What's the hype with "green tea?"

[HerbalEd]

7 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.

Green Tea does contain small amounts of caffeine. However, much less than brown tea, and much much less than coffee. I drink one liter per day of green tea, including right before bed time, and I have no problem sleeping. However, your results may vary. 

[HerbalEd]

9 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

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.

 

I beg to differ. Because of it's high concentration of natural anti-oxidants, Green Tea is actually stable for a long time as long as it's packaged in a sterile condition and is refrigerated after the bottle is opened. Even with the large bottles I buy, once the bottle is opened the contents are consumed within one or two days. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The Harvard Medical School seems to agree with me -- drinking freshly brewed green tea has more health benefits and higher levels of tea's supposed good elements than the bottled stuff.

 

Quote

The best way to get the catechins and other flavonoids in tea is to drink it freshly brewed. Decaffeinated, bottled ready-to-drink tea preparations, and instant teas have less of these compounds.

 

http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/benefit_of_drinking_green_tea

 

Likewise from Medical News Today:

 

Quote

According to 2010 research presented at the American Chemical Society, bottled teas are not equivalent to brewed teas as some 16 ounce bottled teas can contain fewer polyphenols than one cup of brewed tea.

 

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/269538.php

 

Also, if you think companies like Oishi in Thailand are using high quality green teas for their bottles drinks, I've got a wonderful old bridge I'd be happy to sell you at a very reasonable price.

Edited April 15, 2017 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[HerbalEd]

53 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

The Harvard Medical School seems to agree with me -- drinking freshly brewed green tea has more health benefits and higher levels of tea's supposed good elements than the bottled stuff.

 

 

http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/benefit_of_drinking_green_tea

 

Likewise from Medical News Today:

 

 

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/269538.php

 

Also, if you think companies like Oishi in Thailand are using high quality green teas for their bottles drinks, I've got a wonderful old bridge I'd be happy to sell you at a very reasonable price.

So you actually have evidence of the quality of green tea used by Oishi, right? Otherwise, why would you say something you know nothing about?

 

I have good friends in Darjeeling India whose family own a 200 year-old green tea plantation. I buy several hundred kilos of their green tea yearly to make green tea extract. They sell about 12 different grades of green tea, the most expensive of which sells for $250 per kilogram and is bought by Japanese devotees of the ancient Green Tea Ceremony. 

 

While Oishi is obviously not using the highest grade green tea, I'm sure -- judging by the color, aroma and flavor -- that they are using a good quality grade to make their green tea products. 

Edited April 15, 2017 by HerbalEd

[sawadee1947]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

The Harvard Medical School seems to agree with me -- drinking freshly brewed green tea has more health benefits and higher levels of tea's supposed good elements than the bottled stuff.

 

 

http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/benefit_of_drinking_green_tea

 

Likewise from Medical News Today:

 

 

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/269538.php

 

Also, if you think companies like Oishi in Thailand are using high quality green teas for their bottles drinks, I've got a wonderful old bridge I'd be happy to sell you at a very reasonable price.

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.^[

[sawadee1947]

2 hours ago, HerbalEd said:

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. 

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.^[

[sawadee1947]

6 hours ago, FNQ said:

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

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.^[

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

14 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

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.^[

 

Yes, like many things in science, there's some dispute among different studies about whether the purported benefits in fighting/preventing disease are real or illusory. And what levels of consumption and types of teas are required to have any real benefit.  But the majority seem to favor at least the notion of some benefits, particularly with freshly brewed tea.

 

For me, I don't drink tea with the intention of improving or protecting my health. I drink it because I enjoy the tastes, and it's certainly better for anyone than the alternatives of soft drinks, sugar-laden fruit juices, alcoholic drinks, etc. And, for me, it's HOT here in Thailand, so I tend to drink a lot of fluids.

 

Edited April 15, 2017 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[abab]

As you confirmed, it only concern smart and healthy people who know that any drink exist without sugar.

 

 

[faraday]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28287319

 

Shows the positive effect on prostate.

 

Many other studies show that Green Tea is beneficial for health

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 minutes ago, faraday said:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28287319

 

Shows the positive effect on prostate.

 

Many other studies show that Green Tea is beneficial for health

Are you sure that's what your quoted review of studies concludes?  When I read it, I see the following:

 

Quote

However, evidence of efficacy in the treatment of PCa [prostate cancer] is currently lacking. Given the limitations in current studies, more well-designed RCTs should be undertaken to determine if green tea indeed has a role in the prevention and treatment of PCa.

 

[Andrew Dwyer]

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.

What about this one LÉNG HONG ?, I had a box of Oolong tea by the same brand, tasted pretty good, from China .

[faraday]

4 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Are you sure that's what your quoted review of studies concludes?  When I read it, I see the following:

 

 

Read the previous sentence.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, HerbalEd said:

So you actually have evidence of the quality of green tea used by Oishi, right? Otherwise, why would you say something you know nothing about?

...

While Oishi is obviously not using the highest grade green tea, I'm sure -- judging by the color, aroma and flavor -- that they are using a good quality grade to make their green tea products. 

