeine use be careful.  Many contained substantial levels of caffeine.

 

I have gastro  reflux problems.....  severe.  (GIRD)  or (GORD) depending on USA or Britain.   I was chugging green tea like a madman believing it was good for me.  Not so.  It's caffeine levels were making life worse.

Lets balance your comment out by a positive, it is full of anti oxidants and any food or drink should be taken in moderation. As for caffeine taken in moderation and its effect on the average person its debatable. For you with your condition you should drink red bush tea from South Africa, it is medicinal and caffeine free.

[NoshowJones]

4 hours ago, wayned said:

I.m sure that the green tea ice cream that Dairy Queen sells is healthy and sugar free!!!

Is it? How I would like to eat sugar free ice cream, can anyone confirm that Wayned is right? 

Edited April 15, 2017 by possum1931

[Andrew Dwyer]

Thai people seem to like to ascribe medicinal properties to a variety of food and drink. I have been eating at Thai restaurants with the family and someone will encourage me to eat a particular soup or dish because the vegetables are good medicine. In most cases it appears to me that the more bitter the vegetables, the stronger medicine they supposedly provide.
 
I look in wonder each new year as people spend a great deal of hard earned money buying those fancy wrapped holiday packages for other family members, which include a supply of small bottles of something that one is supposed to drink each day.  When they gift someone a thirty day supply I am guessing that is supposed to inoculate that person for the rest of the year.

My gf calls those supplements Brand although I think that might be the brand name ( no pun intended) they are usually extract of something, chicken or mushroom for example.
She bought me a box one time as I was sick, one every morning before eating, the mushroom one is okay but the chicken is pretty strong !!
They are quite expensive and yes Thai people seem to buy them like hot cakes and consider them a good " gift" for family or friends.

Whether they have any medicinal benefits I don't know, I just went with the flow and drank one every morning like a good boy [emoji4]

[Kabula]

Green tea has many health benefits.

 

People who are awake don't add sugar, but opt for Organic honey and a little lemon juice.

 

Surgar and artificial sweetener which is worse, is in most processed foods and drinks including milk.  Catchup is loaded with sugar.   I avoid all processed foods and all sugary drinks.

Edited April 15, 2017 by Kabula

[GBK]

53 minutes ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

...drink red bush tea from South Africa, it is medicinal and caffeine free.

 

That stuff sounds interesting.

 

Where could I get some in Thailand?

[Laza 45]

1 hour ago, imagemaestro said:

Just a cautionary note.  Green tea, unsweetened and preferably freshly brewed or prepared, hot or cold is an acquired taste... but delicious and refreshing.... however if you have for dietary or other reasons been warned about caffeine use be careful.  Many contained substantial levels of caffeine.

 

I have gastro  reflux problems.....  severe.  (GIRD)  or (GORD) depending on USA or Britain.   I was chugging green tea like a madman believing it was good for me.  Not so.  It's caffeine levels were making life worse.

http://www.naturalnews.com/034227_green_tea_caffeine.html

[Laza 45]

My preference if for Oolong tea... hot or cold...  a oolong tea bag in a pot can be topped up a number of times... I generally take a cup then add more hot water to the pot... it doesn't get bitter.. and I prefer the 2nd 3rd or 4th cup..   green tea is not fermented (oxidase)... oolong tea is partial fermented  and black tea (like Lpton's) is fully fermented... oolong has the benefits of both green and black teas..  high in antioxidants... in hot weather add an ice cube or 2 for a refreshing thirst quenching drink..  check out this link for further benefits.. ...I buy mine at Big C or Tesco.. but I would think any big supermarket would stock it.

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/beverage/health-benefits-of-oolong-tea.html

 

 

[dotpoom]

I'm thinking I must be living a sherltered life.....here going on 17 years now and never heard people hypeing up green tea.

[jak2002003]

That junk drink 'green tea' in bottles, or sold in restaurants mixed with ice, sugar and milk is so far removed form the real drink it's untrue.

 

Real green Tea is very good for health.. with lots of antioxidants.  You buy it same as you buy normal tea bags.. and add hot water.  No sugar or anything is the traditional way to drink it. You can also buy it as dried leaves.. and just add hot water. 

 

I prefer hot Chamomile tea... no caffeine and tastes great... help with relaxation and sleep too.

 

Chrysanthemum tea is also a favorite of mine... I even add a fresh flower into it... but I am not sure it's actually got any health benefits or not.

 

 

[little mary sunshine]

Unsweetened green tea is excellent for you.  A cup of

HOT green tea after a fatty meal will help prevent some

of the fatty deposits in your arteries.  Dr. Fong told me

this 20+ years ago, just know being recognized by lots

of nutritionalists. 

[Suradit69]

1 hour ago, SpokaneAl said:

Thai people seem to like to ascribe medicinal properties to a variety of food and drink.

Trying to convince people that certain diets or supplements are good for your health is a multi-billion dollar industry in the west. Odd that you think it's somehow a Thai thing.

 

Quote

More than two-thirds of American adults take dietary supplements each year, and according to a new economic impact report funded by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the dietary supplement industry contributes $121.6 billion to the U.S. economy (about 0.68% of GDP), creates 754,645 jobs nationwide, and pays $38.4 billion in wages. Additionally, the industry contributes nearly $15 billion in business taxes—federal and state—not including taxes collected on product sales.

[sawadee1947]

It's NOT a hype as you said. In "developed" countries it's well know since decades. So I don't know where you are coming from....

