GREEN TEA

Green tea is very rich in flavanoids. People who drink green tea seem to have lower risks of many diseases which include infections from viruses and bacterias, cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, osteoporosis, and gum disease.

A study on green tea that took place in 2006, had followed over 40,500 people aged 40 to 79, for 11 years. More than half of those people drank more than 3 cups a day. They compared those who drank only 1 cup to those who drank at least 5 cups. They found that women lowered their risks more than men, but all lowered their risks of dying from any cause or disease. This was especially true with the risk of cardiovascular disease. There was even cause to believe that it lowered the risk of breast cancer.

Green tea also lowers the bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides. It thins the blood and helps prevent clotting. It lowers the risk of atherosclerosis, speeds healing after a heart attack, minimizes brain damage after a stroke, and lowers blood pressure.

Green tea can also help prevent cancer. It has a property that causes cancer cells to kill themselves and leave regular cells intact. It inhibits cancer cells from growing and feeding themselves, and is helpful with fighting many types of cancer.

A new study has revealed that people with sleep apnea can also benefit from green tea. The tea seems to reverse the cognitive damage done by the lack of oxygen experienced with sleep apnea, and help performance in daily tasks.

It helps our bodies to become more insulin sensitive, protects the liver from the effects of alcohol, and protects against kidney disease.

For more detailed information go to WHFoods, and enjoy some green tea today!

RESULTS OF NEW STUDY

This study involves caffeine and insulin. Two groups of men were used in this study. The first group was asked to drink a cup of regular coffee, the second group drank a cup of decaffeinated coffee.

An hour later they were given a bowl of low sugar cereal. The group that had the caffeine had blood sugar levels of about 250 times higher than the group that had the decaffeinated. They attribute this to the fact that caffeine interferes with our bodies being able to use insulin, making us temporarily insulin resistant which causes our blood sugar levels to rise dramatically.

With such a high spike in blood sugar levels it is advisable for the time being for diabetics and even pre-diabetics to avoid caffeine, especially in coffee, tea, and some soft drinks.

PORTOBELLA MUSHROOMS

A small brown mushroom called a crimini is a young portabella mushroom. An adult portobella is just the larger adult version, usually four to six inches wide.

Buy the portobella that is firm and not slimy. When you get it home, tap off the excess dirt gently and then take a paper towel and wipe off the rest of it. Most cooks recommend that you not rinse them off in water because mushrooms absorb water. However I saw an experiment done, where two identical weight piles of mushrooms were cleaned, one with water and one only wiped. They were weighed afterwards and the amount of water the mushrooms absorbed was so small as to not be a problem, especially if the mushrooms are to be cooked.


Portobellas are even called steaks by some because of their meaty quality, remember the longer you cook them the more meaty and firm they become.

Once cleaned place the mushrooms in a paper bag to absorb moisture, they should last about 5 to 6 days, cooked mushrooms will last months in the freezer, those that are not cooked are said to not freeze as well.

Nutritionally these are very good for you, they contain a lot of fiber, hardly any sodium or fats, no cholesterol and a medium cap of about four or so ounces will give you only about forty calories!