Re: Green Tea Question -- to ALL

[Guest guest]

Hi Andy,

I drink green tea occasionally as a variety. Almost all "herbs" do not contain enough chemicals to be effective. I have some green tea extract capsules and, by golly, they look like ground up green tea, so I wonder about the chemical content. In fact, that's the problem I have with all herbs. Now I've read where the people vitally interested in green tea, those with prostate problems, don't just drink the tea - they eat the leaves. Try it, after making tea in my coffee brewer I ate some of the leaves - much like any other cooked green. I also tried it as a spice in stews - not really that noticeable.

I've drunk coffee for may years and it does not effect my blood pressure, but green tea does and it will keep me awake at night. I've been told there are other chems that keep folks awake like terpenes, as I recall

I consider Walford an expert on CR but not in regard to supplements. There, he seems to rely on journal articles, rather than his own testing. I think maybe someone else wrote sections of his book.

The bottom line is there are thousands of herbs that have Medline support and I don't know where to start or how much to take, even if I knew what to take them for. Then there's the problem of contaminants, consistency, side effects. Just a big unknown.

The only guideline I have is what does a supplement do to BP?

Caffeine does seem to effect some people with arrhythmia.

Regards.

----- Original Message -----

From: Andy

Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2003 5:27 PM

Subject: [ ] Green Tea Question -- to ALL

Although I consume 1-2 mugs of green tea daily, I am wondering if anyone knows of any *INDEPENDENTLY* tested green tea extracts which deliver what they say they do.Unless one has high blood pressure, I have not read a single negative comment by scientists about moderate-to-moderate/high consumption of green (and black) tea (both apparently stain the teeth worse than coffee, but if you brush right afterwards that can eliminate all the stains). From what I've read all the epidemiological studies suggest that tea drinking (with or without additives such as milk...there is some question about its biological effect) can be VERY supportive to the immune system. But most of those studies point to consuming an actual 5-10 cups/day.Thus, I am considering extracts of green tea. Now, I recognize that there are no substantive studies which show a cause-and-effect relationship (epidemiologically speaking) between robust immune systems and green tea EXTRACTS. So I'm not looking at such a supplement as a "magic bullet." But it is something I am considering adding to my 'arsenal' (I'm currently using pretty much what Walford suggests in Chapter 7, "Practical Supplementation," of BT120YD.)The only three "major" supplement makers who I have heard are *consistently* trustworthy are: Enzymatic Therapy, Solgar, and Twinlab. I am familiar with Consumerlab.com (and independent testing service like Consumer Reports), and belong to their site, but they have yet to do a formal study of green tea.So...my two queries are: (a) is there any reason NOT to take green tea supplements (other than the harm to one's pocketbook)...in the hope of strengthening the immune system [Walford is highly in favor of the actual tea, both green and black, calling them the "favored beverage" for a CRON diet, but he does not mention the supplements at all]; ( have there been an independent tests so that one can believe that one is getting what one is paying for (apart from whether or not the damn things do any good!).Thanks all!~ andy

[Guest guest]

I am not aware of any independent studies of greentea extracts,

just claims.

There was one product i ordered off a radio infomercial. It is a liquid

green tea extract. I just found an empty bottle here. GREEN TEA PLUS

is the name. Flavored with " Magic Fruit " and natural lemon. Very

mild taste and actually, i was very happy with the product. I think i

recall that one eyedropper full was something like 15 or 20 glasses of

tea equivalent. NAC Vitamin Company, to order 800 540 6328.

However, i have not reordered since i ran out, even tho i found this

made a pleasant beverage, an eyedropper full in a glass of water.

One reason is, simply the extra level of hassle to order and wait for

it, rather than just buying it off a local shelf when the spirit moves me.

Another is, i will not give them my credit card again, because last time

i did, they charged an " automatic refill service " sale to it, unauthorized.

They gave me a refund, alright, in fact, refunded more than they charged.

So i consider their accounting really screwed up and not trustworthy,

i would never order by phone from them, and am extremely leery of

giving any supplement company, credit card info over the phone. Also,

those infomercials that do not state the actual price over the air, just

some word that now you get 3 for the price of 2, i consider those kinds

of ads very dishonest, and i have a big reluctance to buy anything, even

the best products, from any company that uses such ruses.

The product advertising, btw, says it does not stain teeth. I think it at

least does not stain any more than the equivalent sized glass of tea.

The staining issue just seems to be something you can not get away

from. Maybe.

There is a another kind of tea i have tried, i like, from the " Red Mellow

Bush " or Rooibos tea. I buy it in " Numi " brand package from a

natural foods place. This tea has no caffeine, and seems to stain not as

much, does not go bitter when steeped too long, and tastes interesting,

and the package claims it has the same antioxidants as green and black

teas. I also bought a Numi sampler box that has some great green

teas in it - something named Gunpowder Green Tea and another. I did

not get wired from drinking them, and i am very sensitive to caffeine.

The package had one " smoked tea " , called " Smokey Tarrry OOlong "

or something like that - absolutely fascinating aroma and taste, but-

i am concerned about the " smoke " thing and so am reluctant to try

this again. If you can find this company's sampler package, i highly

recommend it, truly. " Tazo " brand tea is another one that has some

very fine green teas.

BTW, the Red Mellow Bush / Rooibos tea, back in the apartheid regime

days of South Africa, had another name, a name associated, i gather,

with a derogatory term used by the ruling class for the native peoples.

This was later modified for trade purposes to " Kaffree Tea " , but both

those names seem to have been dropped for the more botanically

precise name now used.

If anyone has any wisdom on the " smoked teas " , i would appreciate

to hear it, but for now, caution has ruled it out, for me.

Hue

[Guest guest]

> I am not aware of any independent studies of greentea extracts,

> just claims. There was one product i ordered off a radio

> infomercial. It is a liquid green tea extract. I just found an

> empty bottle here. GREEN TEA PLUS is the name. Flavored

> with " Magic Fruit " and natural lemon. Very mild taste and

> actually, i was very happy with the product.

*****Thank you Hue for your reply. Interestingly I have been using

GREEN TEA +, as well as a green tea pill from LEF and one from

Enzymatic Therapy, but I am wondering: are we REALLY getting the

same value from these products as from the actual green tea? There

seems to be uncertainty in this area; no one appears to have been

able to show (a) that the pills/powders/liquids (as opposed to the

*actual* tea itself) contain the beneficial chemicals that are

apparently present in actual tea and ( even if they *do* contain

the chemicals (perhaps in greater concentrations), do they

actual " perform " similarly in the body. Otherwise they amount to a

gross waste of money (most of the quality one's are not inexpensive).

Does anyone have any updated thoughts on (a) or ( above?

> Another is, i will not give them my credit card again, because

> last time i did, they charged an " automatic refill service " sale

> to it, unauthorized.

*****I did not have this problem with them. I purchased a " pack " of

four bottles and was never charged again nor did I receive a follow-

up shipment.

Thanks for all the info Hue; much appreciated!

~andy