What is in your cup?

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

The taste is very important and that you like it is most important. I feel compelled to point out that the milk prevents the anti-oxidants from absorbing so you are not really getting the health benefits of the green tea.
I only say this because I know many people drink green tea for the health benefits.

Living here, I keep hearing the claims about the cancer-fighting anti-oxidants found in green tea. But then I think about the stomach x-ray all Japanese public employees are required to take every year... a glass of barium to coat the stomach and a series of x-rays from all angles...
The Japanese have one of the highest rates of stomach cancer per capita in world.

I don't think the green tea is working...


Stitchawl

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by TheKindleWorm

Thank you that's useful to know. I like it better than ordinary tea and the health benefits would be a nice bonus - shame if I'm not getting that

I have weaned myself off sugar and gone from full-fat milk to skimmed so maybe I can gradually wean myself off the milk but then I eat so much other rubbish like ice cream that I wonder if that is really going to do much good. But I suppose starting somewhere is better than doing nothing.

I have found that when I give people green tea I have made that they are surprised how good it tastes without milk and sugar. I normally ask them how they make green tea and hear "I brew it for five minutes and use boiling water."

Green tea is best when it is made using water between 175-195 F and steeped for a minute. When you steep it longer or start with hotter water you are over cooking the tea which gives it a bitter taste.

Try boiling your water and letting it sit for a minute before you pour it over your tea bag or over an infuser. Let it steep for a minute and take a sip. If it tastes weak you can always put the infuser in for a little while longer.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Living here, I keep hearing the claims about the cancer-fighting anti-oxidants found in green tea. But then I think about the stomach x-ray all Japanese public employees are required to take every year... a glass of barium to coat the stomach and a series of x-rays from all angles...
The Japanese have one of the highest rates of stomach cancer per capita in world.

I don't think the green tea is working...


Stitchawl

Why do Japanese public employees have to get stomach x-rays each year?

There have been medical studies done that show that people who drink 8-16 ounces (I can't remember which but I think 16 ounces because I am remembering 2 cups) of green tea a day have a decreased risk of developing cancer. The studies I read about most recently have been conducted in the US and UK so they would not have the same possibility of lifestyle differences between Japan and China and the US being the real difference.

Given that both my grandmothers had breast cancer, one grandfather died of lung cancer (Russian immigrant, smoked a ton), and my mother is in her third year fighting lung cancer (So far so good) I am gonna gain whatever edge I can. So tea is a great thing. It tastes good and it might, I get that it is a might, help diminish my risk of developing some nasty cancers.

I worked at a survey research lab, yes I was one of the annoying people calling you to condict political and social polls, for 8 years. One project we worked on was recruiting Polish women who had moved to the US in the last 10 years. Apparently the breast cancer rate in Poland is drasticlly smaller then in the US. What initial research had found was that the rate of breast cancer in Polish immigrants to the US matched the US rate of breast cancer in 10 years time. The reason for the research was to track Polish women and see how their lifestyle changed and try and determine what differences between Poland and the US might explain the difference in breast cancer rates.

[astra]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Green tea is best when it is made using water between 175-195 F and steeped for a minute. When you steep it longer or start with hotter water you are over cooking the tea which gives it a bitter taste.

Try boiling your water and letting it sit for a minute before you pour it over your tea bag or over an infuser. Let it steep for a minute and take a sip. If it tastes weak you can always put the infuser in for a little while longer.

I am more of a robot in this situation.
I follow the instruction that come with a tea. To a letter (male thing?)

The only deviations that I do is when they say 2-3 or 3-5 minutes, I always choose the shortest amount time, unless it is a tisane (not tea at all) like Lapacho for example. They say 7-10 minutes and I do 8-9.
When they say 80-90C, I choose 80-85.

[astra]

In my opinion, green tea doesn't cure the cancer.
However, it might help the body to develop a better resistance to it.
Maybe not directly, as in: Green tea has elements that resist cancer, but in a subtle way, such as: it makes your general health better, thus creating an environment where it would be more difficult for cancer to take place in the first place? Maybe green tea has elements that amplify parts of body that are supposed to resist development of bad tumours?

I am sorry. I am as far from doctor or biologist as humanly possible, so it is pure speculation on my part.

However, I did read about Lapacho.
It is a proven fact that it helps to fight cancer, not merely prevent it. The research was made in the USA. However, it is not possible to use in real life. For Lapacho to destroy cancer one have to drink so much of it that body develops negative side effects. I don't remember all of them, but one is vomiting. Curing one illness, developing others. Not helpful.

[TheKindleWorm]

Thank you Astra and ProfCrash

I am intrigued to try green tea minus milk now.

We don't use an electric kettle, we have an old-fashioned gas kettle so can I just not quite boil the water instead of fully boiling it?

I do like the idea of getting healthier with my food and drink this year - I''m not overweight so not to lose weight but I just worry about all the junk I've eaten over the years and the effect it may be having on my health as I don't feel as spritely as I used to.

[astra]

Originally Posted by TheKindleWorm

We don't use an electric kettle, we have an old-fashioned gas kettle so can I just not quite boil the water instead of fully boiling it?

