Green Tea?

Carrick Joseph Hines · 10-23-2006, 02:37 PM

I've been drinking "Green Tea Super Anti-Oxidant" by Yogi Tea for a couple months now. After running out I decided to look at the selection of other green teas on the market. I'm dumbfounded to say the least. I have no idea what to even look for in comparing the teas. This is on the back of the Super Anti-Oxidant tea.

Supplement Facts:
Grapeseed Extract 27mg
-Proanthocyanins (95%) 25.7 mg
Emblic Fruit (ASmla) Extract 27mg
-Tannis (35%) 9.5 mgProprietary Blend of Herbs: 1945mg
-Organic Lemon Grass
-Organic Green Tea Leaf
-Organic Licorice Root
-Jasmine Green Tea Leaf
-Organic Alfalfa Leaf
-Organic Burdock Root
-Organic Dandelion Root
-Irish Moss Plant

I guess I have blindly trusted the label in thinking I've been drinking a "Super" Anti-Oxidant. Can anyone make sense of the supplement facts? What sets apart this tea or any other tea for that matter from the another? Thanks for your help ahead of time. :-)

Yael Grauer · 10-23-2006, 03:26 PM

Green tea alone has tons of antioxidants. I've used some of the herbs mentioned for other things (dandelion root and burdock for liver issues, for example...lemongrass for the flavor, etc.) but for antioxidants I would look no further than high quality fresh tea. Puer is also incredibly healthy, but a bit of an acquired taste, I'm told. (I love it.)

Greg Davis · 10-23-2006, 06:29 PM

Yael I've never seen Puer teas in a store or for sale online. Know where to get some??

Yael Grauer · 10-23-2006, 06:47 PM

Ummm, yeah I buy mine from Seven Cups, but that's because they are local. http://www.sevencups.com/tea-shop/home.php?cat=274 for the looseleaf. I've also seen some at Wild Oats, mixed with ginger. I love warming teas. :-)

Brendan C. Cook · 10-24-2006, 07:01 AM

For Pu Er tea, if you are lucky enough to have a Teavana nearby, RUN (Don't walk) and get some...they sell whole-leaf teas that are of very high quality. They have several varieties of green tea, including my favorite, Gyokuro Imperial (unfortunately VERY expensive), Oolong teas (try the Iron Buddha) and then a wide variety of black, scented black, and herbal tissanes...

regarding the herbs in the tea:
Licorice : anti-inflammatory
Alfalfa: Digestive herb
Burdock: Blood purifier
Dandelion: Blood purifier

Yael Grauer · 10-24-2006, 11:31 AM

Licorice is an anti-inflammatory? Never heard of that. It's a bit of a blood thinner... And burdock and dandelion are blood purifiers, *sort of*. They can help clear out the liver, but you'd have to take more than a small amount mixed in a cup of tea (unless you drink a lot of tea) and you'd have to make serious dietary changes as well. In fact, I'd say that herbs have almost no long-term effect unless you're taking dietary and other measures...

Steve Liberati · 10-24-2006, 12:45 PM

Republic of Tea sells great tea. Bit more expensive than most, but quality is nothing less than the best.

Not to mention they have a wide variety of teas.

Nate Marlar · 10-24-2006, 03:50 PM

I agree Steve. Good stuff. Lots of different teas, and it tastes like it's quality stuff! However, I have yet to run it through HPLC or anything. lol But I definitely agree with you on that.

Brendan C. Cook · 10-24-2006, 04:19 PM

Yael,
The uses of the herbs that I gave above are considered the traditional uses of the herbs, in either Eastern or Western herbal traditions. Most often, the herbs are decocted (a specific amount for a specified period of time) either singly or as part of a formula. The term "blood purifier" is a traditional description. The pharmocological effects of the herb are mostly seen in the detoxification of the liver. Given the liver's role as one of the primary filters of the blood (and a cleaner, more efficient liver means better function as a filter) you can see how this description arose over time.
I would disagree that the herbs would have no long-term effects. They most likely would. Would you have to drink a lot of tea? Yes, a lot of that particular tea. How much would depend on the concentration of herbs in the tea and how long you let it steep. Without seeing the amounts in that particular tea, I wouldn't be able to say how effective or not it might be in any given dosage.
Sorry about the long post ! :msn-wink:

Yael Grauer · 10-24-2006, 04:35 PM

Brendan,

I've studied herbalism for a long time and treating an imbalance is really not as easy as just buying something in a store. In Eastern traditions (which I've only studied informally), one needs to sit down with a client and do a very extensive intake to determine their specific pattern of disharmony because two people could present with similar symptoms and have very different conditions.

