More On Theanine

In an earlier post I mentioned that you might be able to Cure Insomnia With Tea. I also promised to bring you more on Theanine. Well this is what I found.

Theanine, which is a chemical found in tea, apparently does a good job of reducing stress. In an earlier post, I wrote about how a little Tea in Your Life could help to cure your insomnia. I am finding out more about this mystery chemical.

As L-theanine is digested in your small intestine, it stimulates the production of alpha waves in your brain. Alpha waves will make you feel relaxed and alert but not drowsy. L-theanine also helps you stay relaxed by stimulating your body to produce other calming amino acids, such as dopamine, GABA, and tryptophan. You've heard of tryptophan. Everyone talks about it around Thanksgiving and how it will knock out an entire gathering after a hefty meal of turkey.

The Japanese have been studying L-theanine and in 1998 did a study involving some Japenese college students. They gave the students increasing amounts of L-theanine mixed in water over several weeks. As the dosage of the L-theanine increased, so did the alpha waves produced by their brains. Also, they all reported being less stressed.

Apparently you can buy Theanine capsules at health food stores on the net. Frankly, I prefer the old way of injesting it by brewing a good cup of tea. I mean it works for me. Just another reason to get more Tea In Your Life.

Green Tea’s Metabolic Influences

Posted by Green Tea Man on February 26th, 2008

One of the primary reasons green tea is effective at aiding in weight loss is due to it’s metabolic influences. Green tea possesses Catechins which influence metabolism by decreasing fat absorption, increasing fat excretion, suppressing appetite, inhibiting intestinal lipases along with several other functions. Catechins are present in high quantities in green tea, upto 30% of the tea by weight. This makes green tea an ideal source of concentrated Catechins.The relationship between Catechins and weight loss has been well researched.

Cure Insomnia With Tea

At first glance, this idea may seem somewhat counter intuitive. After all, tea contains caffeine. And doesn’t, caffeine tend to keep you awake. Well yes – But… This is largely anecdotal, but I have found a correlation to drinking tea and sleeping very well at night.

While I was doing research for some of the articles on my website TeaInYourLife.com and most specifically “Caffeine In Tea”, I came across a fact that I had not previously known. That is that while tea definitely contains caffeine, it also contains a chemical or substance called Theanine. And Theanine apparently has a calming effect such that it will help to keep your mind from racing at night. A racing mind is what is usually happening to me when I can't sleep.

I didn't think much of it at the time, but I do remember that I was experiencing terrible sleepless nights or going to bed and not being able to get to sleep as my mind reviewed every thing I had done, was going to do, needed to do, and problems in my life. I would lay there sleepless for hours. In the morning after I had finally gone to sleep and then woke up in the morning, I was not rested. I started taking pills to assist me. I didn’t like that though as it was making me groggy in the morning.

Then I started drinking more tea. It wasn't because I was trying to do something about my insomnia, but I just decided to get back to drinking more tea like I did years before, in part due to my love for it and my decision to do this blog and website on the subject. Now a few months later, I have noticed that I am sleeping like a baby, and I don’t fear going to bed and not being able to get to sleep any more. I remembered that article I wrote that mentioned the Theanine. It must work. I'm even going to bed earlier, unafraid of laying there in the dark solving the problems of the world (and my own).

I am now drinking two or more cups of Green Tea a day and occasionally have a cup of something else like Cocoa Chai Tea (mmmm) or Oolong tea. Now that I have linked drinking tea to a restful night’s sleep, combine that with all of the other benefits of drinking Green Tea, I think I will continue drinking the stuff. After all, it can’t hurt. I may even do some more research on it and post the findings here. So tune in next week.

For more about Tea In Your Life, visit out website.

For more information on Tea In Your Life visit our website at www.teainyourlife.com

Green Tea Flavonoids Protect Smokers from Lung Cancer

Yet another scientific study has found out another benefit of drinking tea whether it is Green Tea or Black Tea. UCLA Cancer Researchers have found that smokers who drink and consume the flavonoids that are present in Green Tea and Black Tea, had a lower risk for lung cancer. Although, the same flavonoids that exist in Tea are also present in fruits and vegetables.