Thanks

Again, very much personal opinion based on all sort of things I have read. Maybe silly and unreliable things
You have to boil your water. It is a general hygiene and health precaution. I am not sure whether it is a requirement for brewing a tea though.
It is better to boil the water, then let it cool down to the temp. that is required for a specific tea.

P.S. I use a modern tool to help me

[ProfCrash]

Boil the water or bring it to a near boil and let it sit for a minute before you pour the water in your cup. That should help it cool down a bit.

My understanding is that anti-oxidants help the cells in the body remain healthy and decrease the likelihood that cells begin to mutate. It is the cell mutation that develops into cancer. I also have a suspicion that people who drink tea are more likely to have a healthy diet and exercise more. At least, the countries where tea was consumed in the highest amount were also countries that ate a lot of fish and rice and were people walked and biked more. There has been some concern that it is the combination of events that decrease the likelihood of cancer.

I know that tea will not prevent cancer but anything that increases my odds of not getting cancer while tasting yummy is a something I am willing to try.

[astra]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I know that tea will not prevent cancer but anything that increases my odds of not getting cancer while tasting yummy is a something I am willing to try.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by TheKindleWorm

Thanks for that tip I will have a look to see if I can get it locally anywhere first otherwise I'll look online.

some teas just beg for a little hint of sweetness, and this is coming from someone that doesn't even use a pound of sugar a YEAR unless I am doing a lot of baking. try using a little honey as opposed to sugar. there are some health benefits with honey as well, especially if you use a local honey. as the bees consume the local pollen the benefits are passed along to you by helping to build resistance to pollens you might be alllergic to

Originally Posted by astra

I am more of a robot in this situation.
I follow the instruction that come with a tea. To a letter (male thing?)

The only deviations that I do is when they say 2-3 or 3-5 minutes, I always choose the shortest amount time, unless it is a tisane (not tea at all) like Lapacho for example. They say 7-10 minutes and I do 8-9.
When they say 80-90C, I choose 80-85.

it seems to me that most men are pitiful about following directions. this might be more career oriented. are you an engineer?

[astra]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

it seems to me that most men are pitiful about following directions. this might be more career oriented. are you an engineer?

I was meant to be....
Today I look after computers. Lovely robots who are supposed to follow directions from day one but sometimes misbehave, deviate and need a good kick
I am still not sure what skill is more useful, a knowledge of operating system or a roundhouse.

[TheKindleWorm]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

some teas just beg for a little hint of sweetness, and this is coming from someone that doesn't even use a pound of sugar a YEAR unless I am doing a lot of baking. try using a little honey as opposed to sugar. there are some health benefits with honey as well, especially if you use a local honey. as the bees consume the local pollen the benefits are passed along to you by helping to build resistance to pollens you might be alllergic to

That's a very good tip KindleKitten - if I find it too bitter I will try that and I do love honey

Thanks Astra and ProfCrash again for all the tea tips! I'm off to boil the kettle now

Will let you know what I think later!

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

some teas just beg for a little hint of sweetness, and this is coming from someone that doesn't even use a pound of sugar a YEAR unless I am doing a lot of baking. try using a little honey as opposed to sugar. there are some health benefits with honey as well, especially if you use a local honey. as the bees consume the local pollen the benefits are passed along to you by helping to build resistance to pollens you might be alllergic to

it seems to me that most men are pitiful about following directions. this might be more career oriented. are you an engineer?

There are some great honies (or is it honeys? honeies?)out there. Just a little bit adds some nice sweetness to the tea and there are many varities to play with. I use German Rock Sugar or Sugar in the Raw.

We went to a dog adoption event last weekend. Before leaving we printed out the adoption application form and filled it out. When we arrived at the event we found some pups that we might interested in but they were not at the event itself. I asked if we could interview with the folks that day, go and visit the pups at their foster home (the foster parents already had said Tuesday night was great), bring a check to the interview, and bring the puppy home with us Tuesday night.

The coordinator said no, we had to pick a puppy first, and asked if I was an Engineer. Some how being organized, following directions, and reading ahead what the process is marks one as an Engineer.

For the record, I am a reformed academic with a PhD in Political Science and not an Engineer.

[happy_terd]

coffee

[astra]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

The coordinator said no, we had to pick a puppy first, and asked if I was an Engineer. Some how being organized, following directions, and reading ahead what the process is marks one as an Engineer.

For the record, I am a reformed academic with a PhD in Political Science and not an Engineer.

That's what they teach about stereotypes

I would never mark you as an Engineer.
Why? Very simple. I have yet to find a lady as illogical and unable to follow any logical steps/directions (completely non-engineering mind) as my wife. However, if we are facing a task, she would do the research and know ahead of an appointment almost everything. People on the delivering end are taken aback by her knowledge of the subject and sometimes feel uncomfortable because she knows more than they do. Sometimes I have to lightly poke her in ribs and mouse: stop stealing their bread. Let them feel they earn it. Don't rob them. Just keep quite and let them do the necessary talking. We can ask all the questions later.