Dandelion Root Tea

Dandelion root tea, also known as dandelion coffee, is a drink made by infusing prepared roots of Dandelion plant.

The flowering plant known for its bright butter-colored flowers on long stems. It is native in Europe, Asia and Americas, and it's often considered as a weed because of its hardiness. But parts of the plant, like leaves and its long taproot, are actually edible and are included in the cuisine in some parts of Europe and Asia.

Young dandelion leaves and buds, after blanching and cooking, can be eaten as a leaf vegetable while the taproots of more mature plants, (which can tend to look like pale carrots), can be used to make tea, or coffee substitute.

Benefits of Dandelion Root Tea

The tea has many medicinal uses.

It has high potassium content and offers a benefit to people suffering from diarrhea with vomiting. It's also good for dyspepsia, heartburn and can help improve the appetite. Diabetics can also benefit from blood sugar-lowering effects of dandelion root tea.

People with hypertension may benefit from the tea because it promotes urination that reduces salt and water levels in the blood, lowering excessive pressure.
People with problems in the liver, gall bladder and spleen may benefit from dandelion root tea because it has compounds that protect liver from stress and promotes good bile flow.

Take one cup of dandelion root tea daily to help alleviate stress and reduce inflammation from viral diseases like colds, flu and fever.

Preparation

Dandelion root tea is very easy to prepare. It is commercially available in powder form, which can be purchased in health stores and online tea stores. It is made from freshly harvested mature roots of dandelion plants that are cleaned, dried then ground into powder.

To make a tea, mix 1 tbsp of powder to 8 oz. water then boil for 5 minutes. You can flavor it with cinnamon, or add honey.

Contraindications

Like all herbal plants, some people may not take dandelion root tea. The effects of compounds found in it on unborn, or newborn babies is not known, so it's not recommended for pregnant and nursing mothers.

People taking potassium-sparing diuretics, such as Spironolactone and Amiloride, are not allowed to drink it because it may cause Hyperkalemia (too much potassium in the blood).

People with dealing with hemophilia, or people undergoing chemotherapy or aspirin therapy, should note that drinking it may impair blood clotting.

The Amazing Benefits of Green Tea Antioxidants

Right now as you sit and read this you are at risk.

You may not know it but silent killers called free radicals have infiltrated your body and they're trying to harm your cells and DNA. These molecules cause all sorts of problems like heart disease, cancer, strokes, and skin damage.

Luckily, you can fight back. You can protect yourself against the harmful effects of free radicals. And it's easier than you think.

Do you want to learn how? Read on for all the details.

How To Protect Yourself

The secret weapon in your fight against free radicals are antioxidants.

Antioxidants are molecules that prevent the oxidation of other molecules.

Now, oxidization isn't bad in and of itself. When you breathe in oxygen your body turns it into energy through oxidation. That's good! In fact, without oxidization you would die. The problem is that oxidization often causes free radicals.

That's bad news.

As I mentioned above, free radicals are highly reactive, harmful molecules that wreak havoc on your body. Antioxidants grab these dangerous molecules and neutralize them. Without a doubt, antioxidants are one of the best ways to guarantee your long-term health and well-being.

So you need plenty of antioxidants in your life. Your body produces antioxidants on its own but as you age the process becomes less and less efficient. You need to get the antioxidants your body needs from other sources. And green tea is one of the best sources of antioxidants available.

Green Tea Antioxidants

Green tea is jam-packed with antioxidants, particularly epigallocatechin gallate which studies have shown to be 200 times better than Vitamin E at protecting you against free radicals.

As a matter of fact, the October 2004 issued of Harvard Women's Health Watch reported that green tea is the top food source for the group of antioxidants called catechins, which have proven to have impressive disease-fighting properties.

Antioxidants need to be your body's first line of defense against the terrible effects of free radicals.

When I discovered and experienced for myself what the antioxidants in green tea can do for overall body health I was surprised more people aren't talking about them.

After just a few days of drinking green tea I had more energy, enjoyed better digestion, and my skin looked young and fresh.

Truly, this is one of nature's miracle drugs.

If you're not regularly drinking green tea, what are you waiting for? Free radicals will continue their fight against your body and you need to do everything you can to protect yourself.

Green tea antioxidants are a great place to start.

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Lapsang Souchong Smoked Black Tea

Lapsang Souchong is a black tea by nature and comes in three forms; black tea leaves, black tea bags and black tea powder. Originating from the Wuyi region of Chinese the leaves of the tea plant is harvested and then smoke-dried over open pine wood fires. The process gives the tea a smoky flavor; hence the name "smoked tea." The tea has very unique scent, reminding a smoked bacon, therefore not everybody likes it at the first moment, sometimes not even the second. However, there is a large group of Lapsang devotees, who consider it the best black tea of all.

The Lapsang Souchong tea goes through the following process

• Harvesting - In the second week of May is the harvesting process begins and the mature leaves from the plants are picked.
• The leaves are then placed in bamboo trays over pine, oak or cypress wood fire.
• They are pan-fried, rolled and put in wooden barrels to activate the oxidation process which produces a sweet fragrance and color.
• Finally, they are then placed over pine, oak, or cypress smoke to complete the drying process. This final process gives the tea a distinctive flavor and color.

