I don't know about the quality of bag teas where you live, but I would
go for loose tea instead in the mid-price segment. Again, I don't know
if there are tea stores in your area. But there are always internet
shops of course.

When I first tried green tea and just went to a teaasked for two green
teas, 2 ounces each. She gave me a Chinese Lung Ching (has hints of
peaches) and a Japanese Sencha (tastes a bit grassy and has an "oily"
quality to it).

I can also recommend Oolong teas which are half-fermented, being nott
exactly green teas but not yet black teas either (I guess green on the
inside, black on the outside (?)).

Taste - ranges from plain yucky to absolutely delicious.

Green tea is said to have positive health effects. I can't confirm
this by personal experience. What I find is, that it has a better
effect on me than coffee, which has an overpowering taste and affects
causes heart rate and blood pressure to increase a little. Tea usually
has a refreshing effect on me.

Regards,
Nils

Abouna wrote:

> My father (a diabetic) has recently discovered the benefits of green
> tea and has asked me to research it. I must admit I have found this
> quite daunting. I too am interested in green tea but where to start?
> I figured this would be the best place.
>
> Though I have found several places that sell green tea I have found
> nothing about qulities and quantities. For instance:
>
> - What about quality? Are the green teas in bags at the supermarket
> beneficial? If not, where to start with price in mind? I see many
> teas selling for $30 for a few grams. This seems impossible
> practically speaking for 2 people to maintain.

I don't see why the green tea bags in the supermarket would not have
similar health benefits to tea from other sources. But then again,
I haven't seen any studies.

There is no way you need to spend $30 for a few grams of tea to
get good green tea. I buy many teas - greens included - for something
in the neighborhood of $0.05 (5 cents) per gram, or about $25 per
pound (1 pound is about 455 grams). This isn't all that much more
than what standard grocery store bags cost, and it tastes a lot better.

I like the online vendor Upton teas (www.uptontea.com). Huge selection,
and a good selection of greens, many of which are modestly priced.
They also let you by samples for $1 or $1.50 each, which is very nice.

> - Quantity? How many cups does an ounce of green tea powder or leaves
> make/ I am trying to see how inexpensively this can be done.

A general rule of thumb is about 2.25 grams per 6 oz. cup of tea.
2.25 grams is roughly one teaspoon in volume, depending on how dense
the leaves are. I drink tea in 12 oz. mugs and infuse about 2 teaspoons
of leaf for that much.

More important rule: NEVER INFUSE GREEN TEA IN BOILING WATER!!! This
will result in a very harsh infusion. Most greens infuse best below 180
degrees F; some as low as 150 degrees F or even lower. An easy way to
do this is to boil the water, pour it into the pot or mug, let it stand
for 3-4 minutes, and then infuse. Don't infuse too long - most greens
infuse well around 2-3 minutes but some are better even shorter.

> I am interested firstly in the health benefits and secondly in the
> taste/pleasure aspect.

OK. Know that many studies have found health benefits from all kinds
of tea (black, oolong, green, etc.) as long as it is made from the
tea plant.


Randy

Nils,

Thanks for the follow-up.

Being new to the green tea thing I am looking for good information.
So far I have found many teas in the $30 per ounce range! For this
price I would like to know how many cups I'm going to get out of it.

I would prefer to go with loose tea but can;t find any data as to what
consitutes good tea and bad.


Basically I am trying the find the cheapest good tea.

the first poster stated that he was looking for tea for a diabetic,
there for the tea with brown rice is out. too many carbs. I am diabetic
and have wondered what it tasted like. rice is a no no for type two
diabetics because a satisfying amount has too many carbs. the brown rice
tea has too many carbs to drink more than one cup ,as a snake. that
would be a mighty thin snack.

Thanks to all of you.

This is what I wanted to get off on the right foot. Now at least I
have some information, better than none.

Basically, you told me what I wanted to hear, green tea need not be
expensive!

Thanks to all of you.

This is what I wanted to get off on the right foot. Now at least I
have some information, better than none.

Basically, you told me what I wanted to hear, green tea need not be
expensive!

"Sally P." > wrote in message
om...
> Hi,
>
> I can't attest to the health benefits, but I do enjoy green tea. My
> advice is to avoid the tea-bag varieties and stick with loose tea. If
> you have any Asian markets in your vicinity, you can find decent green
> tea at reasonable prices. You can also find green teas by online mail
> order (I'd recommend www.specialteas.com and www.uptontea.com, in that
> order.)
>
> Some suggestions:
>
> Gen-mai cha (brown rice tea): Japanese green tea mixed with roasted
> rice, which gives a nice flavor. It's also one I recommend to friends
> who find that other green teas don't have quite enough flavor for
> them...
>
> Lung-ching (or Longjing): A Chinese green, which some people find a
> bit less "grassy" tasting than some of the Japanese green teas.
> Special teas has a basic Lung-ching tea that sells for $4.65 for 1/4
> lb. (catalog #533). It's quite good, and 1/4 lb makes a lot of tea.
>
>
> One key is preparation -- don't use water that's boiling, just heat
> the water up to the point at which it seems about to boil (that is,
> watch the surface to see when it's steaming but not bubbling). It
> tastes a lot better that way... I use a small tea pot with a strainer,
> or just one of the paper tea filters you can order in packs from
> vendors like specialteas or upton. Very easy to do...
>
> Sally

