Search Results for: green tea

September 20, 2017 By Zehra Fatima 12 Comments

Know about the Caffeine in your tea?

Tea pix (2)

We live in a country where our day starts with a cup of tea or a conversation starts with a cup of tea. Tea is offered to every guest who comes at home. In offices or any workplace, we just grab a cup of tea when we feel tired or exhausted. Tea is the most consumed beverage in India at present. But, is your tea making you healthy or is it making sick?

Many Indians have a habit of having tea as soon as they finish their meal. Let me start with saying while there is no harm in consuming tea, when you consume is what matters.

Tea contains “CAFFEINE” which is a psychoactive drug. It inhibits calcium, iron, vitamin D, zinc, copper, manganese and many other nutrient absorption. When you consume food along with tea all the micronutrients that are essential for the body are not absorbed and are directly excreted in urine. Milk should be ideally consumed as plain milk without flavours.

Evidence also suggests that caffeine may lead to harmful effects on health. It may interact with satiety and is also associated with stress levels in individuals. Caffeine may have an adverse effect on insulin-dependent glucose uptake, irrespective of obesity, type 2 diabetes and exercise, heart rate and blood pressure. The risk of myocardial infarction with caffeine is higher in present or past smokers. Caffeine may increase blood pressure, the risk of negative cardiovascular consequences and may enhance stress responses in men as well as women. If combined with a high dosage of sugar, may cause obesity and overweight.

Caffeine can cause insomnia, nervousness and restlessness, stomach irritation, nausea and vomiting, increased heart rate and respiration, and other side effects.

This is one of the major reasons 80% of Indian population especially women are osteoporotic. The main reason is they are deficient in calcium and vitamin D. When you mix milk with tea powder you are mixing calcium and anti-calcium ingredient together.

Your body requires at least 2 hours to digest your food. An ideal time to consume tea is 2 hours before and 2 hours after you consume your meal. The same implies to coffee or any beverage that contains caffeine.

How much caffeine is present in your tea?

There are many factors influencing caffeine levels in tea, including brewing time/ temperature, tea grade, and tea varietal.

Tisanes or “herbal teas” (including many of Celestial Seasonings’ “teas”) are usually caffeine free. Similarly, teas blended with other ingredients (such as mint green teas or masala chai) will often have lower caffeine levels than unblended teas. Most studies show that black tea has between 40 and 120 mg caffeine per eight-ounce serving. Decaf black tea usually contains about two to ten mg of caffeine.

The information below comes from a very interesting article on tea and caffeine by Bruce Richardson, who has been instrumental in debunking caffeine myths surrounding tea.

Each seven-ounce cup of tea was steeped for three minutes.

Assam Black Tea (FTGFOP Grade) – 86 mg
Bai Mu Dan / China White Tea – 75 mg
Chinese Ti Kuan Yin Oolong- 37 mg
DarjeelingAutumnal (SFTGFOP1 Grade) Darjeeling White Tea – 56 mg
Indian Green Tea – 59 mg
Kenyan Green Tea – 58 mg
Ceylon Black Tea (OP Grade) – 58 mg.

Up to 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, a day appears to be safe for a most healthy adult. Bringing desirable change in this habit may make a lot of difference in your health.

November 18, 2015 By GOQii Editor Leave a Comment

Rava Idli (Steamed Savory Semolina Cakes)

A quick and healthy Indian breakfast, which energizes you for the rest of the day

Cooking time-45 mins

Serves- 4

Recipe ingredients

Oil or ghee – 2 tsp
Cashew nuts – 4-5, broken
Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Rava/sooji/semolina – 1 1/2 cups
Ginger – 1 tbsp, grated or finely chopped
Green chili – 1, finely chopped
Curry leaves – 6-8, cut into thin ribbons
Cilantro leaves – 2 tbsp, chopped
Carrot – 1 medium-sized, shredded
Yogurt – 3/4 cup
Salt – 1 tsp
Baking soda – 1/4 tsp

Recipe preparation

Heat oil (or ghee) in a large skillet. Fry the cashews, drain and keep aside.
Then add the mustard seeds and urad dal. Fry till the seeds crackle and the urad dal turns light golden.
Then add the rava/semolina and roast for a couple of minutes on medium heat, stirring all the while.
Remove this to a mixing bowl and cool slightly. Then add the fried cashews, ginger, green chili, curry leaves, cilantro and carrots. Sir to combine, add yogurt, mix well till it the mixture is uniformly moistened.
Add a little water to make a smooth, but thick batter. The batter should be thicker than a regular pancake or dosa batter. Cover the bowl and rest for half an hour.
After half an hour, add salt and baking soda to the batter and mix well. Adjust with a bit of water if batter seems to have thickened further.
Meanwhile, heat water in a steamer vessel. Grease and set aside the idli plates.
Pour batter in the idli plates and steam in the steamer vessel for 8-10 minutes or till idlis are cooked (check with a toothpick to see if it comes clean).
Remove from steamer, rest for 5 minutes and remove the idlis from the idli plates using a spoon.
Serve idlis immediately with hot sambar and spicy chutney powder. Store leftovers in a hot-pot or casserole. These can be re-heated in the microwave or lightly steamed again.

