Chinese green teas

Green tea has a number of benefits:  appetite suppression, preservation of mental function, antioxidant effects, potential reduction of diabetes and obesity progression.

A treat during a recent working visit to Asia was to be able to buy a variety of green teas in Taiwan, China, and Korea.  However, while at home on a daily basis, Costco’s Kirkland green tea bags often do the trick for me.

Drs. Roizen and Oz have also recently emphasized the value of green tea:

Does it matter if the green tea I drink is regular or decaffeinated? You never mention which one when you say, “Drink green tea.”

If caffeine jitters aren’t an issue, stick with regular green tea. It has only about 30 milligrams of caffeine per cup, or less than a third of that in coffee. Almost all of the studies pinpointing green tea’s health benefits — from preventing skin cancer to lowering blood pressure — used regular tea.

Green tea overflows with catechins, a plant nutrient that may be more protective than many others. What we don’t know is how much of it is lost in the decaffeination process. There’s a bit of evidence that decaf green tea may still protect against skin cancer.

One tip: Green tea loses its powerful healing components quickly, so buy and brew it in small quantities. And squirt some lemon juice into it. Citrus enhances your ability to absorb its goodies.