Originally published July 31 2005
Learn the fact and fiction of green tea before relying on it, health expert says
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
There are a plethora of sources touting the health benefits of green tea, but Korean newspaper Chosun's interview with Choe Seong-hee of Dong-eui University's Department of Food and Nutrition revealed that some methods of consuming green tea were better than others. For example, it is a bad idea to drink it frequently on an empty stomach.
When Lim Mi-suk (25) was studying for the civil service exam, she habitually drank seven cups of cold green tea daily, having heard it was good for dieting and skin, and better than water.
But after 10 days of the regime, her stomach hurt and her digestion was poor.
Naturally, says Choe Seong-hee of Dong-eui University's Department of Food and Nutrition.
That happens if you drink too much of the faddish drink on an empty stomach.
Eastern medicine specialists advise hot green tea over cold because its "cold" elements already bring down body temperature.
For people of the "Minor Yin" body type, who get cold easily, it's best not to drink green tea when they experience indigestion after eating cold food.
In Eastern medicine, different medicines have been used to treat diseases depending on "body type," of which there are four -- Major Yang, Major Yin, Minor Yang and Minor Yin.
If you drink more than that, the acidic tannin in green tea can irritate an empty stomach, much as orange juice can.
Because tannin merges with inorganic materials, it can interfere in the absorption of calcium.
Mothers should avoid mixing green tea into their babies' powdered milk, and pregnant mothers and babies under five months should avoid it because their capacity to discharge caffeine is lower.
The effects of green tea made from soaked leaves and from powder are different.
In the case of tea from leaves or tea bags, only the minerals seep out into the water.
The dietary fiber that eases constipation remains in the leaf itself and does not enter the body, so it has no effect on constipation.
The caffeine and amino acids stimulate the brain and increase metabolism, so they can lead to weight loss.
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