Green tea grows widely throughout China, and is cultivated in at least 20 provinces, each diverse from the next in terms of topography, climate and soil conditions. It is this diversity that has resulted in so many varieties of Chinese green tea. The best Chinese green teas have been acknowledged to be Xi Hu Longjing tea; Mao Feng tea; Mingyoucha; and Misty Cloud tea.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture affirms that green tea does raise metabolic rates and enhances the rate that fat in the body is oxidated. It says that both caffeine and epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, are flavonoid markers indicative of weight loss, although they acknowledge far more in-depth research needs to be done to confirm the beneficial effects of green tea on weight loss. Flavonoids are the active ingredient in green tea that have such a beneficial effect on people's health.
Varieties of Chinese Green Tea
The very best of Chinese green tea rarely gets tasted by Western palates, as these teas are particularly rare and not for export. But, good green teas do get exported, teas such as the Xi Hu Longjing, grown in the Lion Peak Mountain district, or the Mao Fen tea grown in the Yellow Mountain area. According to Chinese green tea experts, there are about 700 varieties of the gourmet teas alone, not to mention other varieties for the less discerning palate, according to the Amazing Green Tea website.
What Makes the Best Chinese Green Tea?
Regardless of whether the tea is cultivated as Xihu Longjing or as Taiping Houkui, it is the method of harvesting that culminates in the perfect tea, the tea that is effective for weight loss. It is the quantity of catechins in the tea that has a beneficial effect on fat loss. Teas that attract the highest prices in China are picked before April; they tend to have a more delicate flavor as well as being of a higher grade. The Amazing Green Tea website explains that only the tea's terminal leaf bud and the first two adjacent leaves are harvested for the best varieties.
Scientific Studies
These tender shoots from early harvesting contain the most active properties suitable for weight loss. These health benefits are due to flavonoid content, such as catechin and Epigallocatechin Gallate, or EGCG, as explained on the Amazing Tea website. A scientific study was undertaken in 2007 by USDA comparing the flavonoid contents of around 400 varieties of green teas. USDA found that 100 millileters of regular tea, served hot, contained 127 milligrams of catechins.
Catechins are one of the active ingredients found in tea. This is one of the phyto-chemicals that make up the flavonoids within the tea. There are others, the main ones being caffeine, and epigallocatechin gallate, known as EGCG.
Catechin Content
This catechin content in fresh green tea was more than 10 times the amount found in bottled green tea or the instant variety. Results also indicated that the regular green tea contained more than three times that found in flavored green tea and twice that of decaffeinated green tea. Swen Wolfram wrote a review paper, "Anti-obesity effects of green tea," reproduced in Lipton Institute of Tea Publication for Professionals, which reported the results of a clinical study linking green tea to decreased fat mass and a reduction in body weight.
Caffeine and EGCG
Caffeine and epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, are also flavonoids found in the tips of green tea. Scientific analysis has noted these flavonoids increase metabolism, burn visceral fat and prevent energy from being converted into body fat. Furthermore, they prevent dietary fat from being absorbed, help to reduce food cravings and regulate your blood sugar levels. However, don't believe claims that Chinese green tea is an effective appetite suppressant; the Lipton Institute for Tea have published studies that have shown this is not the case.
The University of Chicago undertook research in the year 2000, reporting that green tea was effective as an appetite suppressant only when green tea extract was injected: there was no effect on appetite reduction if you only drank green tea [see Reference 6]. Meanwhile, the USD affirms that green tea does raise metabolic rates as well as enhancing the rate that fat in the body is oxidated. However, they admit that further research needs to be done [see Reference 4]
References
- Amazing Green Tea: Discover The Crown Jewel
- Amazing Green Tea: Green Tea Weight Loss: 10 Important Facts To Avoid Being Ripped Off!
- Amazing Green Tea : Tender Tea Shoots: Why They Make Best Green Tea.
- "Agriculture Research Magazine": Brewing up the Latest Tea Research
- Unilever's "Lipton Institute of Tea Publication": Green Tea Catechins and Body Shape
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