Now this is interesting to me. I have found a jasmine tea that I like, but
my water temp doesn't appear to affect the way it tastes. IE boiling water
and a 3-minute steep is just fine. Little astringency (sp?) and only the
slightest bitterness (which actually reminds me of the way life is most
times, sorry to digress) but fairly full body (which is what I find most
pleasing). I tried steeping for 5 minutes with water that had boiled and
then sat to cool for five minutes, and it was quite bitter and very
astringent. 3 minutes would probably not have been so astringent or bitter,
but I already have that with *boiling* water, so what's the diff? Am I
doing something wrong? Also, someone said that green teas run the gamut
from bad-tasting to delicious, and while I enjoy this tea (Chung Feng
Jasmine Tea) or Foojoy Yin-Hao, I would not call either of them delicious by
any stretch of the imagination. How can any (unsweetened) tea be
"delicious"? I can only imagine "pleasant" and "satisfying." Thanks for
any help.

Ignorantly yours,

Dave

"Sally P." > wrote in message
om...
> Hi,
>
> I can't attest to the health benefits, but I do enjoy green tea. My
> advice is to avoid the tea-bag varieties and stick with loose tea. If
> you have any Asian markets in your vicinity, you can find decent green
> tea at reasonable prices. You can also find green teas by online mail
> order (I'd recommend www.specialteas.com and www.uptontea.com, in that
> order.)
>
> Some suggestions:
>
> Gen-mai cha (brown rice tea): Japanese green tea mixed with roasted
> rice, which gives a nice flavor. It's also one I recommend to friends
> who find that other green teas don't have quite enough flavor for
> them...
>
> Lung-ching (or Longjing): A Chinese green, which some people find a
> bit less "grassy" tasting than some of the Japanese green teas.
> Special teas has a basic Lung-ching tea that sells for $4.65 for 1/4
> lb. (catalog #533). It's quite good, and 1/4 lb makes a lot of tea.
>
>
> One key is preparation -- don't use water that's boiling, just heat
> the water up to the point at which it seems about to boil (that is,
> watch the surface to see when it's steaming but not bubbling). It
> tastes a lot better that way... I use a small tea pot with a strainer,
> or just one of the paper tea filters you can order in packs from
> vendors like specialteas or upton. Very easy to do...
>
> Sally

Now this is interesting to me. I have found a jasmine tea that I like, but
my water temp doesn't appear to affect the way it tastes. IE boiling water
and a 3-minute steep is just fine. Little astringency (sp?) and only the
slightest bitterness (which actually reminds me of the way life is most
times, sorry to digress) but fairly full body (which is what I find most
pleasing). I tried steeping for 5 minutes with water that had boiled and
then sat to cool for five minutes, and it was quite bitter and very
astringent. 3 minutes would probably not have been so astringent or bitter,
but I already have that with *boiling* water, so what's the diff? Am I
doing something wrong? Also, someone said that green teas run the gamut
from bad-tasting to delicious, and while I enjoy this tea (Chung Feng
Jasmine Tea) or Foojoy Yin-Hao, I would not call either of them delicious by
any stretch of the imagination. How can any (unsweetened) tea be
"delicious"? I can only imagine "pleasant" and "satisfying." Thanks for
any help.

Ignorantly yours,

Dave

Dave wrote:

> Also, someone said that green teas run the gamut
> from bad-tasting to delicious, and while I enjoy this tea (Chung Feng
> Jasmine Tea) or Foojoy Yin-Hao, I would not call either of them delicious by
> any stretch of the imagination. How can any (unsweetened) tea be
> "delicious"? I can only imagine "pleasant" and "satisfying."

Although some in this newsgroup may sneer and jeer, try adding a bit
of sugar to your oolongs and greens. For many of them, I find this
makes them "delicious" in addition to "pleasant" and "satisfying".

Now adding milk, THAT would be horrid and would justify sneers and
jeers.


Randy

(Abouna) wrote in news:c75e6f31.0410111543.5911d025
@posting.google.com:

> Basically I am trying the find the cheapest good tea.

I have gotten sample packs from funalliance.com. The details:

"Here, you get to pick 3 kinds of Chinese tea for $7, including s&h. You
will get:
1) for Oolong class tea, enough for 1-2 serves with a 6oz teapot;
2) for other classes, enough for 1-2 serves with an 8oz glass."

I've ordered two packs, and found a couple of teas I really like. I can't
say whether it's the best place to buy from, but at least you can sample
different things.

Also, it takes a while (for me; I'm in Florida, they are in Hong Kong), but
on the other paw, the proprietor seems like a nice guy.

Just food for thought.

--
fD

(Abouna) wrote in news:c75e6f31.0410111543.5911d025
@posting.google.com:

> Basically I am trying the find the cheapest good tea.

