I am a person who drinks more tea than water. My preference like most Indians is Mostly Mint Tea, the one with Chai Fudina, be it any brand ’’Red label, Society or Taj mahal’’.
Recently I was gifted a pack of ’’Longjingcha’’ a Green Tea Brand of China, by one of my Chinese Business Associate on his recent visit to India.
I was told by him(actually by his interpreter as he did not know English) that they drink this tea anytime of the day not as a beverage but as a Health drink.
I asked him why this was so, but his answer was it was like a magic potion for them to get them going and feeling healthy and energetic.
He was very enthusiastic about me taking interest in the gift he had just bought for me from his homeland China. Before I knew it he was dialling a Telephone No. from his mobile phone.
He started talking in his language and then told me to talk to the person he was talking. On my hello, I was surprised to hear a Chinese Gentleman speak with a somewhat British accent. He told me that he wanted to talk about Green tea and why it is a health drink in China.
He said that green tea contained an antioxidant Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which was 90 times more effective then vitamin C and 25 times more effective than vitamin E at protecting cells and DNA from damage believed to be linked to cancer, heart disease and other serious illnesses.
This EGCG was twice as beneficially effective as resveratrol found in red wine.
It is good for Lowering Blood Sugar as it contains polyphenols and polysaccharides.
Drinking green tea represses angiotensin II which leads to high blood pressure.
It is also useful at preventing cancer.
It helps in lowering cholestrol and is good for weight loss and also limits weight gain.
I told him that that his comments were very useful and asked him to e-mail me all the terms he had just used as it was difficult to understand them on telephone. He obliged and thats how I am able to write the full form of EGCG.
He told me the Best way to prepare this tea was just boil some water and add one teaspoon in it. No mixing, no sugar required.
I was skeptical at first but after knowing its benefits I could not wait to prepare my first cup and here I am today letting mouthshut readers know about the benefits of green tea and sipping away on it.
I have given instructions to my Chinese Friend to send more ’’Logjingcha’’ as soon as soon as he reaches his homeland.