What is matcha?
Matcha is a fine, high-quality green tea powder used for a variety of purposes. Grown exclusively in Japan, this stuff is definitely not something youll come across for a penny or two a gram. Its got this slightly bitter taste that doesnt turn you away. Instead, its rich and mysterious taste will draw you in and not let you go until you finish things up.

Whats the difference between regular green tea and matcha?
If theres a difference between matcha and regular green tea, its got to be the texture and the taste. Regular green tea is steeped in hot water, while matcha is literally mixed into the water. Heck, even preparing drinking matcha has its own ceremony: chanoyu.

Whats the difference between them with regards to health benefits?
The good thing about that is that matcha has pretty much the same benefits as drinking green tea. Thats because no fermenting takes place. The only thing that happens is that the process of selecting tea leaves, grinding them and serving them differs between regular green tea and matcha.

Are there any other ways that matcha is served?
Interestingly enough, matcha has some pretty creative uses aside from tea-drinking. You have cakes, pastries, candies, sweets, heck even some lattes and prepared meals have this green tea powder in them!

So how exactly is matcha healthy?
Heres a brief list of benefits you get from drinking matcha:

Antioxidants research by scientific bigwigs point out that green tea has a pretty high amount of the catechin polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate in it. In English, thats the stuff that prevents cancer cells from forming in the first place as well as killing them off when they do form up into tumors.

Cholesterol Control research again shows that green tea helps reduce the cholesterol absorption in your intestinal track. That means two things: weight loss and a healthier heart. Of course, no amount of green tea will help you if you literally chug down cholesterol in all its oily forms. But itll sure help you stay alive and healthy if you drink around three cups of green tea a day.

Sugar Control green tea and its green tea powder matcha help reduce the amount of sugar your body absorbs as food passes through. Thats why diabetes patients are often advised by their doctors to drink green tea to help slow down and prevent the passage of sugar into their blood stream.

Detoxification green tea, even green tea powder, still has a lot of chlorophyll in it. This chlorophyll helps absorb heavy metals and other nasty toxins floating around in your blood. So if youre a recovering alcoholic or a retired chain smoker who is now concerned about recovering your health, green tea is one way to help your body flush out what poison youve accumulated in your body for years.

Relaxation sitting down with a cup of green tea for five minutes and enjoying the taste and texture of green tea powder may be one thing thatll help keep you healthy. Youve got to take care of not only your brain, but your mind as well. After all, its not just the chemicals and stuff you take into your body that makes you healthier.

So there you have it: a quick run down of the green tea powder known as matcha. Now you know why the Japanese are so fanatical about their green tea.

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Winter has been unforgiving. What better thing to do during the cold season than to sit in a couch and munch on some goodies while keeping yourself cozy and warm? It seems like yesterday when you were struggling to lose your winter coat; before you even know it, summer is in its full effect. The minute you feel warm enough to wear shorts, you realized something: The beach is beckoning and you are not prepared for it, physically! You panic and think of stapling your mouth for a week or two, until you look good on your swim wear, as your summer weight loss solution.

It can really be a struggle to shed excess fats and most people fall into a summer weight loss dilemma every year. Wacky diet, starvation, and diet pills are beckoning and giving you hopes of slimming down for that swimming costume. Summer weight loss doesnt have to mean starving yourself to look your best in shorts or swimsuit. The secret to weight loss is to eat healthy foods; food choices are actually easy to make during summertime because high calorie dishes are less appealing during the hot season. Take advantage of fresh fruits and vegetables that are at their peak and at their best in summer. Refreshing and light foods are bountiful and keeps you out of the hot kitchen.

Experts say that the best summer weight loss diet is to load up with natures produce. Fruits and vegetables are low in calorie but loaded with essential vitamins and minerals, plus antioxidants and fiber to help your body flush those unwanted toxins and fats. Aside from their health benefits, they are delectable, juicy, and satisfy the taste buds. Berries, tomatoes, zucchini, melons, cucumbers, peas and other greens are available at farmers markets and grocery stores. Forget portion control and go ahead and eat all the fruits and vegetables you can get your hands on. Summer weight loss with natures bounty will do your waistline no damage.

If you are wondering what the healthiest summer weight loss foods are, here is a list of dieticians and experts food recommendation:

Berries are luscious and sweet but there is more to berries that meets the appetite. They are known to boost antioxidant levels and help reduce the effects of ageing. Berries are also rich in nutrients that help lower cholesterol level.

Watermelons are loved because they are watery, juicy, and crisp, perfect for satisfying thirst during the hot season. If you want a tasty summer weight loss, mix slices of watermelon with milk, water, and ice cubes. Whirl in a blender and your perfect juice is ready in a snap.

Garden salads are the best bet for time and cost efficient summer weight loss meal. They are easy to prepare and the perfect way to get vegetables into your diet. Dress your salad with healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil or your choice of other healthy oils. Salads are a great way of letting yourself off the hook from the hot kitchen.

Healthy eating is your best summer weight loss plan. Enjoy a hearty meal and reap the benefits of losing weight, staying fit, and living a healthy lifestyle. Jumpstart your summer weight loss with fruits and vegetables and get in shape for your favorite swimsuit.