I have gotten sample packs from funalliance.com. The details:

"Here, you get to pick 3 kinds of Chinese tea for $7, including s&h. You
will get:
1) for Oolong class tea, enough for 1-2 serves with a 6oz teapot;
2) for other classes, enough for 1-2 serves with an 8oz glass."

I've ordered two packs, and found a couple of teas I really like. I can't
say whether it's the best place to buy from, but at least you can sample
different things.

Also, it takes a while (for me; I'm in Florida, they are in Hong Kong), but
on the other paw, the proprietor seems like a nice guy.

Just food for thought.

--
fD

RJP > wrote in
:

> Dave wrote:
>
>> Also, someone said that green teas run the gamut
>> from bad-tasting to delicious, and while I enjoy this tea (Chung Feng
>> Jasmine Tea) or Foojoy Yin-Hao, I would not call either of them
>> delicious by any stretch of the imagination. How can any
>> (unsweetened) tea be "delicious"? I can only imagine "pleasant" and
>> "satisfying."
>
> Although some in this newsgroup may sneer and jeer, try adding a bit
> of sugar to your oolongs and greens. For many of them, I find this
> makes them "delicious" in addition to "pleasant" and "satisfying".
>
> Now adding milk, THAT would be horrid and would justify sneers and
> jeers.

I don't, myself, have much problem with a *little* sugar. It's kind of
like, oh, a seasoning. It's still a far cry from the creamy syrup so
many of us enjoy with black tea (disclaimer--I usually enjoy three cups
when I make (black) tea-- one with sweetener and milk, one with just
milk, and the final one straight. I can't say which one I enjoy the
most).

"Sweetener"? Yes; I use Splenda. Sneers and jeers, anyone? :O)

--
fD

RJP > wrote in
:

> Dave wrote:
>
>> Also, someone said that green teas run the gamut
>> from bad-tasting to delicious, and while I enjoy this tea (Chung Feng
>> Jasmine Tea) or Foojoy Yin-Hao, I would not call either of them
>> delicious by any stretch of the imagination. How can any
>> (unsweetened) tea be "delicious"? I can only imagine "pleasant" and
>> "satisfying."
>
> Although some in this newsgroup may sneer and jeer, try adding a bit
> of sugar to your oolongs and greens. For many of them, I find this
> makes them "delicious" in addition to "pleasant" and "satisfying".
>
> Now adding milk, THAT would be horrid and would justify sneers and
> jeers.

I don't, myself, have much problem with a *little* sugar. It's kind of
like, oh, a seasoning. It's still a far cry from the creamy syrup so
many of us enjoy with black tea (disclaimer--I usually enjoy three cups
when I make (black) tea-- one with sweetener and milk, one with just
milk, and the final one straight. I can't say which one I enjoy the
most).

"Sweetener"? Yes; I use Splenda. Sneers and jeers, anyone? :O)

--
fD

There are many good greens out there that don't need amelioration with sugar or
milk, and would suffer from it. For a newbie I would advise staying away from
a couple of staples of ye corner tea shoppe such as Young Hyson and Gunpowder
and Sow Mee, which tend to be quite bitter or lackluster.

You should be able to find a green that suits you within five to 10 samples
from a reliable seller. After all, there are hundreds of different ones,
though they fall into fairly distinct categories. Also remember that greens
are fragile and lose freshness rapidly...part of the reason for finding a good
retailer.

I hesitate to recommend specific teas, but since the OP said price was a factor
-- two greens that I have found remarkably good, consistent and inexpensive are
Everyday Green from Imperial Tea Court (via internet) and Stir Fried Greens
from Silk Road (via phone/mail order). For something with a headier sweet
aroma, Lin Yun White Down from SpecialTeas (my memory from a year ago).

Best,
Joe Kubera

There are many good greens out there that don't need amelioration with sugar or
milk, and would suffer from it. For a newbie I would advise staying away from
a couple of staples of ye corner tea shoppe such as Young Hyson and Gunpowder
and Sow Mee, which tend to be quite bitter or lackluster.

You should be able to find a green that suits you within five to 10 samples
from a reliable seller. After all, there are hundreds of different ones,
though they fall into fairly distinct categories. Also remember that greens
are fragile and lose freshness rapidly...part of the reason for finding a good
retailer.

I hesitate to recommend specific teas, but since the OP said price was a factor
-- two greens that I have found remarkably good, consistent and inexpensive are
Everyday Green from Imperial Tea Court (via internet) and Stir Fried Greens
from Silk Road (via phone/mail order). For something with a headier sweet
aroma, Lin Yun White Down from SpecialTeas (my memory from a year ago).

Best,
Joe Kubera

> Although some in this newsgroup may sneer and jeer, try adding a bit
> of sugar to your oolongs and greens. For many of them, I find this
> makes them "delicious" in addition to "pleasant" and "satisfying".

This is a religious issue. IMHO - if you like it - do it that way. After I
drank Tibetan mushroom puerh homogenized with yak milk, nothing surprises
me.

Sasha.

Okay I watch all the nature shows about Tibet. I've never seen a yak.
I did watch Julia Roberts get more giggly on fermented mares milk.
You couldn't tell if she was drunk or sober.