Here WIKI:

Regular green tea is 99.9% water, provides 1 Calorie per 100 mL serving, is devoid of significant nutrient content (table) and contains phytochemicals, such as polyphenols and caffeine. Polyphenols found in green tea include epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epicatechin gallate, epicatechins and flavanols,^[1] which have antioxidant, anticarcinogen, anti-inflammatory, and anti-radiation biochemical effects in vitro.^[4] Other components include three kinds of flavonoids, known as kaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin.^[8] A remarkably higher content of myricetin is detected in tea and its extracts than in many other plants, and this high concentration of myricetin may have some implications for the experimentally-observed bioactivity of tea and its extracts in vitro.^[4]

Although numerous claims have been made for the health benefits of green tea, human clinical research has not provided conclusive evidence of any effects.^[1][9][10] In 2011, a panel of scientists published a report on the claims for health effects at the request of the European Commission: in general they found that the claims made for green tea were not supported by sufficient scientific evidence.^[9] Although the mean content of flavonoids and catechins in a cup of green tea is higher than that in the same volume of other food and drink items that are traditionally considered to promote health,^[11] flavonoids and catechins have no proven biological effect in humans.^[9][12]

[SiSePuede419]

Rule #1 of healthy eating: Eat food made from plants, not made in plants (Factory).  ☝

[FNQ]

1 hour ago, jak2002003 said:

That junk drink 'green tea' in bottles, or sold in restaurants mixed with ice, sugar and milk is so far removed form the real drink it's untrue.

 

Real green Tea is very good for health.. with lots of antioxidants.  You buy it same as you buy normal tea bags.. and add hot water.  No sugar or anything is the traditional way to drink it. You can also buy it as dried leaves.. and just add hot water. 

 

I prefer hot Chamomile tea... no caffeine and tastes great... help with relaxation and sleep too.

 

Chrysanthemum tea is also a favorite of mine... I even add a fresh flower into it... but I am not sure it's actually got any health benefits or not.

 

I drink the 100% Safflower Tea Hot or cold.allegedly good for Detox and Cholesterol.

[JHolmesJr]

1 hour ago, Laza 45 said:

My preference if for Oolong tea...

 

excellent choice…especially for smokers.

 

but its important to get the good tea from taiwan…its called High Mountain (Gao Shan) Tea.

 

My faves are Dong Ding, Long Feng Xia and Da Yu Ling…..doesnt come cheap but all taste wonderful.

They have subtle variations in flavour depending on the soil and clime at they're grown in.

 

another excellent tea is from dried sage leaves (the middle eastern variety, not spanish)…very good for lowering BP

and cholesterol. also celery seed tea is great for joint pains.

 

These are all unprocessed teas that you have to brew yourself….dont ever buy them bottled…it will be crap.

Edited April 15, 2017 by JHolmesJr

[fvw53]

6 hours ago, imagemaestro said:

Just a cautionary note.  Green tea, unsweetened and preferably freshly brewed or prepared, hot or cold is an acquired taste... but delicious and refreshing.... however if you have for dietary or other reasons been warned about caffeine use be careful.  Many contained substantial levels of caffeine.

 

I have gastro  reflux problems.....  severe.  (GIRD)  or (GORD) depending on USA or Britain.   I was chugging green tea like a madman believing it was good for me.  Not so.  It's caffeine levels were making life worse.

I hope you saw a doctor and got a gastroscopy because it can cause cancer ...I took omeprazole (brand name in Thailand is Miracid) more than a year and got rid of the problem but I can no longer eat hot spiced food

[HerbalEd]

Green Tea does not at all have to be a "sugary drink." I buy the large bottles that say "NO SUGAR."

 

Also, Green Tea does indeed contain many nutrients -- specifically it's high in certain nutritional minerals; especially fluorine (NOT fluoride) which is especially useful for building and maintaining healthy bones and teeth.

 

Also, Green Tea is especially high in anti-oxidant, anti-cancer polyphenols. 

 

Over the past 40 years I've spent thousands of of hours researching the world's pharmaceutical and medical research literature on medicinal herbs, plus attending many medicinal-plant symposia. What I've found is that Green Tea is one of the world's most researched botanicals. There is a vast array of compelling research that proves Green Tea can benefit the human body in many different ways, and be very useful in the prevention and treatment of many diseases. Plus research on rats shows it can increase a healthy lifespan by up to 30%.

 

My confidence in Green Tea's health benefits is based upon lots of compelling peer-reviewed medical and pharmaceutical scientific research, and not hear-say and internet hype. 

 

I drink about one liter per day of iced Green Tea (without sugar), an do so, not only for its health benefits, but because I enjoy the refreshing taste. 

Edited April 15, 2017 by HerbalEd

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

From what I've read in the past, even the no sugar varieties of bottled green tea are supposed to have few if any health benefits. Obviously, though, it's better to drink the no sugar versions than the more common heavily sugared ones.

 

From everything I've read in the past, the main health benefiting ingredients from green tea are those are produced right at the time of making the hot tea from leaves or powder -- and then dissipate thereafter. So none of the commercially bottled green tea varieties are going to have much to offer in that regard.

 

If you want to drink green tea for health reasons, best to make your own fresh at home, and leave the commercially bottled stuff on the store shelf.

 

In my case, because I don't really care to drink plain water all the time, I drink caffeine-free flavored, no-sugar herbal tea blends that I make fresh at home using tea bags from a brand called Celestial Seasonings --  which is available in Thailand, but relatively expensive here compared to being bought elsewhere.

 

 

Edited April 15, 2017 by TallGuyJohninBKK