This first of its kind study at UCLA was published in the June edition of Cancer Journal, stated that smokers who consumed three or more servings a day of foods rich in flavonoids such as fruits, vegetables and drink Green Tea or Black Tea, may be protecting themselves from lung cancer.

Many of us know or have heard of people who have been heavy smokers for most of there lives and never seemed to suffer from the ill effects of lung cancer, while many others are killed by smoking related lung cancer. In fact ninety percent of all lung cancer is caused from smoking. But a much smaller percentage of smokers actually develop lung cancer. I wonder; could it be that these people, who don’t develop the deadly disease, are the ones who have been eating more healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and drinking tea?

As I stated in an earlier blog, we are frequently seeing some new report or research that finds that drinking tea can benefit your health. You don’t have to convince me, but maybe now you can see that it is time to get more tea in your life.

For more on this important research study on Tea and Lung Cancer visit www.teainyourlife.com

Cocoa Chai Tea Is A Winner

I wrote in an earlier article about Cocoa Tea which really isn't a tea as it is made with a cocoa stick, a bay leaf, cinnamon, vanilla, corn starch a usually a sweetener such as sugar or honey. But I also mentioned in that article a new flavor that Good Earth has come out with. That flavor is their "Cocoa Chai Tea". Now this is a real tea as it is made with black tea.

Chai tea is made with black tea and usually has a few spices thrown in. This tea is no different. The first thing that your nose will notice is the distinct aroma of the cocoa. This becomes more pronounced when you infuse the tea bag. But it does not end there. Your first sip will obviously detect the cocoa, but then the clove and other spices including nutmeg and cardamom become immediately evident. Each sip detects another nuance. And with all of these wonderful flavors there is still a beautiful flavor of the black tea in the background.

I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised. I did find though that I prefer this tea sweetened. Maybe it is because of the cocoa. After all of those cups of hot cocoa growing up, it's hard to take your cocoa unsweetened, although this tea is certainly palatable that way. It's just my preference. And don't get me wrong here, it is nothing like a cup of cocoa; it's tea with a cocoa flavor to it.

After all is said and done, adding this flavor to your kitchen is a delicious way to get more tea in your life. I still haven't found this tea in the stores but I understand it is available there. You may just have to look. Or you can buy it online at www.GoodEarthTeas.com. And for more information on your favorite teas, visit Tea In Your Life.com

UN Says We Need To Drink More Tea

Could it be that we are not drinking enough tea. The UN is recommending that we, the tea drinkers of the world, need to drink more tea to keep the price up. According to a report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, “Boosting demand for tea is crucial to ensure price stability and returns to developing country producers”.

Well I am all for drinking more tea but I don’t know about having the price go up as a result. It seems that every time I turn around prices are going up for just about every thing because of the increasing oil cost. On the other hand, if growers and producers can’t make enough for their product, then they will stop producing and the price will go up as a result of that. It’s that “Catch 22” thing again.

Apparently, global production of tea increased 3% in 2006, due to record crops in China, Viet Nam and India. But demand did not keep step as it increased only about 1% during the same period, which actually is a decrease in the rate of increasing demand or growth rate (if that makes sense). The growth rate of tea demand actually fell by 2.7% in the past decade.

So, OK, I’ll have an additional cup tomorrow morning. You don’t have to ask me twice. Sounds like you too need more tea in your life. For more info visit www.teainyourlife.com.

Green Tea Protects The Brain

I am amazed that every time I turn around there is some more evidence that Green Tea is nothing short of a miracle drug. Now it looks like green tea isn't just good for the heart but it can also protect the brain. They are saying that green tea is good for people who have Sleep Apnea. A new study suggests that compounds found in Green Tea can help ward off neurological damage that comes with the breathing disorder; Sleep Apnea.

Researchers found that when they added green tea oxidants to rat's drinking water, it shielded the animals brain during oxygen deprivation mimicking sleep apnea. People who have sleep apnea stop and start breathing throughout the night. Sleep apnea has been shown to be a potential life threatening condition because the brain is actually deprived of oxygen during these periods when people stop breathing. It has also been know to cause death in some cases.

So drink your Green Tea every day. For more information on Green Tea and its benefits visit Tea In Your Life.com