Tip for green tea drinkers!

Faced with post-menopausal wt gain right around my midsection, I asked a registered dietician for a "magic bullet".     Of course there is none, but she did say that the literature strongly suggests that green tea mid-day will help lose inches along your waistline along with diet and exercise. It serves as a boost, so I take a capsule every afternoon.

I am sensitive to caffeine so we drink red ginger tea in the evening.  I make it with fresh ginger root (cut on an angle into 2 in size pieces), roobius (red) tea, cinnamon sticks, star of anise and cardomon.         I learned this recipe from an African woman who took care of my aunt.   It's become a family tradition.       curbs appetite for sure; helps with digestion (prevents constipation) and we get an overall sense of satiety.    It helps us put away our anxieties.    I have no scientific proof of course.                         And this is my anti-cancer theory;  if cancer is thought to be started by inflammation (recent literature says so) then drinking all these anti-inflammatory ingredients helps me feel that I am doing something  to prevent cancer growth.

Just watched it!  Didn't want to take 20 mins., but couldn't stop once I started it.  It's  FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!   I love the whole concept of TED, and this is such a first-rate presentation!  I am going to copy & post the link on Natural Girls (unless you would like to), share it with friends, and also post it on my FB page.  Thank you so much for sharing it, and keep 'em coming when you find others this good!     Deanna

About ten hyrs ago cancer pain was relieved (palliative care) by interventional radiologist "plugging" up the blood  vessells that fed the tumor (angiogenesis)        So it's nice to see that medicine has not just evolved to Aromatase Inhibitors but to study the foods that contain substances affecting blood supply to tumors. 

I am not writing this in scientific terms, but I will be eager to follow up on that video.  thanks!  

I'm a yoga fanatic.  I got myself choking down the green tea by doing it after yoga.  I now associate it with that nice zen feeling.  It helps.  Thanks for the tip on mid day tea and the waist line.  That will be additional motivation for another cup

I've just read through this thread and wanted to pass along some info I got from a tea expert at Teopia:

1.  Do not pour boiling water over green or white tea.  The temp destroys the beneficial properties by, essentially, "burning" the leaves.  Just bring the water to almost boiling.

2.  White tea has more antioxidants than green tea.

I buy a brand called Strawberry Fields White tea and it's delicious!  And no, I have no financial interest in this company!!!

While I think loose tea from a tea store may be healthier, Celestial Seasonings and Mighty Leaf both have excellent tasting white tea blends.  I also use African rooibos (my current favorite), a red tea that's delicious and is also reported to have more antioxidants than green tea.  The rooibos is sometimes combined with African honeybush tea, another high in antioxidants.  Mighty Leaf and Intaba have good rooibos-honeybush blends.  They're rich & sweet, like chai.    Deanna

There are many ways to flavour green tea without having to pay extra money on them. Here are some methods:

 -Fresh fruits: add some slices of fruits like apples or pineapples with tea when serving. You can use frozen fruits as well. 

-Fruit juice:add lemon or lime juice or anything of your choice with the green tea. It helps to enhance the taste of your tea and is beneficial to your health as well.

-Flavoured syrups: adds a bit of flavour to your green tea.  

There are many ways to flavour green tea without having to pay extra money on them. Here are some methods:

 -Fresh fruits: add some slices of fruits like apples or pineapples with tea when serving. You can use frozen fruits as well. 

-Fruit juice:add lemon or lime juice or anything of your choice with the green tea. It helps to enhance the taste of your tea and is beneficial to your health as well.

-Flavoured syrups: adds a bit of flavour to your green tea.  

That sounds delicious, annettie.  But I have read that adding milk (and I assume cream is the same) negates the positive benefits of tea.  Not sure, and I use it anyway in black tea, but it's probably something to be aware of or maybe look into if you're counting on the health benefits from your green tea.    Deanna

Also the post above yours looks like spam.  Reported.

Oh, its chai green tea that I drink with these other ingredients. I do like it alot!

I am chiming in on the white tea.  White tea has a milder flavor than green and doesnt really need much if any sweetener.  And it has more antioxidents.  You can get 'blueberry white tea' from Lipton or other flavors like with mango or pomegranate which is nice too.  Here is an article that describes the benefits of white tea...

http://healthnewsreport.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-tea-vs-green-tea.html

Also having lived in Japan, I can tell you that green teas can have a funky taste to westerners....sometimes its roasted leaves, sometimes steamed....check your label if its imported teas or buy a small bit - but dont rule out green or white teas because you dislike it once.....try try again!!!!!

I use a small french press and experiment with different flavor combinations with green tea; I also often add fresh grated ginger and/or lemon or orange zest. I toss in the tea bags and other ingredients, push the plunger down far enough to submerge the tea bags and let it steep. I can add more boiling water, a fresh tea bag, whatever the rest of the day. I don't know if loose tea would work in the french press; haven't tried it.

I grew stevia last year and it was an odd sweet. Now I probably would love it since I am not eating sweets.

I am hoping the plant comes up this year.

WHAT kind of green tea do you ladies get. I need suggestions please.

I go to my local whole foods store (not WHOLE Foods - we have a market that just sells seasonings, flour, sugar etc all organic) and I buy loose white tea.  It takes a couple of tries to figure out the ratio, but it doesnt need flavoring or sweetener....and theres an extra boost of antibiotics in white over green.  Its about 4.50 for a 1/2 pint sized tin but its worth every penny to know what youre getting in your tea.