Similar to all teas, the Lapsang Souchong tea is said to offer health benefits such as:

• Promoting healthy weight loss-the combination of the antioxidant properties with the caffeine content will act as a boost to your metabolism. The caffeine also helps to burn fats quickly and helps muscle building too; it acts as a constant energizer throughout the day.
• Fighting cancer cells- the combination of polyphenols, vitamins and catechins will help to stop free radicals from destroying your DNA and reduce the growth of cancer cells.
• Heart - it protects your heart because it lowers your blood pressure and sustains your sugar levels.
• Substitute for Coffee - it can be used as an alternative for caffeine. Rather than drinking strong coffee which has a higher caffeine level to stay awake, you can brew a cup of Lapsang Souchong tea. Although the caffeine content is low, it is enough to energize and keep you alert throughout the day.

Making your own Lapsang Souchong tea will most likely be the best black tea you have ever had. The blend of taste, the aroma and the health benefits attributed to this tea will definitely make this tea one which you will crave to have.

For those of you, who love legends, there is an interesting story behind the origin of the Lapsang Tea.

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The Important Things to Look for When Buying Chinese Tea Online

There are so many tea vendors out there that I guess it can be a bit daunting when you want to buy Chinese tea online. I have put together a few tip and tricks to get you started!

1. Sourcing

This is for the utmost importance when buying your Chinese tea. You need to see how the tea is sourced and where it is sourced from. I would go as far as saying that if you are looking for high quality loose leaf tea do not buy from vendors who do not clearly specify this information.

Different teas come from different areas from China. A prime example of this is Puerh tea. Puerh tea is a type of Chinese tea that only comes from Yunnan. If this is not specified in the product description, don't bother with it!

Another good thing to look for is photographs of your tea vendor in tea farms, this at least shows that they have been to the farm and that they must know a little about tea (because believe you me, they will be tested on their knowledge by the farmer!).

You want to find out what the vendors ethical values are, I am dubious about the use of terms such as Fair Trade but if a vendor can verify their visits to farms, etc then I do feel that you can trust their ethical values. If they weren't bothered about checking farms out when sourcing their tea they wouldn't waste time and money visiting them!

2. What do they know about tea

You wouldn't use the services of a lawyer who hadn't gone to law school, or a hire a plumber who couldn't tell the difference between a tap and a sink would you? So why would you buy tea from someone who knows nothing about the stuff! Check their website for tea information pages and/or a blog that is regularly updated. I personally like my tea vendor to be as passionate about tea as I am - more so in fact! The world of Chinese tea is insanely in depth and varied so it helps to know a little bit about tea before you make your purchase.

3. Variety

OK so this one is tricky, you don't want too much variety because then how on earth are you ever going to make your decision but you do want enough variety because well isn't variety the spice of life? I often find that tea vendors will offer sample boxes containing a few different teas that you can try before committing to a larger purchase.

4. What does everyone else say

Does the website allow customer reviews? You should definitely check this out and see what other people have said about the tea you are thinking of getting. They might offer handy tips on how they brewed their tea and the tastes that could be different to what the vendor has said. Are there any bad reviews? Check these out too but don't let them scare you, learn from that customers experiences! We all have different tastes so you can't let reviews dictate your choices but they can be a helpful tool in decided which Chinese tea is right for you!

You should also check out what people say about the company on social media sites such as Facebook and twitter and while you are there check out the companys profile too. You might benefit from exclusive offers and information by following/liking the company.

5. Price

An obviously important one! I can gather that as you are looking for loose leaf Chinese tea online, you are interested in more than the meagre teabag. Well I will let you into a little secret: that means you have to be willing to part with a little more cash. The thing is, when offered a Single Estate Chinese tea over a blended, low quality teabag, which are you going to choose and how much more are you willing to pay for it? Have an idea of how much money you want to spend and shop around. Price isn't everything but I do think that in general in the world of Chinese tea, you get what you pay for! If you want artisanal hand crafted teas, they will cost a little bit more but that is why the sample packs/exploration boxes are so valuable to you as a consumer so use them to your best advantage!

Sign up to the company's newsletter too as often they will offer exclusive deals for newsletter subscribers!

6. Delivery

Some would say this is a minor point but I am a lover of instant gratification so if I have to wait a week for my new tea to arrive chances are you have lost me as a consumer. Some companies will offer free shipping when you spend a certain amount.

One thing you need to remember before you gasp at the price of shipping is that the price will include all packaging for postage and is often subsidised by the tea company.

What you need to take from this is, when you are delving into the world of loose leaf Chinese tea you need to do some research and most importantly you need to make sure the tea company you choose has a wide knowledge base of your own! You could even try contacting the company for a recommendation based on your tastes and needs!

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15 Alternate Uses of Green Tea

Think out of the cup! There's so much more that you can do with green tea than just drink it. Think of it as recycling, cutting down on expenditure of resources, or just making the most out of your tea, but there are a variety of uses that go beyond the traditional.

Here's our list of 15 alternate uses of green tea that will guarantee that no used tea leaf ever goes to the waste bin again.