Jim

"Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message om>...
> > Although some in this newsgroup may sneer and jeer, try adding a bit
> > of sugar to your oolongs and greens. For many of them, I find this
> > makes them "delicious" in addition to "pleasant" and "satisfying".
>
> This is a religious issue. IMHO - if you like it - do it that way. After I
> drank Tibetan mushroom puerh homogenized with yak milk, nothing surprises
> me.
>
> Sasha.

"RJP" > wrote in message
...
> Dave wrote:
>
> > Also, someone said that green teas run the gamut
> > from bad-tasting to delicious, and while I enjoy this tea (Chung Feng
> > Jasmine Tea) or Foojoy Yin-Hao, I would not call either of them
delicious by
> > any stretch of the imagination. How can any (unsweetened) tea be
> > "delicious"? I can only imagine "pleasant" and "satisfying."
>
> Although some in this newsgroup may sneer and jeer, try adding a bit
> of sugar to your oolongs and greens. For many of them, I find this
> makes them "delicious" in addition to "pleasant" and "satisfying".
>
> Now adding milk, THAT would be horrid and would justify sneers and
> jeers.
>
>
> Randy

Ahh. Sweetener. Now *that* I can understand.

Am just now having a cup of Yin Hao from the Chinese grocery which is
*really* good. Too bad I threw the box away, as it had the product code on
it. And it was the last one they had...

Thanks,

Dave

"RJP" > wrote in message
...
> Dave wrote:
>
> > Also, someone said that green teas run the gamut
> > from bad-tasting to delicious, and while I enjoy this tea (Chung Feng
> > Jasmine Tea) or Foojoy Yin-Hao, I would not call either of them
delicious by
> > any stretch of the imagination. How can any (unsweetened) tea be
> > "delicious"? I can only imagine "pleasant" and "satisfying."
>
> Although some in this newsgroup may sneer and jeer, try adding a bit
> of sugar to your oolongs and greens. For many of them, I find this
> makes them "delicious" in addition to "pleasant" and "satisfying".
>
> Now adding milk, THAT would be horrid and would justify sneers and
> jeers.
>
>
> Randy

Ahh. Sweetener. Now *that* I can understand.

Am just now having a cup of Yin Hao from the Chinese grocery which is
*really* good. Too bad I threw the box away, as it had the product code on
it. And it was the last one they had...

Thanks,

Dave

"Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
m...
> > Although some in this newsgroup may sneer and jeer, try adding a bit
> > of sugar to your oolongs and greens. For many of them, I find this
> > makes them "delicious" in addition to "pleasant" and "satisfying".
>
> This is a religious issue. IMHO - if you like it - do it that way. After I
> drank Tibetan mushroom puerh homogenized with yak milk, nothing surprises
> me.
>
> Sasha.
>
>

Wow. Yak milk. Where can I buy that?

Dave

"Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
om...
> Okay I watch all the nature shows about Tibet. I've never seen a yak.
> I did watch Julia Roberts get more giggly on fermented mares milk.
> You couldn't tell if she was drunk or sober.
>
> Jim
>

Jesus. Now I have *got* to make it to Tibet some day. Too much.

Dave

> "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
om>...
> > > Although some in this newsgroup may sneer and jeer, try adding a bit
> > > of sugar to your oolongs and greens. For many of them, I find this
> > > makes them "delicious" in addition to "pleasant" and "satisfying".
> >
> > This is a religious issue. IMHO - if you like it - do it that way. After
I
> > drank Tibetan mushroom puerh homogenized with yak milk, nothing
surprises
> > me.
> >
> > Sasha.

"Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
om...
> Okay I watch all the nature shows about Tibet. I've never seen a yak.
> I did watch Julia Roberts get more giggly on fermented mares milk.
> You couldn't tell if she was drunk or sober.
>
> Jim
>

Jesus. Now I have *got* to make it to Tibet some day. Too much.

Dave

> "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
om>...
> > > Although some in this newsgroup may sneer and jeer, try adding a bit
> > > of sugar to your oolongs and greens. For many of them, I find this
> > > makes them "delicious" in addition to "pleasant" and "satisfying".
> >
> > This is a religious issue. IMHO - if you like it - do it that way. After
I
> > drank Tibetan mushroom puerh homogenized with yak milk, nothing
surprises
> > me.
> >
> > Sasha.

Tibetans who live here use half-and-half.
If you want the tea - its below. They use very cheap tea in this one,
believe me you will be much better with better black and puerhs teas. For
churn I use a thermos and shake it vigorously for several minutes.
High-speed blender won't work - it will beat it into a thicker form (worth
trying once).

http://www.tanc.org/new_food/pocha.html

Sasha.

P.S. To watch anything about Tibet and not see a yak one has to try real
hard.

