Most of the research showing the health benefits of green tea is based on the amount of green tea typically consumed in Asian countries—about 3 cups per day (which would provide 240-320 mg of polyphenols). Just one cup of green tea supplies 20-35 mg of EGCG, which has the highest antioxidant activity of all the green tea catechins.
The health benefits of green tea have been extensively researched and, as the scientific community's awareness of its potential benefits has increased, so have the number of new studies. As of November 2004, the PubMed database contained more than 1,000 studies on green tea, with more than 400 published in 2004!
Green tea drinkers appear to have lower risk for a wide range of diseases, from simple bacterial or viral infections to chronic degenerative conditions including cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, periodontal disease, and osteoporosis.
How to prepare:
1 Determine how many cups of green tea you want to make. The original guideline for brewing is one teaspoon (5 g) of green tea leaves (or pearls) per one cup of water. This will yield one cup of brewed tea.
2 Measure out the desired amount of green tea leaves (or pearls) and place them in your tea strainer or sieve.
3 Fill a non-reactive pot or pan (glass or stainless steel) with water and heat it to about 180 °F (80 °C). You can use a candy thermometer to watch the temperature, but if you don't have one, then keep an eye on the water so that it doesn't boil.
4 Place the filled tea strainer or sieve into an empty mug or cup.
5 Pour the heated water into the mug, over the tea leaves.
6 Steep the tea leaves for 2 - 3 minutes but not any longer, or else your tea will become slightly bitter.
7 Remove the tea strainer from the mug.
8 Let your tea cool a few moments and enjoy your perfect cup of green tea.
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