 

Because, they're a mass market Thai company that sells a mass-market, relatively cheap bottled product that in most cases is filled with lots of sugar and other flavoring agents. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

6 minutes ago, faraday said:

Read the previous sentence.

 

I don't know what exactly the following that you're referring to is supposed to mean --  "green tea appears to be an effective chemopreventive agent, particularly in those with high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia."

 

But apparently, it does NOT in the view of the authors mean that the studies have concluded that consuming green tea will cure or help treat prostate cancer.

 

Because I do know that that's exactly what the following means:

 

Quote

However, evidence of efficacy in the treatment of PCa [prostate cancer] is currently lacking.

 

 

 

Edited April 15, 2017 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[HerbalEd]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Because, they're a mass market Thai company that sells a mass-market, relatively cheap bottled product that in most cases is filled with lots of sugar and other flavoring agents. 

So that's your proof???

[JHolmesJr]

3 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

What about this one LÉNG HONG ?, I had a box of Oolong tea by the same brand, tasted pretty good, from China .

Leng Hong is a brand name...never heard of it. The names i mentioned are actually different grades of oolong tea, based on the areas they grow in, in Taiwan. 

 

If your tea tastes good, enjoy it. All i can say is the high mountain oolong takes the art to a new level. 

[mfd101]

20 hours ago, Kabula said:

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.

But honey is sugar. And organic honey is, um, organic sugar.

[Keesters]

The drink is nice but Thailand can keep its green tea ice cream, green tea Kit Kat and all the other things they flavor with green tea.

[Kabula]

1 hour ago, mfd101 said:

But honey is sugar. And organic honey is, um, organic sugar.

Do your research.  Natural products are not as damaging as processed sugar.

[mfd101]

5 minutes ago, Kabula said:

Do your research.  Natural products are not as damaging as processed sugar.

Well, that's what the organic marketers would like you to think. That's why a bottle of concentrated but nevertheless fresh orange juice equivalent to how many oranges you might eat in a fortnight is really good for you ...

 

Like the Thais who think that if 1 antibiotic pill is good for you, 2 or 3 at a time must be even better, and why not take the whole bottle now?

[KC 71]

The Doi Tung tea has a great flavour also


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[wayned]

Tells you how life is really boring at times, 52 posts, 3 pages, about green tea!!!

[Laza 45]

3 hours ago, wayned said:

Tells you how life is really boring at times, 52 posts, 3 pages, about green tea!!!

So who is bored?.. the person who comments  and follows  to a topic that he finds interesting and thinks that perhaps he can learn something from others contributions...   or could it be the person who barges in on a topic that he has absolutely no interest in and takes time to leave a judgmental and disparaging comment?  ...have a nice cup of green tea and think about it...

[ableguy]

Seems every thing has been said, a sugary soft drink will promote diabetes later in life for most Thais, in the states every supermarket has almost every soft drink they sell available in low cal i.e. No sugar, sadly as the Thai hi sos own most of the sugar production they don't give a shit about the adverse effects of consumption, the only thing that motivates most Thais I have met is money, including the village where I live in Korat, a farang means money , and so many think it's normal for a farang to just give money away to anyone who asks.. I mention this as it also normal for most lowly educated Thais to spoon sugar on everything they eat.. But hey this is Thailand and we are really meant to just shut up..

bit of a rant I agree but some things including sugar consumption just piss me off.

[ableguy]

On 4/15/2017 at 0:34 PM, FNQ said:

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

Seems to me you are also a vegetarian or vegan., different strokes for different folks,

[sawadee1947]

On 4/15/2017 at 0:44 PM, JHolmesJr said:

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.

It makes no different if you buy Ding Dong or Pippifax. It's not any special benefit. But if you just like to drink green tea it's ok.

[balo]

According to scientists the most healthy green tea is Japanese Matcha , very popular also here in Thailand , and expensive.  

The health benefits are enormous if you believe in the hype about antioxidants .  

 

The difference is that regular green tea involves soaking the leaves, loose or in a bag and then discarding them. When you drink matcha tea, you're drinking the actual leaves, which are stone-grounded into fine powder.  

 

Studies shows that 1 cup of matcha tea may provide the antioxidant equivalent of 3 cups of regular green tea and as much as 137 times more antioxidants than low-grade green tea. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 17, 2017 by balo

[JHolmesJr]

6 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

It makes no different if you buy Ding Dong or Pippifax. It's not any special benefit. But if you just like to drink green tea it's ok.

LOL….you clearly don't know that green tea and oolong are two different things. 

 

Dong Ding!

[mrfill]

19 hours ago, JHolmesJr said:

LOL….you clearly don't know that green tea and oolong are two different things. 

 

Dong Ding!

Some people don't know the difference between a Bordeaux and a Claret.....  (B Fawlty)

 

My choice of green tea is Viet Thai Nguyan. A fabulous tea, best enjoyed in a Saigon street cafe. The revolting luminous green, hot, sickly sweet, muck that is usually served in Thailand bears no relation to tea and the tinned stuff is also in the same class.