The origin of tea can be traced back to over 4000 years ago in China. According to Chinese legend the emporer Shen Nong, a scholar and medical expert discovered tea in 2737 B.C. One day while he was boiling water under a tea tree, a leaf from the tree dropped into the water and Shen Nung decided to try the brew. The drink was found to be not only invigorating but also to be a rather powerful medication. The emporer immediatedly placed Green tea on his list of medicinal herbs.

The three main types of tea are green tea, oolong tea and black tea. All come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. Herbal and fruit teas come from plants and fruits and are not tea in the strictest sense of the word. The difference between green, oolong and black tea is due to the method by which the tea is produced. With black tea the Camellia sinensis leaves, after they are plucked are left out long enough for them to fully oxidize before being dried. In the case of oolong tea the leaves are only partially oxidized and dried, but in the production of green tea the leaves are steamed, rolled and dried before the oxidization process can begin. Thus with Green tea a more significant part of the nutritional and enzyme content of the leaf is left intact.

The benefits of Green tea to one's health has been increasingly demonstrated by modern scientific research. Many of these health benefits come from the fact that tea contains high levels of antioxidants called polyphenols or flavonoids. These compounds are most prevalent in green and white teas, but are also present in varying degrees in Oolongs and black teas. Green tea flavonoids show antioxidant activity. Antioxidants impair the ability of free radical cells to harm the molecules that make up our bodies. We all know that fruit and vegetables are good sources of antioxidants but recent scientific research have shown that one or two cups of green tea has the same 'radical scavenging capacity' as five portions of fruit and vegetables. Of course we should all eat plenty of fruit and vegetables every day but why not top up our antioxidant intake by also drinking green tea every day!

Green tea offers many health benefits. Recent medical studies suggest green tea to be of benefit in many areas including the following: -Boost the immune system -Reducing levels of cholesterol -Reduces high blood pressure -Lowering of blood sugar -Digestive and respiratory health - tea is antibacterial -Oral hygiene - help to prevent tooth decay. -Acne and other skin conditions. -Arthritis - displays anti-inflammatory properties.

Another potentially huge benefit of green tea could as an aid to weight loss. In fact this area is already attracting huge attention. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recently published the results of research conducted over a period of 6 weeks in which a group of healthy men were given green tea extract whilst the other men in the study were not given the extract. Calorific useage was measured on a daily basis and the results concluded that the men taking the green tea extract burned more calories than the men not given the extract. Other studies show very similar results. More research needs to be conducted in this area but the signs so far are encouraging. Anyone for green tea?!!

About the Author: Lorraine Bevere is the webmaster of FOG Tea, Inc. which is a premier source of information about tea. For more information, go to: http://fogtea.com

Source: www.isnare.com