When we finally stumble on the fountain of youth, it will be no surprise to find that the magical elixir bubbling up is not water blessed by gods but green tea.
Such is the level of recent North American enthusiasm for this simple brew, long a staple of Asian diets. Of course, as with most miracle cures and potions, scientific proof of green tea's power eludes us. Further study is needed. But anecdotal evidence and the results of numerous small studies have stirred our imaginations.
Scientists are investigating green tea's benevolent effects on ailments as diverse as cancer, low bone density and heart disease. Chefs are cooking with it, using it in sauces and rubs and throwing it onto their wood fires to lend a tea flavor to smoked and grilled meats.
Could it be that this drink brings with it an approach to life, a patience and contemplation that fosters health and well- being?
The Tea Council of the U.S.A. estimates that in the past decade or so, the green tea business domestically has grown from a $2 million-a-year enterprise into a $200 million-a-year boom.
Council president Joe Simrany says that in 1990, green tea accounted for 2 percent of the tea imported into the United States, with black tea (97 percent) and oolong (1 percent) accounting for the rest. Today, green tea is about 9 percent of the market. That's mostly driven by the promise of health benefits, because green tea is an acquired taste.
Jo Ann Carson, associate professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas says that although researchers have conducted many small studies, the strongest evidence to date of green tea's effectiveness is based on what we know about the people who drink it. In Asian countries, where green tea is sometimes the only tea, levels of some ailments that plague the West are much lower.
Like all other tea, green tea is made from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis, indigenous to India, Chine and Tibet. The difference between green tea and the black tea that millions of Americans enjoy lies in the processing. In making black tea, processors allow the leaves to wither, but in making green tea, processors steam the leaves in a hot pan right after they are picked. The steaming renders certain enzymes in the leaves inactive and halts fermentation. As a result, green tea contains higher levels of cancer-combating antioxidants.
Sipping it is a much different endeavor than gulping down coffee. It's to enjoy, the taste, the smell, the experience of it. And green tea and black tea demand different approaches.
The Tea Council of the U.S.A. recommends these steps for brewing green tea:
1. Use water that is between 165 and 185 degrees F. (75-85C).
2. To achieve this temperature, let boiling water cool for about 10 minutes.
3. Steep a green-tea bag for 20 seconds to a minute. Any longer and the brew will turn bitter.
Author: Susan Rutter -- Publisher, Nutritionist, and Instructor who assists patients and the public make healthy choices and changes in their lives. Web Site: Healthy YOUbbies. http://www.geocities.com/healthyoubbies/
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