Anti-Bacterial Face Spray:

Steep a few tea bags in a bottle of hot water for an hour. Strain and store in a spray bottle. This spray will freshen up your tired, end-of-day face instantly.

Mouth Wash:

Add some baking soda to a quarter cup of tea and swish it in your mouth for a few seconds, just like a mouthwash. Research has proven that it helps prevent dental cavities.

Eye Cooler:

Reuse a used tea bag as a natural eye cooler after refrigerating it for a few minutes. Close your eyes and place the tea bags on your eye lids for a few minutes and feel that exhaustion lift.

Anti-Inflammatory Compress:

Cool a used tea bag and use it as a compress to treat sun-burnt, irritated skin. Use a warm tea bag to soothe a sty or a mosquito-bite.

Tea Bath:

Fill up a cotton sock with tea leaves or bags and allow it to steep in a bucketful of hot water. When the water is cool enough for you to bathe in, remove the sock and use it as a body loofah. Wash off in your deliciously infused bath water.

Incense:

Green tea is known for its deodorizing property. Add dried leaves to your incense pot and burn it like your regular incense.

Dye:

Dye your clothes or linen in tea leaves to get a natural light green tint on the fabric. Just boil it in water and strain. Soak the fabric for 30 minutes and hang to dry. If the desired shade is not achieved, dip once again in the same water to get a darker shade.

Refrigerator Deodorizer:

Reuse tea bags by drying them in sun and placing a couple of bags inside your refrigerator. This works just as well as baking soda in eliminating bad odours from your fridge. You can also use it to deodorize your cat's litter box.

Foot Bath:

Boil some used tea bags or loose tea leaves in water. Allow the water to cool a bit and soak a tired, smelly pair of feet in this aromatic foot bath for a few minutes.

Insecticide:

Burn dried tea leaves in a pot to get rid of mosquitoes and other flying insects. It is cheap, environment-friendly, and also works as a deodorizer.

Acne Scrub:

Soak a teaspoon of tea in water and use it to scrub your face. Not only will it bring a glow to your face, it will also help in minimizing acne and other skin infections.

Potpourri:

Reuse green tea leaves as an ingredient in your DIY potpourri along with other flowers and herbs. Or simply put some dried tea leaves on a ceramic plate and place in the smelly corners of your room.

Face Pack:

Add half a teaspoon of green tea powder to one teaspoon of honey and apply on your face. Leave it on for ten minutes and wash off with warm water.

Fertilizer:

Soak used tea leaves in water for a couple of days. Strain it and pour it in a spray bottle. Use this tea water as a fertilizer.

Pillow stuffing:

Stuff some dried leaves into your pillow to get a soothing fragrant sleep time. Sun your pillow frequently because green tea has a tendency to absorb moisture.

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How Is Green Tea Produced

This is an overview of the production of green tea, specifics may vary across each type of green tea but by and large the process is can be summed as the following main stages:

i) 'Shaqing'

ii) Rolling

iii) Drying

i) 'Shaqing'

'Shaqing'- which is translated literally from Chinese as 'killing of the green' is a crucial step in the production of green tea as it stops the oxidization of the tea leaves, preserving the characteristics of green tea including its appearance, aroma and taste. 'Shaqing' also dispels part of the grass smell and develops the aroma of green tea. Lastly, through the partial evaporation of moisture in green tea, the leaves are more pliable and easier to roll.

This process involves quickly heating the tea leaves to about 75°C-80°C (167°F-176°F) which destroys the active enzymes.

This is done either manually where the tea master heats the tea leaves with a wok while stirring and manipulating the tea leaves by hand or through a 'shaqing' machine which uses steam to produce the required heat.

Usually ~30%-40% of the moisture of the leaves is lost through the process of 'shaqing'.

ii) Rolling

Rolling of the tea leaves is a common step in the production of most categories of tea. It helps the tea leaves take on the shape that we see the 'final' dry leaves be it twisted, curled into beads or flattened.

It is not mere aesthetics though- rolling also destroys the cell structure of the tea leaves and extracts the juices of the raw leaves which help in releasing the flavor of the tea when infused as well as improving the number of times the tea can be steeped. Also the rolled leaves are smaller in volume and hence can be packed or stored more efficiently.

Rolling of green tea can either be done hot or cold. 'Hot rolling' is rolling of the tea leaves when it is still hot from the 'shaqing' process. The heat causes the leaves to be more pliable and easier to be rolled or twisted to its desired shape.

For more tender leaves, the leaves are left to settle until the leaves cool significantly. As tender leaves contain less cellulose and hence are more pliable in nature, they can be rolled when they are cool. This better preserves the chlorophyll of the leaves and hence the natural green color of the leaves.

Rolling can be done by hand on a wok but apart from some of the most expensive green teas in China such as West Lake Dragon Well, it is largely mechanized. Some small farms have semi-automatic machines which are operated by hand but in larger factories, there are huge machineries to accomplish this process.

In general, the standard for higher grade green tea is that above 80% of the leaves must be twisted successful while the floor is 60% for lower grades

iii) Drying

Drying is the final stage of the production of green tea and there are 4 main ways of doing so, namely steaming, baking, roasting and sun-drying.