"Dave" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> m...
>> > Although some in this newsgroup may sneer and jeer, try adding a bit
>> > of sugar to your oolongs and greens. For many of them, I find this
>> > makes them "delicious" in addition to "pleasant" and "satisfying".
>>
>> This is a religious issue. IMHO - if you like it - do it that way. After
>> I
>> drank Tibetan mushroom puerh homogenized with yak milk, nothing surprises
>> me.
>>
>> Sasha.
>>
>>
>
> Wow. Yak milk. Where can I buy that?
>
> Dave
>
>

Kumis - (kumys) - fermented mare milk. Three days kumys does have a punch,
but way, way below say, beer. Kids drink fresh kumys with no effect at all.
It is also kinda effervescent.
Wonderful drink when you get used to it - I did when I worked in Tuva (north
of Mongolia). One-two-three-day kumys is different.
Once being distilled it become arak (araka) - milk vodka. This can be
tricky. Hmm... should I say VERY TRICKY? Some people get very aggressive
under araka, much more than under vodka (being from Russia I know the
subject of aggressive behavior under alcohol real well)
It is also may be distilled two-three times. I have heard horror stories
about thrice distilled araka. Drinking araka with locals almost always ends
in wrestling with them. Usually starts in a friendly way. may end not as
friendly.
Rumor has it that Genghis warriors drank thrice distilled araka before
battles.
My advice - try it first time alone or with your close friends. Your
resistance to normal alcohol and your resistance to araka may be two
completely different things.

Sasha.



"Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
om...
> Okay I watch all the nature shows about Tibet. I've never seen a yak.
> I did watch Julia Roberts get more giggly on fermented mares milk.
> You couldn't tell if she was drunk or sober.
>
> Jim
>
> "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> om>...
>> > Although some in this newsgroup may sneer and jeer, try adding a bit
>> > of sugar to your oolongs and greens. For many of them, I find this
>> > makes them "delicious" in addition to "pleasant" and "satisfying".
>>
>> This is a religious issue. IMHO - if you like it - do it that way. After
>> I
>> drank Tibetan mushroom puerh homogenized with yak milk, nothing surprises
>> me.
>>
>> Sasha.

Kumis - (kumys) - fermented mare milk. Three days kumys does have a punch,
but way, way below say, beer. Kids drink fresh kumys with no effect at all.
It is also kinda effervescent.
Wonderful drink when you get used to it - I did when I worked in Tuva (north
of Mongolia). One-two-three-day kumys is different.
Once being distilled it become arak (araka) - milk vodka. This can be
tricky. Hmm... should I say VERY TRICKY? Some people get very aggressive
under araka, much more than under vodka (being from Russia I know the
subject of aggressive behavior under alcohol real well)
It is also may be distilled two-three times. I have heard horror stories
about thrice distilled araka. Drinking araka with locals almost always ends
in wrestling with them. Usually starts in a friendly way. may end not as
friendly.
Rumor has it that Genghis warriors drank thrice distilled araka before
battles.
My advice - try it first time alone or with your close friends. Your
resistance to normal alcohol and your resistance to araka may be two
completely different things.

Sasha.



"Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
om...
> Okay I watch all the nature shows about Tibet. I've never seen a yak.
> I did watch Julia Roberts get more giggly on fermented mares milk.
> You couldn't tell if she was drunk or sober.
>
> Jim
>
> "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> om>...
>> > Although some in this newsgroup may sneer and jeer, try adding a bit
>> > of sugar to your oolongs and greens. For many of them, I find this
>> > makes them "delicious" in addition to "pleasant" and "satisfying".
>>
>> This is a religious issue. IMHO - if you like it - do it that way. After
>> I
>> drank Tibetan mushroom puerh homogenized with yak milk, nothing surprises
>> me.
>>
>> Sasha.

"Abouna" > wrote in message
om...
> My father (a diabetic) has recently discovered the benefits of green
> tea and has asked me to research it. I must admit I have found this
> quite daunting. I too am interested in green tea but where to start?
> I figured this would be the best place.

Tea might have an effect on diabetes, it has not been as researched, but
there are animal studies and in-vitro studies suggesting a possible benefit.
It might lower blood sugar somewhat.
Traditionally, tea was said to be good for digestion.

Black tea also has health benefits, it does have some bioflavanoid
polyphenols in it,
but the profile is different from green tea. Green tea is the highest in
the bioflavanoid
epicatechin, which has been extensively studied for its ability as an
antioxidant to destroy free radicals that damage cells,
and it's ability to induce cell apoptosis in malignant and pre-malignant
cells (programmed cell death, which is the body's own way of stopping cancer
before it turns into a tumor). But
many of the polyphenols of black tea also have anti-tumor and anti-oxidant
properties as well, but
it has not been as studied.
Oolong teas have some of the properties of both black and green teas, they
have
some amount of epicatechin, and also the polyphenols of black tea. Oolong
is actually not drank as much as green tea worldwide, or black tea, for that
matter, which is why it has been studied much less.

One advantage of green and oolong tea is that the tea has less caffeine
when brewed properly. (High caffeine intake is not necessarily good for
people with diabetes (caffeine alters blood sugar).

> - What about quality? Are the green teas in bags at the supermarket
> beneficial?

Yes, though the flavor is sort of "middling", not bad, there are worse
teas actually. The health benefits are the same as loose tea. Most of them
are made from Ceylon green tea that is dried using air heating.
Consequently it doesn't have some of the character that Chinese green teas
can have. Ceylon traditionally didn't make green tea, they made black
tea,but as green tea has become more popular, more places are making it.