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Green teas been around for quite some time now for, say, a couple of thousand years in mankinds history? Its the Japanese nowadays who are particularly keen on enjoying their green tea: their entire green tea market is barely enough to supply the massive local demand.

Theres no denying the fact that green tea is healthy. From lowering cholesterol levels to blocking cancer, numerous scientific researches have come up with a ton of healthy benefits for green tea.

There are at least three ways you can avail of the healthy goodness of green tea: through green tea leaves, green tea powders and green tea pills:

Three Ways to Take Green Tea

Green tea leaves take a bunch of green tea leaves or stems, steep them in water, take out the solid matter and drink the stuff thats left behind. There are a couple of technicalities, like chopping up the leaves or using certain parts of the camellia sinensis plant, but this is the traditional and most common way of drinking tea.

Now even though the tea is steeped and the leaves and stems are discarded, the health benefits of steeped green tea are still greatly observable. Thats because the scientific studies previously mentioned were all conducted using steeped green tea leaves. Now imagine what would happen if you could drink a purer form of tea, with all the solid matter included?

Green tea powder thats where green tea powder, or matcha, comes in. Matcha is finely ground green tea, and is the highest quality (and most expensive) green tea you can get your hands on. And since all the green tea parts get crushed up and tossed into the drink, you can expect to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to the health benefits.

Now before anything else, you have to discriminate between match and processed green tea powder. The latter is definitely not as healthy as the former. Anything thats processed, like powder crystals, go through a ton of chemicals and preservatives. All this stuff definitely doesnt help add up to the overall health benefits of green tea.

Green tea pills now this is where things get a little technical. Green tea pills claim to scrunch up all the healthy goodness that green tea has to offer into one, tiny package. No need for a lengthy drinking ceremony or meticulous preparation procedures. All you need is your mouth and a pill.

However, make sure that your source of green tea pills is reliable if you plan to take them as food supplements. When it comes to food supplements, there are always those who make a living off duping people into buying fake stuff. So watch out, and stick with reliable sources.

Just remember: whether you choose to drink green tea the old fashioned way or pop in a couple of green tea pills for a quick fix, green tea alone will only get you so far. It will be your lifestyle that ultimately determines whether youll live healthy or not. Just keep that in mind as you sip a cup of tea.

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Herbal tea has become very popular these days. Green Tea in particular has been known to fight cancer and help in the prevention and cure of many other diseases. There have been hundreds of reviews written about green tea health benefits. Numerous testimonials about its effectiveness have been made public which have contributed to the popularity of this herbal drink.

To learn more about green tea health benefits, we have to know its roots and its content. Green tea has been used by Chinese as a staple drink for hundreds of years. It was also used by people in ancient China and India for medicinal purposes. Green Tea was used to cure simple headaches, help in digestion, aid in curing food poisoning, and many others. Chinese have been aware of the green tea health benefits for hundreds of years. Recent studies show that Chinese men who drank green tea over the years have lower rate of cancer than those who did not.

GREEN TEA IS AN EFFECTIVE ANTI-OXIDANT

Green tea extracted from the leaves of a plant known as Camellia Sinesis is an herb that was first cultivated in China. Studies show that this plant contains a high level of catechin polyphenols called epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG. EGCG is a very effective anti-oxidant which inhibits cancer cell growth and disintegrates cancer cells. This chemical contributes to green tea health benefits because it lowers cholesterol level and prevents blood clots.

GREEN TEA VERSUS BLACK TEA

Other teas are known to have medical benefits too but green tea health benefits far exceed the rest. The basic difference of green tea from other teas is the preparation. Green tea is made from boiling fresh leaves of the plant while the also famous black tea is made from fermented leaves. The fermented leaves used in making black tea do not contain as much EGCG found in fresh leaves. The anti-oxidants found in black teas are far lesser than those found in Green teas. So far, green tea health benefits have been proven by several studies showing hard evidences.

GREEN TEA FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Recent studies also show that green tea health benefits include weight loss. The anti-oxidants in green teas help speed up burning of calories. Because it is a very good anti-oxidant, it also affects weight loss as it detoxifies human system to allow proper absorption of nutrients and flushing out fats.

GREEN TEA FOR HEALTHIER TEETH

Another known green tea health benefit is that it prevents cavities and promotes health in the mouth. Green tea has been found to contain minerals like fluoride that fight bacteria causing cavities. The polyphenols found in the tea strengthens teeth and prevents bad breath. Some people even gargle with green tea for healthier mouth.

RICH IN VITAMINS

Green tea has been found to contain Vitamin C that protects the bodys immune system, Vitamin B components that help burn Carbohydrates, and Vitamin E for healthier and younger looking skin.

Green tea health benefits patients suffering from rheumatism. The green tea has chemicals that decrease blood inflammation which results in the prevention of arthritis. This wonder beverage has also been reported to lower blood sugar, reduce stress and prevent high blood pressure.

The green tea health benefits are indeed outstanding. To date, there have been no reports of fatal side effects and so green tea continues to be popular and in demand.

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