For more recipes please visit www.betterbutter.in

January 27, 2015 By SANA SHAIKH 5 Comments

Camomile Tea and its Benefits

Although tea drinking has been associated with health benefits for centuries, only in recent years have its medicinal properties been investigated scientifically. One must recognizes the healthy power of tea while getting the most out of their cups.

Tea’s health benefits are largely due to its high content of flavonoids — plant-derived compounds that are antioxidants.

Green tea benefits are known to many, but Camomile is yet to receive those kudos for its varied benefits that just a cup of it’s brew or the herb provides. Camomile is an ancient herb and has been in use since ages for its healing and soothing properties to fight problems ranging from alleviating stress to relieving an upset stomach.

Camomile, is a herb alike daisy. This flower is used in different forms to avail its benefits, ranging from a powdered preparation to brewing a cup of tea to using the used tea bags or tea leaves!

Let us see what are the multiple benefits of this little herb, that’s making it’s sipping a popular trend all over the world??

1.Sleep tea:

Camoile tea, off late has become extremely popular among the new generation, as they lead a fast paced and stressed life due to work pressures with increasing sleep deprivation.This tea is a good solution for all those insomniac’s or sleep deprived people!

Stress = Sleep disorders. Camomile = soothing, relaxing, sleep inducing effect!

A cup of steaming camomile tea is all you need 30 minutes prior to hitting the bed!

(Those who like cold tea, brew it hot and then cool it down. Savour and relax!)

2.Cold fighter :

I know it sounds strange but studies have shown that camomile has immune boosting elements, that boost up the immunity and help in keeping infections like common cold at BAY!

3.Upset Stomach:

Camomile tea can be used to relive the same. Brew yourself a steaming cup to get rid of that nauseous feeling, gassiness or to speed of your digestive track! It helps to relieve the discomfort, diarrhoea and is also a known remedy to cure colic in infants.

4.How about a pill free relief from those dreaded Menstrual cramps?

Yes, regular intake of camomile raises your amino acid glycine or ( IS IT GLYCOGEN) levels within the body and higher levels of glycine reduces muscle spasms and helps the uterus relax, thus relieving the cramps.

The tea is also considered to be an emmenagogue, and increases the flow of blood to the uterus and the pelvic region, thus helpful in cases of irregular menstrual cycle.

**HOWEVER, Pregnant women should those who are aiming to get pregnant should not have this tea as it can increase uterine contraction and lead to abortion.

5.Skin soother!

Apart from various health benefits, Camomile tea certain other benefits such as soothing an insect bite to a diaper rash or even sunburn.

It’s a well known remedy to soothe eczema and other skin infections.

6. That’s not all. It can effectively be used to give a lighten look to the brown hair by using it as a hair wash. Add it to your bath and unleash the spa experience.

It’s antioxidant rich. Not only these antioxidants boost the immune system but, also keep the body away from chronic diseases. It also exhibits anti-ageing properties.

It’s has anti inflammatory elements too.

Cold Camomile tea can be used as a gargle or mouth wash to relieve tooth ache, painful gums etc.

** Person can be allergic to it, so be cautious about its intake.

**It contains coumarine, so those on blood thinners or bleeding disorders, avoid taking it as it may increase the bleeding.

So still thinking?

Grab a cup ad brew yourself the hot steaming benefits of the Camomile!!

October 9, 2014 By Neha Morche Leave a Comment

Tea……How much is good for you?

Whether it is after a hard day’s work, or it is raining outside or it’s just a conversation … a cup of tea has to be there for company. Without tea it just seems so incomplete and one feels not so refreshed.

We have every possible reason to drink tea. There are various types of Tea like black tea, green tea, oolong tea, yellow tea, white tea, herbal tea and many more…

The effects of Tea when consumed in excess :

1.Tea contains fluorids which leads to osteofluorosis (breaking of bone/fracture)

2. Increases toxicity in body as contains tannins, caffeine, aluminium

3. Tannins upsets the digestive system

4. Insomnia due to caffeine

5. Affects urinary track as acts like diuretic

6. Stains teeth and gums as acidic in nature

7. Kidney disorders due to oxalates

Tea is not bad at all if consumed in a limited quantity -say 2 cups a day. There are many who cannot resist tea ….and then they face the above mentioned problems. I have also observed that people do eat their breakfast along with tea…which is not a good way because, tannins and caffeine from tea will hinder the absorption of iron from the food you eat along with it. So the best way to have tea/coffee is 15 mins before meal or 2 hours after meal. I would also suggest to include 1 glass of water after every 1 cup of tea has the tendency to dehydrate your system.

There are some types of tea which helps to relax like Chamommile tea, for stress Ginseng peach, herbal tea is for medicine purpose, green tea being rich in antioxidants, polyphenols acts as anti-inflammatory also helps to increase immunity.

Basically people prefer drinking tea first thing in the morning to kick-start their day…as caffeine stimulates brain and makes you more alert. It just doesn’t stop here but, many keep drinking tea throughout the day for no reason (that’s addiction)…and then cutting down becomes difficult. For such people who are addicted to tea and need tea at odd hours they should swap to green tea, white tea (if available) but, that too in limited quantity , though white and green tea are good for health they are still diuretic, and has tannins (in less amount)..

So I strongly recommend to kick-start your day with either fruits or handful of nuts over a cup of Tea ….for a kinetic day !!