This process sets out to improve the taste and nature of the tea leaves as well as reducing the moisture further to prevent 'molding' and prolong the shelf life of the tea.

a) Steaming

Steaming is one of the oldest methods of producing green tea which has spread to Japan during the Tang Dynasty where the fundamental principles unchanged in the production of matcha today.

Steaming though usually does not produce the same full flavor as roasting and often the grassy smell is more prevalent and the tea itself is more astringent. As a result, steaming has largely been abandoned since the Ming Dynasty.

However ever since 1972, China has imported modern steaming machines from Japan and this method has made a comeback, predominantly for exports such as China produced Sencha.

Among the higher grades of green teas produced using steaming include Enshi Yulu from Hubei and Yangixan tea from Jiangsu.

b) Baking

Another method of drying green tea leaves involves baking. The leaves are placed into a 'baking cage' and baked until it is dry.

This method is also used for processing of scented tea such as jasmine tea.

Some famous varietals that are processed with this method include Huangshan Furry Peak, Taiping Houkui and Huading Yunwu.

c) Roasting

Green tea leaves can also be dried by roasting or 'frying' them on a wok. This can be used for a varieties of teas including pearls and higher grade varietals like the famous Dragon Well, Bilochun and Liu An Gua Pian.

d) Sun-drying

The final method is quite straight forward, is to arrange the tea leaves under the sun and let nature do its work.

This is common in Yunnan, Sichuan and Guangxi and generally is not used for higher grade green tea.

This is just a general guide on how green tea is processed as specifics differ across varietals and even among producers for the same type of tea.

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Buying the Best Chamomile Tea - How To Locate the Best Brands to Buy This Herbal Tea From

Chamomile, also spelled camomile, is a popular herb for use either on its own in herbal teas or in blends. When buying chamomile tea, there are a number of questions and factors to consider.

Tea company or bulk herb company?

Chamomile is sold both by tea companies and bulk herb companies. Tea companies tend to have higher prices, but, in some cases, have selected high-quality batches that are better for brewing as herbal tea. Check the company though: some of the better herb companies have extraordinary

Blend or pure chamomile?

Not all teas labeled as "chamomile" are made exclusively from the chamomile plant; many of these herbal teas are actually blends which contain mostly chamomile, but also contain other herbs or flavorings.

Some people actually prefer these blends, because the pure herb can have a rather bitter aftertaste. These sorts of blends are typically sold by tea companies, and less commonly by bulk herb companies.

Loose-leaf herb, or tea bags?

Another major distinction when buying any type of tea or herbal tea is the question of whether to buy loose-leaf or tea bags. Tea bags offer the primary advantage of convenience. However, when buying tea bags, a large portion of what you are paying goes to the industrial packing process and the packing materials themselves. When buying loose-leaf herbs or tea, you are paying primarily for the product you wish to buy, with only a small amount of packaging. Loose-leaf or bulk herbs are also more sustainable, in that they use fewer resources to obtain the same end result, and they result in less waste. Lastly, loose-leaf tea and bulk herbs often offer superior quality.

For this reason, if you are cost-conscious and concerned with quality, I would recommend buying loose-leaf or bulk chamomile from a tea company or herb company, rather than buying the standard tea bags available in supermarkets. When buying in bulk, I recommend the whole dried flowers, rather than powdered herb. For brewing, if you do not have one, purchase a strainer or tea filter. My favorites are basket infusers with a stainless steel mesh that sit inside a mug or teapot. Tea balls also work but are less optimal.

Look for whole, intact flowers:

Freshness is of prime importance when buying any sort of tea, herbs, or spice, and chamomile is no exception. The best sources of chamomile usually show whole, intact flowerheads attached to small stems. If the flowerheads are crushed up into finer pieces, this does not necessary mean that the batch you are looking at is necessarily lower quality, but keep in mind that finely broken herbs lose their flavor more quickly, so such batches are less likely to be fresh or stay fresh than batches consisting mostly of whole chamomile flowerheads.

Conutry of origin?

Chamomile is produced in a number of different countries. Much of the commercially available herb originates in Egypt, but it is also relatively common for it to be grown in Europe, such as in Germany and France. Country of origin does influence flavor, and is worth looking at if you have nuanced tastes. And In general, companies selling higher-quality herbs will identify the country of origin of each herb.

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Lapsang Souchong Black Tea - Caffeine Content, Smokiness, Reviews, Etc

Lapsang souchong, widely known as a "smoky tea" or "smoked tea", is a Chinese black tea, originating in the Wuyi mountains, which is dried over pine smoke. The pine smoke imparts a unique smoky quality to the aroma of the tea, which, in its smokier incarnations, is described as having an aroma similar to campfire smoke. The traditional lapsang souchongs, however, are considerably more subtle in their smoky aromas, and more closely resemble other high-quality Chinese black teas, such as Keemun.

This article explores several topics related to Lapsang souchong, including the levels of caffeine, and varying levels of smokiness. The article concludes with a brief summary of some of my personal reviews.

