Morning Green Tea

Coffee is not my "cup of tea", that's why I drink green tea instead of coffee to start off my day.

I wasn't a tea drinker before I moved to Japan. In fact, I didn't like the taste of tea. Living in Japan has taught me a lot of things. It is here in Japan where I learned the habit of drinking tea (ocha), and green tea has become my favorite. 

In Japan, green tea is served everywhere, any time of the day.  It is served in cups without a handle. The most polite way of drinking green tea is to hold the cup with one hand and support it from below with the other hand.

photo source: prllog.com

11 Benefits of Green Tea That You Should Know (source: www.lifehack.org).

1. Weight Loss. Green tea increases the metabolism. The polyphenol found in green tea works to intensify levels of fat oxidation and the rate at which your body turns food into calories.


2. Diabetes. Green tea apparently helps regulate glucose levels slowing the rise of blood sugar after eating. This can prevent high insulin spikes and resulting fat storage.


3. Heart Disease. Scientists think, green tea works on the lining of blood vessels, helping keep them stay relaxed and better able to withstand changes in blood pressure. It may also protect against the formation of clots, which are the primary cause of heart attacks.


4. Esophageal Cancer. It can reduce the risk of esophageal cancer, but it is also widely thought to kill cancer cells in general without damaging the healthy tissue around them.


5. Cholesterol. Green tea reduces bad cholesterol in the blood and improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol.


6. Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It is said to delay the deterioration caused by Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Studies carried out on mice showed that green tea protected brain cells from dying and restored damaged brain cells.


7. Tooth Decay. Studies suggests that the chemical antioxidant “catechin” in tea can destroy bacteria and viruses that cause throat infections, dental caries and other dental conditions


8. Blood Pressure. Regular consumption of green tea is thought to reduce the risk of high blood pressure.


9. Depression. Theanine is an amino acid naturally found in tea leaves. It is this substance that is thought to provide a relaxing and tranquilizing effect and be a great benefit to tea drinkers.


10. Anti-viral and Anti-bacterial. Tea catechins are strong antibacterial and antiviral agents which make them effective for treating everything from influenza to cancer. In some studies green tea has been shown to inhibit the spread of many diseases.


11. Skincare. Green tea can apparently also help with wrinkles and the signs of aging, This is because of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Both animal and human studies have demonstrated that green tea applied topically can reduce sun damage.


Are you drinking green tea? If not, then you should.

I think I’ll sit with God a while …

…and have a cup of tea.