Green Tea Diet Oprah

See Also: Green Tea

The beverage green tea (Simplified Chinese: 绿茶; Traditional Chinese: 綠茶; Pinyin lǜchá) is a "true" tea (i.e., Camellia sinensis) that has undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea is popular in China Morocco, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and the Middle East. Recently it has become more widespread in the West, where traditionally black tea is consumed.

 Chinese green teas

An example of a slightly higher grade of Chinese green tea, possibly Longjing.

A pile of the Twinings brand Gunpowder tea, a low-grade variety of Chinese green tea

Japanese green teas

Japanese green tea

Genmaicha green tea

玉露 Gyokuro, (Jade Dew)

Green tea (Ryokucha (緑茶, ryokucha)) is so ubiquitous in Japan that it is more commonly known as "tea" (ocha (お茶, ocha)) and even "Japanese tea" (nihoncha (日本茶, nihoncha^?)). Types of tea are commonly graded depending on the quality and the parts of the plant used. There are large variations in both price and quality within these broad categories, and there are many specialty green teas that fall outside this spectrum. The very best Japanese green tea is said to be that from the Uji region of Kyoto. Shizuoka Prefecture is also famous for its green tea.

Potential effects of tea on health History

There is archaeological evidence that suggests that tea has been consumed for almost 5000 years, with India and China being two of the first countries to cultivate it. Green tea has been used as traditional medicine in areas such as India, China, Japan and Thailand to help everything from controlling bleeding and helping heal wounds to regulating body temperature, blood sugar and promoting digestion.

The Kissa Yojoki, or Book of Tea, written by Zen priest Eisai in 1191, describes how drinking green tea can have a positive effect on the five vital organs, especially the heart. The book discusses tea's medicinal qualities, which include easing the effects of alcohol, acting as a stimulant, curing blotchiness, quenching thirst, eliminating indigestion, curing beriberi disease, preventing fatigue, and improving urinary and brain function. Part One also explains the shapes of tea plants, tea flowers, and tea leaves, and covers how to grow tea plants and process tea leaves. In Part Two, the book discusses the specific dosage and method required for individual physical ailments. Green Tea