Caffeine content:

"Souchong", written in modern Chinese as "Xiaozhong", is a grade of tea used to describe a wide variety of black teas. Souchongs, denoted in the standard grading system by an (S), are actually somewhat of a low grade, consisting of larger, tougher, more mature leaves from the tea plant than the standard orange pekoe (OP) grade. The tips and smaller, younger leaves of the tea plant are higher in caffeine than the larger, more mature leaves, so souchongs, including lapsang souchong, are considerably lower in caffeine than other standard grades of black tea (and lower than a number of green and white teas as well).

Smokiness: traditional (subtly smoky) vs. intensely smoky:

Although there is a broad range of qualities in Lapsang souchong teas, these teas can be roughly divided into two types: the more intensely smoky style, most well-known in the west, especially in British tea culture, and the traditional style, which have a subtly smoke aroma, and are more similar in overall character to other Chinese black teas, like a high-grade Keemun.

Because a lot of people object to the intense smoky quality of the British style of Lapsang Souchong, and because these teas tend to be low in both caffeine and bitterness, these teas are often blended with other, stronger teas, creating a blend which has both a more moderated smoky quality, and more of a kick.

My reviews:

I personally am a huge fan of the traditional style of Lapsang souchong. I would recommend one that I sampled from the small tea company, Life in Teacup, recently. This tea had chocolatey nuances and a pleasing roasted quality. For a more strongly smoky variety, in tea bags, I would recommend looking at Twinings, which is widely available, and for loose-leaf, Upton Tea Imports, which sells an organic version of this tea (ZS85). These teas were both good, even though they were in the more intense style that I do not prefer.

If you want to learn more about these teas, my recommendation is to try them for yourself. If you have not yet tried the traditional style, and are intimidated by the overwhelming smokiness of some Lapsang souchong, I recommend getting your hands on some of the traditional stuff from a company specializing in Chinese teas.

Keemun Black Tea From China - Caffeine Content, Health Benefits, And Other Properties

Keemun is a type of Chinese black tea, originating in Qimen county of Anhui Province, China. This article gives an overview of the caffeine content, health benefits, and other properties of Keemun.

Keemun is primarily produced in Anhui province, but teas in this style have also begun to be produced in nearby Hubei, as well as in Jiangxi, and even in Taiwan. Keemun is usually described as having an earthy aroma, and its overall character is quite different from Indian and Ceylon teas. My personal perspective is that Keemun has a richer, warmer quality, often reminiscent of dried fruit, and in higher grades, a pleasing hint of wood or wood smoke. These teas are rich and full-bodied, and are among my favorite black teas.

Caffeine content:

Although you may be looking for more concrete information, it is hard to generalize about the caffeine content of Keemun. Even though it originates primarily in one region and shares certain aspects of production, Keemun is fairly diverse, coming in different grades. As a general rule though, Keemun is often in the moderate to high end of caffeine content, among teas, which means that it still has considerably less caffeine than a typical cup of coffee. Keemun has historically been used in breakfast blends, where strongly caffeinated teas were desired

Health benefits:

Keemun has actually been the subject of direct scientific study., in association with weight loss in animal studies. There is only a small amount of research referring specifically to this variety of tea, however, so most of what can be said about Keemun must be inferred from general studies about black tea.

Although green tea has a stronger association with supposed "health benefits" in the public consciousness in the United States, this association may be skewed by historical factors. Much of the early research on tea and health was conducted in Japan, where tea is synonymous with green tea. Subsequent research has found substantial evidence that black tea is healthy as well. In the absence of more reserach specifically looking at Keemun, it seems reasonable to conclude that Keemun is likely to have a similar amonut of health benefits to black tea.

Locating high-quality Keemun:

My recommendation, if you want to buy the best Keemun, is to buy exclusively loose-leaf. My experience is that the best Keemun is usually sold by companies that specialize in Chinese tea. Because they store relatively well, Chinese black teas, even those of considerably high quality, tend to be relatively inexpensive, with all but the highest grades (Keemun Hao Ya A and B, and Keemun Mao Feng) costing well under $10 for about 1/4 pound or about 100-125 grams. A few companies, including Rishi Tea, Arbor Teas, and Little Red Cup, sell fair trade certified Keemun, produced in Hubei, Anhui, and Jiangxi provinces, respectively.

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Ceylon Black Tea - Caffeine Content, Health Benefits, And Other Properties

Ceylon black tea, often called just "Ceylon", refers to black tea that has been grown in Sri Lanka. "Ceylon" is simply an old name for Sri Lanka that has remained in use in the tea world, but fallen out of use elsewhere.

Ceylon is a mainstay of British culture, where it is frequently consumed on its own, as well as one ingredient among many in the classic English Breakfast blends. Ceylon comes in a wide variety of different grades; the standard grade is orange pekoe. Most people are familiar with the tea bags for sale in mainstream supermarkets, but single region and single estate loose-leaf Ceylon tea is popular among connoisseurs, as well as cost-conscious shoppers looking to save money, as loose tea can offer considerable savings. Because they tend to be reasonably priced, these single-harvest teas, grown in small batches from particular gardens can be an affordable luxury good.