If you want to try loose tea, I recommend Longjing/Lung Ching/Dragon Well.
It is a somewhat light tasting tea with a little astringency and fruity
flavor. Avoid "Gunpowder", despite the fact it is cheap and often the most
readily available loose green, it is somewhat heavy and earthy tasting.
Oolong tea is also quite good. The usual bagged Oolong or Formosa Oolong is
kk, but if you want to try a good Oolong, Ti Kwan Yin is very good. The
taste is medium bodied and very fruity.

>If not, where to start with price in mind? I see many
> teas selling for $30 for a few grams. This seems impossible
> practically speaking for 2 people to maintain.

The tea is too expensive... but it depends on the kind of tea you want.
If you are just looking for "tea", there are much cheaper teas out there.
There are various online tea vendors you can order from. One of them, Ten
Ren, has various grades of tea. Usually the 2nd or 3rd grades of tea are
just fine, and they cost less. Tazo and Republic of Tea are also good tea,
though a bit more expensive, but are usually widely available at tea and
coffee stores, Starbucks, and health food stores. Lower grades of tea (ones
with higher numbers) often are just as good for you, in fact they might be
better, in that older leaves tend to have more bioflavanoids.

> - Quantity? How many cups does an ounce of green tea powder or leaves
> make/ I am trying to see how inexpensively this can be done.

First off, the brewing of green tea is a bit different than black tea.
You brew green tea about half as long as black tea, and you use water that
isn't boiling, but is instead hot.

You should use about a tablespoon (smaller leaf) or a tablespoon and a
half of tea (for large leaf tea), or 2-3 grams of tea, per cup. Use 160-180
degree water, not boiling. Steep for 1-3 minutes for loose tea, and about
a minute to a minute and a half for bagged, fine "dust" or fannings tea.
Good bagged teas with bigger particles of leaves (Republic of Tea) might
take a bit longer. Use about 6 ounces of water as a teacup measure. You
can usually steep the leaves an additional time or two (remove the leaves
from the water, or decant the tea, don't leave the tea and the water
together beyond the steeping), as long as you steep them longer or use a bit
less water. I personally draw the line at steeping the leaves or bags
beyond twice, beyond that it just isn't really worth it and the flavor
starts changing alot. Tea is fairly cheap, too, compared to other drinks,
like coffee or soda.

"Tom Koeppl" > wrote in message
...
> the first poster stated that he was looking for tea for a diabetic,
> there for the tea with brown rice is out. too many carbs. I am diabetic
> and have wondered what it tasted like. rice is a no no for type two
> diabetics because a satisfying amount has too many carbs. the brown rice
> tea has too many carbs to drink more than one cup ,as a snake. that
> would be a mighty thin snack.

Are you sure? Genmaicha only has a little toasted brown rice in it (for
flavor or economy, like Oriental Postum). I imagine much of the starch is
caught up in the rice and not eaten, though I have no idea precisely how
many calories are in genmaicha.

I am not expert, but diabetics I believe can eat small portions of rice
and bread- whole grain or brown is preffered. The American Dietetic
Assosciation at least lists it as part of a diabetic diet (my grandmother is
diabetic... and unfortunately she won't eat brown bread, becaues people her
age, for the most part, won't touch it).

Many people have connecetd Chinese/Asian food with rice, but actually rice
was often eaten in large amounts because of poverty, and because the people
did alot of manual labor and physical activity (thus they burned more
calories, especially glucose/carbs, right away). People who sit around on
their butts all day, probably should be eating lesser amounts of starches
like rice and grain, but there's no reason to abandon them altogether (I've
been losing weight mostly by cutting the amount of bread, rice, and starchy
root vegetables I eat in about half, and replacing them with salad or
greens- though I probably should exercise more...).

Wow! Thanks fo the follow-up. Exactly the kind of information I was
looking for.

For starters I have ordered the Green Tea Sampler from
SpecialTeas.com. A bit pricey but not terrible, and I suspect more
than I will be paying once I know what I like.

As for using tea more than once, do you let it dry out between
steepings or should the 2nd steep be in the same sitting (i.e. not
saved for another time)?

Wow! Thanks fo the follow-up. Exactly the kind of information I was
looking for.

For starters I have ordered the Green Tea Sampler from
SpecialTeas.com. A bit pricey but not terrible, and I suspect more
than I will be paying once I know what I like.

As for using tea more than once, do you let it dry out between
steepings or should the 2nd steep be in the same sitting (i.e. not
saved for another time)?

"Abouna" > wrote

> As for using tea more than once, do you let it dry out between
> steepings or should the 2nd steep be in the same sitting (i.e. not
> saved for another time)?

Just another opinion here - I never do multiple steeps with any of
my teas. I enjoy tea a lot, but I am also very keen on the health
benefits and I cannot believe that 2nd (or later) steepings have as
much of the beneficial compounds in them. I also like a mild
caffeine punch, which is very attenuated in multiple steeps.

The types of tea that are multiple steeped most often are oolongs
and pu-erhs.