Some people who practice Western herbalism just treat symptoms, but it doesn't work in the long-term and can in fact be harmful. If someone has liver issues, you need to figure out why and address the root cause instead of just ripping plants out of the ground to treat the symptom. Herbs have the ability to mask the symptoms while deeper issues from the lifestyle choices can create a worse imbalance.

Also it's a good idea to get something individually formulated to treat an individual, not a condition.

If you're going to buy a tea in a store, I would recommend opening the tea bag and seeing if the herbs smell and look fresh. If they don't, they're not going to be very good medicine. And again, you need to address diet and lifestyle issues first as well as removing any obstacles blocking the person's vitality.

I also don't think you can reduce a plant to one
use, and that one-size-fits-all teas or formulas are for the most part formulated by marketers, not herbalists.

Sorry for the even longer post. :-) I could go on and on and on...

DOH! And I just read that you're an acupuncturist, so you already know a lot of this. I'm okay with telling people to, say, get ginger tea if they're cold all the time but if someone thinks they need liver detox I'd want to sit down with them for a while and figure out what's really the issue. :-) Usually they just think they need to detox but need a bowl of soup and more fat and protein... Michael Moore (the herbalist) wrote about this...

(Message edited by treelizard on October 24, 2006)

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10-23-2006, 02:37 PM	#1
Carrick Joseph Hines Member Profile: Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Blacksburg VA Posts: 69	I've been drinking "Green Tea Super Anti-Oxidant" by Yogi Tea for a couple months now. After running out I decided to look at the selection of other green teas on the market. I'm dumbfounded to say the least. I have no idea what to even look for in comparing the teas. This is on the back of the Super Anti-Oxidant tea. Supplement Facts: Grapeseed Extract 27mg -Proanthocyanins (95%) 25.7 mg Emblic Fruit (ASmla) Extract 27mg -Tannis (35%) 9.5 mgProprietary Blend of Herbs: 1945mg -Organic Lemon Grass -Organic Green Tea Leaf -Organic Licorice Root -Jasmine Green Tea Leaf -Organic Alfalfa Leaf -Organic Burdock Root -Organic Dandelion Root -Irish Moss Plant I guess I have blindly trusted the label in thinking I've been drinking a "Super" Anti-Oxidant. Can anyone make sense of the supplement facts? What sets apart this tea or any other tea for that matter from the another? Thanks for your help ahead of time. :-)

10-23-2006, 03:26 PM	#2
Yael Grauer Member Profile: Join Date: May 2006 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 871	Green tea alone has tons of antioxidants. I've used some of the herbs mentioned for other things (dandelion root and burdock for liver issues, for example...lemongrass for the flavor, etc.) but for antioxidants I would look no further than high quality fresh tea. Puer is also incredibly healthy, but a bit of an acquired taste, I'm told. (I love it.)

10-23-2006, 06:29 PM	#3
Greg Davis Member Profile: Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississauga Ontario Posts: 77	Yael I've never seen Puer teas in a store or for sale online. Know where to get some??