Caffeine content:

Although this may come as somewhat of a dismay to readers, there is little that can be said about the caffeine content of Ceylon black teas. Because Ceylon refers to a growing region, and not a varietal or grade, tea sold under the Ceylon label can come from a wide variety of grades and cultivars.

As a general rule, however, an overwhelming majority of Ceylon tea is of a standard or average grade, orange pekoe, which tends to have a fairly typical caffeine content among teas (often around 60mg per cup, contrasting with the 85-135mg per typical cup of coffee). Tippy ceylon, containing a higher portion of leaf bud, common in higher grades of tea, will tend to have a higher caffeine content. Stronger-tasting Ceylon tea does not necessarily contain more caffeine: some of the higher grades of tea have a lighter flavor, but can actually contain more caffeine. If you are especially concerned with the caffeine content of a particular batch, you need to verify this information with the company selling your tea.

Health benefits:

Although green tea has gotten the lion's share of the attention when it comes to the topic of health benefits, there is a growing body of evidence that black tea is healthy as well. There have been few studies comparing Ceylon teas to teas produced in other regions, but as Ceylons are typical among black teas, and span a wide range of grades, until any research suggests otherwise, there is little reason to assume that the health benefits of teas produced in Sri Lanka differ substantially as a general rule from other standard black teas.

Learn more:

The best way to learn about Ceylon black tea is to sample it from yourself. My personal recommendation is to buy single-estate, loose-leaf Ceylon tea from companies that specialize in high-end, British-style teas.

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Why Drinking Tea Is Beneficial

No doubt that tea had also conquered the modern world today. The concept of tea drinking started several thousand years ago in China when a few leaves of a Camellia plant accidentally fell into boiling water. Chinese Emperor Shen Nung right away fell in love with this new found beverage and thought that people can use this beverage in their everyday life.

This has led to tea drinking evolving and becoming embraced by different countries around the world. Tea is perhaps the most famous beverage nowadays. In fact, tea is commonly used in most countries in the absence of coffee and sodas.

Since time immemorial tea drinking and coffee drinking has always been put against each other by many people. Although coffee has been deemed to have anti-oxidants that can help a person regenerate cells easily, tea drinkers would contend that it the caffeine content can do more harm than good.

There are even studies that would indicate that too much consumption of caffeine could lead to insomnia. Too much caffeine may also affect the flow of the blood to the brain as it reduces the rate of flow by 10 to 20 percent. All of these is aside from the fact that taking too much caffeine can also cause nervousness, jitters, and rapid heartbeat which could lead to serious health problems.

On the other hand, many people consider drinking tea as quite beneficial because it has fluoride and tannins that drive the plaque away. Tannin is also a quite popular deterrent of the negative effects of monosodium glutamate. Depending on the type of tea that you use, you might even get to experience some weight loss tea benefits.

Weight Loss By Drinking Tea

Many people are in to many diet plans just to get the figure that they want. Not many of them, however, are sold to the idea that tea can actually help you lose weight. In truth, however, you can get weight loss tea benefits from it. Forget all the latest South Beach diet and exercise trends and try to consider drinking tea on your diet plans.

One of the benefits that you can enjoy is the lowering of your bad cholesterol level. With the help of the chemical called catechin, which is present in most teas, the latter is able to reduce cholesterol levels in two ways - on, it promotes the removal of plasma LDL in the liver; and two, the catechin in tea inhibits the absorption and re-absorption of cholesterol in your intestine.

Aside from that, one of the tea benefits that you might be interested in would be the slow release of carbohydrates in your body system, preventing an abrupt increase in blood-insulin levels. This, in turn, may help you burn excess body fat easily.

In order to take advantage of the various weight loss tea benefits, you must consider drinking tea at least three times a day. The extract of the tea, compared to placebo and caffeine, can produce 4% increase in your 24-hour energy spending. This will take place if you consume 2,000 calories per day and you weren't able to gain or lose weight. Slimming tea benefits also include the increasing effect of the metabolism of fats by the liver or commonly called the thermogenic effect.

Another benefits that you can take advantage of is the inhibition of the lipase or the fat absorption enzyme in the digestive tract of every people. It also provides a feeling of satiety and fullness to most tea drinkers. To sum it all up, weight loss tea benefits includes the boosting of your metabolic rate, regulation of your blood sugar, and the suppression of your appetite to give the feeling of fullness.

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Why Tea Has Caffeine

Why tea has caffeine: plants do not waste energy producing chemicals they do not need - that would be an evolutionary blind alley - so there must a good reason why tea has caffeine. In 1984, Dr. James A. Nathanson, a neurologist at Harvard Medical School, published the first evidence in Science. Dr. Nathanson discovered that caffeine, a purine alkaloid, is a potent natural insecticide which, at significant concentrations, kills numerous insects within hours or a few days at most. Caffeine altered behavior, reduced food consumption, and interfered with reproduction in tobacco hornworms, milkweed bugs, meal worms, butterfly larvae and mosquito larvae. Dr. Nathanson said this natural insecticide works by inhibiting an enzyme called phosphodiesterase in insects' nervous systems. Phosphodiesterase breaks down a substance called cyclic AMP which nerve cells use for signaling. Without phosphodiesterase, cyclic AMP builds up in insects' nerve cells to concentrations that interfere with the cells' functions.