--
Randy
(if replying by e-mail, remove SPAMFREE and DeLeTe from my address)

"Abouna" > wrote

> As for using tea more than once, do you let it dry out between
> steepings or should the 2nd steep be in the same sitting (i.e. not
> saved for another time)?

Just another opinion here - I never do multiple steeps with any of
my teas. I enjoy tea a lot, but I am also very keen on the health
benefits and I cannot believe that 2nd (or later) steepings have as
much of the beneficial compounds in them. I also like a mild
caffeine punch, which is very attenuated in multiple steeps.

The types of tea that are multiple steeped most often are oolongs
and pu-erhs.


--
Randy
(if replying by e-mail, remove SPAMFREE and DeLeTe from my address)

magnulus wrote:
>
> Many people have connecetd Chinese/Asian food with rice, but actually rice
> was often eaten in large amounts because of poverty, and because the people
> did alot of manual labor and physical activity (thus they burned more
> calories, especially glucose/carbs, right away).

Is this Atkins historical revisionism? In fact, in Japan at least, rice
was not a mark of poverty, but rather a measure of wealth. A medieval
fief's worth was counted in volume of rice. Most Asians today continue
to eat rice or noodles (or bread) at every meal. Their lower incidence
of obesity, compared to us Americans, is probably attributed to how much
they eat -- and what they don't eat.

--crymad

> Is this Atkins historical revisionism? In fact, in Japan at least, rice
> was not a mark of poverty, but rather a measure of wealth. A medieval
> fief's worth was counted in volume of rice. Most Asians today continue
> to eat rice or noodles (or bread) at every meal. Their lower incidence
> of obesity, compared to us Americans, is probably attributed to how much
> they eat -- and what they don't eat.
>
> --crymad

I would not mix all Asians into one group here. I never studied the dietary
habits in Asia, but I can say one thing - if I would have eaten as often and
as much as people who I worked with in China, I would have died within a
week. I am not at all a small guy by any standards and these were
smaller-frame and very thin men and women fo all ages. Watching the amount
of food I ate, they almost cried of compassion. They thought I was ill or
something. China and Japan are very different in this regard. I do not think
Japanese eat as much as Chinese. Also watching Han Chinese one can notice
that they are not just thin - their body fat is very, very low. A "thin"
European guy (Or Japanese), if he takes his shirt off will still display
some underskin body fat. Chinese men, even older, have a very different body
structure - they are real thin - almost no body fat whatsoever. Certainly I
am talking "visual statistics".
May be there lies the secret of the Chinese railroad builders who did built
the cross-USA railroad and who was brought here because Europeans were dying
like flies and the whole project was jeopardized because of that.

May be old argicultural societies of South-East Asia developed better
carbohydrate metabolism than nomads of greater Asia and forest
hunters-gatherers of Europe. I can say that Mongols are not at all as thin
as Han Chinese. And Central Asia Asians (Uzbeks, Tazhik, Kazakhs, Turkmen)
are the same way.

Sasha.

10/14/04

>
>
> magnulus wrote:
>>
>> Many people have connecetd Chinese/Asian food with rice, but actually rice
>> was often eaten in large amounts because of poverty, and because the people
>> did alot of manual labor and physical activity (thus they burned more
>> calories, especially glucose/carbs, right away).
>
> Is this Atkins historical revisionism? In fact, in Japan at least, rice
> was not a mark of poverty, but rather a measure of wealth. A medieval
> fief's worth was counted in volume of rice. Most Asians today continue
> to eat rice or noodles (or bread) at every meal. Their lower incidence
> of obesity, compared to us Americans, is probably attributed to how much
> they eat -- and what they don't eat.
>
> --crymad

Quality of rice, according to the many people I spoke and ate with in my
wonderings years ago throughout India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, is a
matter of great national pride. In Afghanistan one person gently and
politely apologized for the poor quality of the rice he served, explaining
that it was in fact American rice. Undoubtedly rice, like water, is never
quite right away from home. I'm partial to Indian rice. I also have
developed quite a taste for Italian rice. By the way, when I was mucking
about India, nobody looked forward to the government enforced "no rice" days
caused by scarcities. We had to eat potato. Rice is *not* a sign of poverty,
that's for sure, although its absence might be. Consider also that a
vegetarian diet demands greater quanties of grains to balance proteins,
right? That seems a better explanation for large amounts of rice. Is it not
so that the word for "rice" and "food" are the same in Japanese? What about
Chinese? Rice. Yummy. I've never cooked Japanese rice, but I'm going to go
out of my way to find some.

Speaking of which, in New York City most of the Japanese restaurants are now
actually run and staffed by Chinese people. Hope nobody considers this
biased, biased though it be, but I eat only in Japanese restaurants owned
and staffed by Japanese people. This almost guarantees a reasonably high
quality.

Michael

RJPySEbd.241733$MQ5.77026@attbi_s5210/14/04


> "Abouna" > wrote
>
>> As for using tea more than once, do you let it dry out between
>> steepings or should the 2nd steep be in the same sitting (i.e. not
>> saved for another time)?
>
> Just another opinion here - I never do multiple steeps with any of
> my teas. I enjoy tea a lot, but I am also very keen on the health
> benefits and I cannot believe that 2nd (or later) steepings have as
> much of the beneficial compounds in them. I also like a mild
> caffeine punch, which is very attenuated in multiple steeps.
>
> The types of tea that are multiple steeped most often are oolongs
> and pu-erhs.