10-23-2006, 06:47 PM	#4
Yael Grauer Member Profile: Join Date: May 2006 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 871	Ummm, yeah I buy mine from Seven Cups, but that's because they are local. http://www.sevencups.com/tea-shop/home.php?cat=274 for the looseleaf. I've also seen some at Wild Oats, mixed with ginger. I love warming teas. :-)

10-24-2006, 07:01 AM	#5
Brendan C. Cook Member Profile: Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Huntington NY Posts: 40	For Pu Er tea, if you are lucky enough to have a Teavana nearby, RUN (Don't walk) and get some...they sell whole-leaf teas that are of very high quality. They have several varieties of green tea, including my favorite, Gyokuro Imperial (unfortunately VERY expensive), Oolong teas (try the Iron Buddha) and then a wide variety of black, scented black, and herbal tissanes... regarding the herbs in the tea: Licorice : anti-inflammatory Alfalfa: Digestive herb Burdock: Blood purifier Dandelion: Blood purifier

10-24-2006, 11:31 AM	#6
Yael Grauer Member Profile: Join Date: May 2006 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 871	Licorice is an anti-inflammatory? Never heard of that. It's a bit of a blood thinner... And burdock and dandelion are blood purifiers, sort of. They can help clear out the liver, but you'd have to take more than a small amount mixed in a cup of tea (unless you drink a lot of tea) and you'd have to make serious dietary changes as well. In fact, I'd say that herbs have almost no long-term effect unless you're taking dietary and other measures...

10-24-2006, 12:45 PM	#7
Steve Liberati Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Pennsville NJ Posts: 1,242	Republic of Tea sells great tea. Bit more expensive than most, but quality is nothing less than the best. Not to mention they have a wide variety of teas.

10-24-2006, 03:50 PM	#8
Nate Marlar Member Profile: Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pensacola FL Posts: 49	I agree Steve. Good stuff. Lots of different teas, and it tastes like it's quality stuff! However, I have yet to run it through HPLC or anything. lol But I definitely agree with you on that.

10-24-2006, 04:19 PM	#9
Brendan C. Cook Member Profile: Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Huntington NY Posts: 40	Yael, The uses of the herbs that I gave above are considered the traditional uses of the herbs, in either Eastern or Western herbal traditions. Most often, the herbs are decocted (a specific amount for a specified period of time) either singly or as part of a formula. The term "blood purifier" is a traditional description. The pharmocological effects of the herb are mostly seen in the detoxification of the liver. Given the liver's role as one of the primary filters of the blood (and a cleaner, more efficient liver means better function as a filter) you can see how this description arose over time. I would disagree that the herbs would have no long-term effects. They most likely would. Would you have to drink a lot of tea? Yes, a lot of that particular tea. How much would depend on the concentration of herbs in the tea and how long you let it steep. Without seeing the amounts in that particular tea, I wouldn't be able to say how effective or not it might be in any given dosage. Sorry about the long post ! :msn-wink:

10-24-2006, 04:35 PM	#10
Yael Grauer Member Profile: Join Date: May 2006 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 871	Brendan, I've studied herbalism for a long time and treating an imbalance is really not as easy as just buying something in a store. In Eastern traditions (which I've only studied informally), one needs to sit down with a client and do a very extensive intake to determine their specific pattern of disharmony because two people could present with similar symptoms and have very different conditions. Some people who practice Western herbalism just treat symptoms, but it doesn't work in the long-term and can in fact be harmful. If someone has liver issues, you need to figure out why and address the root cause instead of just ripping plants out of the ground to treat the symptom. Herbs have the ability to mask the symptoms while deeper issues from the lifestyle choices can create a worse imbalance. Also it's a good idea to get something individually formulated to treat an individual, not a condition. If you're going to buy a tea in a store, I would recommend opening the tea bag and seeing if the herbs smell and look fresh. If they don't, they're not going to be very good medicine. And again, you need to address diet and lifestyle issues first as well as removing any obstacles blocking the person's vitality. I also don't think you can reduce a plant to one use, and that one-size-fits-all teas or formulas are for the most part formulated by marketers, not herbalists. Sorry for the even longer post. :-) I could go on and on and on... DOH! And I just read that you're an acupuncturist, so you already know a lot of this. I'm okay with telling people to, say, get ginger tea if they're cold all the time but if someone thinks they need liver detox I'd want to sit down with them for a while and figure out what's really the issue. :-) Usually they just think they need to detox but need a bowl of soup and more fat and protein... Michael Moore (the herbalist) wrote about this... (Message edited by treelizard on October 24, 2006)