Caffeine can accumulate in significant concentrations in insects' bodies because they lack the complex suite of enzymes present in the human liver that readily break it down. A typical insect will have principally the enzymes needed to digest its food and few insects can detoxify caffeine fast enough to survive ingesting very much of it.

Tea plants, Camellia sinensis, are preyed upon by 1,031 different insect pests worldwide, so defense against them is the principal reason why tea has caffeine. Thankfully for tea drinkers, the caffeine produced by the Camellia Sinensis plant interferes with eating in these insect pests and paralyzes them.

The most vulnerable parts of the tea plant are new leaves and buds. It should be no surprise that caffeine is concentrated there. The many teas made from those tender, young leaves and buds naturally tend to have more caffeine than those made from mature leaves lower down on the plants. The mature leaves are more challenging for insects to attack: their stronger structures are harder to bite and chew, so they can survive with less of the insecticide in them.

Research has also shown that injury to a C. sinensis plant, whether from insect attack or a fungus infection, will induce the plant to produce a lot more caffeine at the site of the injury anywhere on the plant. So, defense against disease may be another reason why tea has caffeine.

It is clear that C. sinensis does not have caffeine in order to provide people with a pleasant stimulant in their morning cups of tea. We are just lucky that we get a boost in alertness, energy, and the ability to concentrate and to focus from tea plants' defensive system. We get the benefits of this stimulant and the antioxidants and other beneficial chemicals in tea at very little cost without being one of the reasons why tea has caffeine.

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Can Green Tea Be Harmful?

To answer this question we have to understand that like anything in life, too much of something, is not good. Green Tea is thought to be a healthy and beneficial hot beverage that can increase your life quality and make you generally healthier, although this seems to be generally right, consuming it in large quantities can also mean consuming a large amount of caffeine, although it contain only quarter of the amount found in a regular cup of coffee drinking 4-5 cups a day might cause some side effects - especially for those who are sensitive to caffeine. The tea should be drank only freshly brewed out of fresh leaves - Drinking any other kind of tea (like instant tea from powder) can be harmful because industrial processing can remove the nutrients and increase the amount of metal particles like aluminium and manganese that the plant's leaves naturally store.

The Green Tea origin brings us back to around 4000 years ago when all the regions in east Asia like China and Japan began to drink this hot beverage, and besides drinking it they started using it as a medicine for everything from a light stomach ache to treating wounded after battle. Green Tea has many uses in the eastern culture and is revered. In eastern cultures it is not uncommon to see rituals that have been developed around drinking tea over the years.

Green Tea benefits are abounded, here are some of the benefits you will enjoy if you start consuming it on a regular basis. Studies show that consuming it regularly will reduce you chance for a heart disease, your blood pressure and blood sugars will change for the better and has shown to have an effect on weight loss and dental health also there are claims that believe it can be used as a treatment for cancer and for multiple sclerosis. If drinking the tea leaves is not to your taste you can always look for the alternatives in the market like it's products and like green tea extract.

In conclusion, drinking around four cups of freshly brewed green tea daily can improve your overall health and life quality, although there are some harmful effects if consumed too much, especially for those who are sensitive to caffeine, the benefits are greater than the drawbacks.

Drink, enjoy this beverage in moderation and enjoy all the health benefits in brings you.

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Hibiscus Tea For Your Health

Hibiscus tea, an herbal infusion made from the calyces of the Hibiscus sabdariffa flower, has actually been shown to lower blood pressure as reported throughout the years by people who practice traditional medicine or herbal medicine. There is also evidence that it helps in the efforts to lower cholesterol. Such evidence makes it clear that its daily consumption is beneficial to ones health.

Hibiscus is also known as sorrel, roselle, karkade and flor de Jamaica, depending on the region. In early 2008 there was a study that showed hibiscus tea actually reduces blood pressure almost equal to some prescription strength medications; the "how" it works is not quite clear. It was clear however that Hibiscus tea certainly appeared to beneficially lower the blood pressure in people with pre-hypertension or mild hypertension.

In another study, hibiscus tea was compared with black tea in relation to blood pressure; it was really no surprise that hibiscus tea came out the winner. One very interesting result is that the group that drank black tea actually had an increase in blood pressure.

I found a study on how Hibiscus tea also affects cholesterol which was published by the Journal of alternative and complementary medicine; this one appears to be quite valid. The study consisted of 60 patients with type II diabetes which were randomly divided into two groups. One group was provided black tea and the other hibiscus tea. The participants were told to drink one glass equal to 1 tea bag steeped for 20-30 minutes twice a day for 30 days. The hibiscus test group realized several improvements to their cholesterol levels. The total cholesterol count went down from 236.2 to 218.6 mg/dL. HDL (your good cholesterol) increased from 48.2 to 56.1 mg/dL, while LDL (your bad cholesterol) decreased from 137.5 to 128 mg/dL. Triglycerides - a type of lipid (fat) circulating in the blood which accounts for almost 95% of the fat in the body went down rather dramatically from 246.1 to 209.2 mg/dL. A count less than 150mg/dL is considered normal but was not expected to be achieved in this study because of the existence of the diabetes. Also within this study the reference to other studies were made depicting similar results in humans and even animals. One study consisted of a group of healthy men and women taking a Hibiscus extract. This group also showed a reduction in LDL cholesterol levels with no significant differences notated between each sex. This comparison between the diabetes group and healthy subject group provide for a sound premise that consuming Hibiscus tea is beneficial whether you are seemingly healthy or are a diabetic patient.