Randy et al,

Because compounds good and bad find their way into the tea liquor at
different rates -- for specifics see Dog Ma -- I'd think it *would* be a
good idea to put your tea through more than one steep from a health point of
view. You can't lose anything by doing that, and you might win. Besides,
often the second and/or third steep tastes significantly different, and just
as delightful as the first. That's my humble opinion. You can add green teas
to your list of multiple steepables. Some wise ass of long ago and far away
once said something to the effect that the first steep is for the aroma, the
second for the taste, and the third for balance.

Michael

RJPySEbd.241733$MQ5.77026@attbi_s5210/14/04


> "Abouna" > wrote
>
>> As for using tea more than once, do you let it dry out between
>> steepings or should the 2nd steep be in the same sitting (i.e. not
>> saved for another time)?
>
> Just another opinion here - I never do multiple steeps with any of
> my teas. I enjoy tea a lot, but I am also very keen on the health
> benefits and I cannot believe that 2nd (or later) steepings have as
> much of the beneficial compounds in them. I also like a mild
> caffeine punch, which is very attenuated in multiple steeps.
>
> The types of tea that are multiple steeped most often are oolongs
> and pu-erhs.

Randy et al,

Because compounds good and bad find their way into the tea liquor at
different rates -- for specifics see Dog Ma -- I'd think it *would* be a
good idea to put your tea through more than one steep from a health point of
view. You can't lose anything by doing that, and you might win. Besides,
often the second and/or third steep tastes significantly different, and just
as delightful as the first. That's my humble opinion. You can add green teas
to your list of multiple steepables. Some wise ass of long ago and far away
once said something to the effect that the first steep is for the aroma, the
second for the taste, and the third for balance.

Michael

The latest world health crisis obesity in China. I know pot bellied
European men in the early nineteenth century were considered wealthy.
The best diet, exercise. I overstuffed on dumplings at Black Eyed Pea
recently and a couple of cups of puerh immediately eliminated the
greasy bloated feeling. Better than any OTC medicine. I'll let you
know if it is good for heartburn.

Jim

crymad > wrote in message >...
> magnulus wrote:
> >
> > Many people have connecetd Chinese/Asian food with rice, but actually rice
> > was often eaten in large amounts because of poverty, and because the people
> > did alot of manual labor and physical activity (thus they burned more
> > calories, especially glucose/carbs, right away).
>
> Is this Atkins historical revisionism? In fact, in Japan at least, rice
> was not a mark of poverty, but rather a measure of wealth. A medieval
> fief's worth was counted in volume of rice. Most Asians today continue
> to eat rice or noodles (or bread) at every meal. Their lower incidence
> of obesity, compared to us Americans, is probably attributed to how much
> they eat -- and what they don't eat.
>
> --crymad

Michael P. wrote:

>Consider also that a
>vegetarian diet demands greater quanties of grains to balance proteins,
>right?

I think that argument has been debunked. At least vegetarians don't have to
eat them all at the same meal, maybe just over the course of the day.
Something like that. (Speaking as a devil-may-care vegetarian.)

I'm sure you're right about regional differences and preferences in rice. What
I find interesting is that Asian populations are so taken with white, polished
rice. Seems to me perfectly analagous to Western white breads; so many
nutrients and fiber have been stripped away.

I use brown rice here at home, FWIW, and order it at Asian restaurants when
available.

Joe Kubera

Michael P. wrote:

>Consider also that a
>vegetarian diet demands greater quanties of grains to balance proteins,
>right?

I think that argument has been debunked. At least vegetarians don't have to
eat them all at the same meal, maybe just over the course of the day.
Something like that. (Speaking as a devil-may-care vegetarian.)

I'm sure you're right about regional differences and preferences in rice. What
I find interesting is that Asian populations are so taken with white, polished
rice. Seems to me perfectly analagous to Western white breads; so many
nutrients and fiber have been stripped away.

I use brown rice here at home, FWIW, and order it at Asian restaurants when
available.

Joe Kubera

"Abouna" > wrote in message
om...
> Wow! Thanks fo the follow-up. Exactly the kind of information I was
> looking for.
>
> For starters I have ordered the Green Tea Sampler from
> SpecialTeas.com. A bit pricey but not terrible, and I suspect more
> than I will be paying once I know what I like.
>
> As for using tea more than once, do you let it dry out between
> steepings or should the 2nd steep be in the same sitting (i.e. not
> saved for another time)?

I've done it both ways. I usually order my teas from http://www.uptontea.com
where I also got a couple of Chatsford pots (different sizes) with extra
brew baskets so that I may switch to a different tea yet still conveniently
store the brewed leaves for subsequent brewings.

I've also ordered from http://www.culinaryteas.com with good results. Both
it and Upton have sample sizes and samplers along with accessories and
information. Info about do-it-yourself decaffeinating is at Upton.


--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.