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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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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Gastric Bypass: What You Need to Know Before You Go Under the Knife

Tired of all your weight loss methods that dont work? Surgery may be your only lifesaver. In fact, some overweight people go to greater lengths by going under the knife to be able to lose weight fast. You might want to consider gastric bypass surgery to eliminate those unwanted bulges and flabs. In essence, it lowers the volume of the stomach by as much as 30 ml. This procedure, which is sometimes referred to as bariatric surgery, is the most preferred weight loss surgery by surgeons in the United States.

It is because this type of bariatric surgery is much safer and less risky than other weight-loss procedures. Compared with the other type of bariatric surgery (gastric banding surgery), this procedure does not easily lead to weight gain. And with consistent changes in a patients lifestyle and behavior, the surgery can result in a long-term and immediate weight loss, as well as other health benefits such as treatment of sleep apnea and type II diabetes.

How safe it is?

The technology used in the weight loss surgery makes the operation much safer than before. Majority of bariatric procedures take advantage of the new laparoscopic technology, which uses a tiny video camera and other instruments to make very small incisions on the abdomen. Whereas before, surgeries of the stomach involved creating large incisions that usually caused intense pain and inflammation to patients. Smaller incisions using the laparoscopic technique leads to less pain, less swelling, fewer scars, and faster recovery rate.

How does it work?

Usually performed within two hours, the surgery involves making the stomach smaller by creating a line of staples that is joined to an end of the small bowel.

Is this surgery right for you?

It depends on your body mass index (BMI). You are a candidate for the surgery if your BMI is not less than 40. But if you have any serious disease such as pneumonia, bronchitis, or diabetes, your BMI must be at least 35 in order to undergo a weight-loss surgery. Otherwise, the surgeon may not allow you to go through the procedure because of the complications. Aside from the right physical condition, you must be emotionally and mentally prepared for the surgery. For the operation to be successful, you should be properly motivated and aware of the risks or complications that may arise. Also, surgery should always be the last resortmeaning you use it only after you have tried dieting and exercise but to no avail.

What are the risks?

Of course, any kind of surgery entails some risks due to the incisions involved in the operation. Deaths resulting from the surgery are very rare (about 0.1 to 2 percent). The complications of the surgery are bleeding, respiratory dysfunction, stenosis or the obstruction of stomach, and leaking due to the staples.

How to find the right surgeon?

Choosing the best surgeon is one of the most important decisions to make when it comes to weight-loss surgery. The surgeon is the only person to entrust your life and limb with, so to speak. So he or she must not only be competent, but also a person whom youre comfortable dealing with. Also, look for a surgeon with a vast experience in gastric bypass surgery, preferably someone who has performed hundreds of operations. That way, you can be sure that your surgery is safe and effective.

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Healthy Chocolate for Your Valentine
Debra Lynn Dadd

HEALTHY CHOCOLATE FOR YOUR VALENTINE

Let’s face it. We’re all going to eat chocolate for
Valentine’s Day. But there’s no need to feel guilty!
Chocolate is actually good for youit’s all the things added
to it that are the problem. Here’s how you can choose
delicious healthy chocolates for your Valentine.

HEALTH BENEFITS

The gift of chocolate to a beloved as a token of love is
more than just tradition. Naturally-occurring compounds in
chocolate produce that mild euphoria of being in love and
contribute to enjoyable interpersonal relations by elevating
mood and enhancing sensory perception.

Beyond good feelings, chocolate benefits the body in many
ways. In moderation, chocolate can contribute to heart
health, help you live longer, suppress a chronic cough, and
add needed magnesium to your diet. Chocolate even contains a
high level of chromium, which can help control blood sugar.

Chocolate does NOT cause acne, most headaches, or
hyperactivity, and does not raise cholesterol.

HEALTH PROBLEMS

While chocolate itself is fine to eat, there are some
substances present in chocolate products that you should
watch out for.

Most chocolate products contain tremendous amounts of
refined white sugar, which is harmful to health in many
ways.

Chocolate may also contain pesticides. The EPA allows
various levels of pesticide residue to be present in cocoa
powder, and the FDA Total Diet Study found them in many
chocolate products.

Many chocolates also contain the toxic metals cadminum and
lead. “Significant levels” of these metals were found in 68%
of the common chocolate products tested. There is no safe
level for lead, and it is particularly harmful to children.

HEALTHY CHOCOLATE CHOICES

Here are some guidelines for choosing the healthiest
chocolates.

1. Choose chocolates with the least amount of refined white
sugar or other sweetener. Dark “bittersweet” chocolates with
a high percentage of cocoa solids (usually the label will
state the exact percentage) have less sugar than semisweet
or milk chocolate and also have the greatest health
benefits. Keep in mind that flavor additions, such as dried
fruits and candied ginger may also add sugar to the
chocolate.

2. Choose chocolates sweetened with evaporated cane juice or
barley malt. If the evaporated cane juice used is the
unprocessed whole juice of the cane, it acts in the body
like a whole food and doesn’t give a sugar rush. Barley malt
is also a slow-release sweetener, noted on the label as
“grain-sweetened.”

3. Choose organic chocolates. Certified organic chocolate
ensures there are no harmful pesticide residues.

4. Make your own chocolates. It’s easy to make many
chocolate delights yourself, with the exact ingredients you
want. Start with unsweetened cocoa powder or baking
chocolate and be creative!

SAVOR YOUR CHOCOLATE

Fine chocolate is one of those earthly pleasures to be
savored. When eaten as a special treat, with full
appreciation, a little chocolate can go a long way.

Choose quality over quantity. If you are going to eat
chocolate, eat really good chocolate. Then, for maximum
enjoyment, give the taste of the chocolate your full
attention, eat it at a time when you are not famished or
overly full, and allow the chocolate to melt in your mouth
to make the experience last.

Read more about healthy chocolate at
http://www.debraslist.com.

About the Author

Hailed as “The Queen of Green” by the New York Times,
Debra Lynn Dadd has been a consumer advocate for products
and lifestyle choices that are better for health and the
environment since 1982. Visit her website for 100s of links to
1000s of nontoxic, natural and earthwise products, and to
sign up for her free email newsletters. http://www.dld123.com

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