The group which consumed the black tea did not show any significant improvement in any of the measured parameters. None of the changes in total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides and lipoprotein were statistically significant to notate.

Hibiscus flowers have a lot of different fido chemicals which provides the dark red color; they also have a lot of antioxidants thus they may have some other health benefits like preventing certain forms of cancer. They also help with your overall health including cardiac functions, your blood flow and blood vessel flexibility to mention a few.

The conclusion here is that the healthy benefits of herbal teas is no longer just a theory. Evidence is clear that all this data showing the blood pressure lowering effects and the cholesterol improving abilities of hibiscus tea supports the benefits of its daily enjoyment. Who thought some efforts to maintain a healthy being could actually taste so good and be as easy as having a cool glass of Hibiscus tea!

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How to Make a Perfect Cup of Tea?

Tea has always played a crucial role in the mornings and evenings with or without refreshments. Green or black, milk or ginseng - tea has certain inherent qualities which can energize you quite instantly. Well, I believe a perfect cup of is possible only if ingredients are used in adequate proportion. Tea leaves, milk, sugar or spices- every single ingredient is used according to requirements. Since my childhood, I have been drinking a tumbler full of this brown beverage. While staying in a cold environment, it gave a lot of warmth.

I would like to present the procedure actually followed in my place for the preparation. As my uncle worked in one of the famous gardens of Assam- India, he often recollected and shared his views about how the Englishmen and women discussed about the method of making good tea. A beverage which could give you total satisfaction at any hour of the day should be made using the correct method.

Boil a cup of water. Once the water starts boiling, add a teaspoon of tea leaves. Close the lid instantly after switching off the burner. Keep it closed for half a minute. This is important for leaves to leave its color and aroma in entirety. Remove the lid and add sugar. At least two teaspoons of sugar would sweeten the beverage. Since milk tea is quite popularly drunk throughout the world,it is best to add few drops of milk for taste. I have used the words "few drops" because the beverage would retain its originality in case little milk is added to it. I don't advise on re-boiling. The milk should be warm before pouring in the container. Take a strainer and remove the liquid to a cup. Take a deep breath followed by a sip to savor the real taste.

People who have a complete and thorough knowledge about the ingredients would make sure everything is added perfectly. In a country like India, people prefer to add spices to give a tangy and spicy appeal to beverage. A tinge of powdered spices is added just after adding leaves to the water. Spices like cloves, dry ginger, basil leaves, cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon are crushed in a grinder and used afterwards.

In many villages, people prefer to add raw ginger, mint and basil leaves in boiling water. This method is deemed to carry health benefits for throat and other body parts. It is important to drink the beverage when it's warm else might lose its benefits. It is best to avoid re-heating. For a perfect cup of tea, it is important to serve in the best cup with a tinge of love and affection added to it.

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Choose Your Free Pattern To Crochet A Tea Cozy

Many of us are into crafts and this is a great way to be creative. Crochet has been around for many, many years and is often quicker than knitting, which is why I like it. Crocheting a small item like a tea cosy, for example, could be done in a matter of hours! Did you know that it is easy to find free patterns to crochet a tea cozy?

Here are a few websites that offer free patterns - some just have links you have to click on and others have the actual picture you can click on, which saves you some time.

Crochet Pattern Central, for example, has a whole page with almost 200 links to choose from. Not all of them are for teapots. Some are for mugs, for coffee pots, certain fruit, candles and even a laptop. Also if you're looking for a cover for your Kindle, Nook or Kobo you can find it here! Still the majority are the ones we are looking for. They have very unique ones, like Sugar'n Cream - Chicken Tea Cozy and usually the instructions how to make them are very good.

Tipnut.com has images you can click on so right away you get to see if you would like it or not. There is also a small description of the item next to the picture. With this site, knitted, crocheted and sewn items are all on the one page, so you have to look carefully at the description to see if it is one you would consider. They also have some knitted ones with crocheted flowers on top, for a nice effect. They have some unique items such as a cupcake one, even an aromatherapy one with inner pockets where you can put sachets which have either dried herbs or cotton wool soaked in your essential oil of choice.

Allcrafts.net has over 100 free crocheted cozies patterns to choose from. However, on more careful perusal, I see that there are not that many that are actually for tea! Still their Classic Wool looks nice and is actually to cover your teapot! Another is Cosy in Tricot which looks really good and is a pop over one. Obviously their Geisha Girl pattern could serve green tea! Also, from these 100 patterns, you can get ideas to make your own.

An important tip when looking at these sites and instructions, is to make sure the size is right for you. Some patterns mentions the actual size of the teapot while others go with how many cups of liquid it will hold - some do both.

As you see there are so many free crochet patterns to choose from that there is definitely something for everyone.

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