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Tea and Autoimmune Diseases

Studies show that tea, particularly green tea (and I would suggest that white tea would yield similar results), plays a role in helping to prevent autoimmune diseases.

First, a quick primer on what an autoimmune disease is. The following information is taken from the Life Extension website where they define autoimmune diseases:

Autoimmune diseases are characterized by the body's immune responses being directed against its own tissues, causing prolonged inflammation and subsequent tissue destruction. Autoimmune disorders can cause immune-responsive cells to attack the linings of the joints--resulting in rheumatoid arthritis--or trigger immune cells to attack the insulin-producing islet cells of the pancreas leading to insulin-dependent diabetes.

A healthy immune system recognizes, identifies, remembers, attacks, and destroys bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and cancer cells or any health-damaging agents not normally present in the body. A defective immune system, on the other hand, wreaks havoc throughout the host by directing antibodies against its own tissues.

Any disease in which cytotoxic cells are directed against self-antigens in the body's tissues is considered autoimmune in nature. Such diseases include, but are not limited to, celiac disease, Crohn's disease, pancreatitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren's syndrome, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and other endocrinopathies. Allergies and multiple sclerosis are also the result of disordered immune functioning.

Oxidative damage results as these cells turn against the body. Think about the effects of rust, or a sliced potato or apple sitting on the counter. It does not take long before discolouration sets in and oxidative damage starts. The same thing happens inside our bodies when immune system is defective. There are many foods that can help maintain a healthy immune system and tea is one. The article explains the benefits of green tea in countering autoimmune diseases:

Antioxidants are a broad group of compounds that destroy or neutralize free radicals in the body, thereby protecting against oxidative damage to cells caused by the normal aging process or daily exposure to pollutants and toxic substances. Antioxidants are found naturally in healthy food, especially fruits and vegetables. The most effective of the antioxidants include vitamin C, vitamin E, green tea extract, beta-carotene, grape seed-skin extract, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and selenium...

Green tea belongs to the flavonoid family. Green tea catechins are potent free radical scavengers and have also demonstrated anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antiatherogenic, and antimicrobial activity.

Did you notice that the artical refered to green tea extract, rather than green tea. This will be a more ocncentrated form of green tea, rather than the diluted form we get from a cup of infused tea. To maximize the benefits of green tea, a concentrated form, such as that found in matcha will better demonstrate an effect on the free-radicals. If you haven't tried matcha yet, you may be surprised by the intensity of flavour. Why not try to get into the routine of drinking matcha, perhaps starting with one day a week. How about Matcha Mondays? As you get more accustomed to the flavour and texture, increase your matcha intake by adding a second cup on a different day. You will find many recipes for matcha smoothies, spritzers, shakes and lattes here on the Steeped Tea blog, as well as at the Steeped Tea website, so you can find tasty ways to enjoy matcha, if you don't like it straight out of the cup. Why not do it for your health!

Give Your Face a Pick-Me-Up!

We've shared many times about the value of green tea with its antioxidants - great for you inside and out!

You've maybe also heard that dark chocolate contains antioxidants. Why not combine the two for a wonderful spa-like experience, at home. Especially when the seasons are changing, our skin can often use a boost.

Healthy Glow Chocolate Tea Mask
Start with our Green Clay Mask, add 1 tbsp of dark cocoa powder, and mix with water as usual, to make a paste.

Alternately, if you do not have the Green Clay Mask, start with 1 tbsp matcha tea and add 1 tbsp dark cocoa powder, and 1 tbsp honey.

Leave the mask on for up to 20 minutes and then rinse off and pat dry.

Depending on your skin conditions, you can add yogurt, oatmeal, or essential oils to your mix before applying.

 

 

Recipe Week: Green Tea Spritzer

We found this matcha recipe in a recent Food & Drink magazine. Why not try it with our Kenya White Rhino Matcha, too, for a slightly different look and taste.

Green Tea Spritzer
Spring 2010 By: Nicole Young
 

 

Matcha is a green tea powder that can be found through your Steeped Tea consultant. It has a very high concentration of flavour, so use it sparingly. It also has a LOT of antioxidants!

½ cup (125 mL) water
1 tbsp (15 mL) sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) matcha green tea
3 cups (750 mL) white wine
12 mint leaves
1 cup (250 mL) soda water
Garnish: Mint (optional)

1. In small saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes. Whisk in matcha until well combined. Let cool completely.

2. In large pitcher, combine matcha syrup with wine and mint leaves. Stir to combine. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours and up to 1 day.

3. To serve, pour into chilled glasses and top with soda water. Garnish with mint if desired.

Makes 4 servings

White Tea Matcha Health Benefits #3

Another Science Daily article, this one outlining a study that asociated the benefits of white tea when it comes to cancer, arthritis and wrinkles.

ScienceDaily (Aug. 14, 2009) — Next time you’re making a cuppa, new research shows it might be wise to opt for a white tea if you want to reduce your risk of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis or even just age-associated wrinkles. Researchers from Kingston University teamed up with Neal’s Yard Remedies to test the health properties of 21 plant and herb extracts. They discovered all of the plants tested had some potential benefits, but were intrigued to find white tea considerably outperformed all of them.

Professor Declan Naughton, from the School of Life Sciences at Kingston University in South West London, said the research showed white tea had anti-ageing potential and high levels of anti-oxidants which could prevent cancer and heart disease. “We’ve carried out tests to identify plant extracts that protected the structural proteins of the skin, specifically elastin and collagen,” he explained. “Elastin supports the body’s natural elasticity which helps lungs, arteries, ligaments and skin to function. It also helps body tissue to repair when you suffer wounds and stops skin from sagging.” Collagen is a protein found in connective tissues in the body and is important for skin, strength and elasticity, he added.

Results showed white tea prevented the activities of the enzymes which breakdown elastin and collagen which can lead to wrinkles that accompany ageing. These enzymes, along with oxidants, are associated with inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Professor Naughton said: “These enzymes and oxidants are key components of normal body processes. However, in inflammatory conditions, suppressing the activities of these excess components has been the subject of decades of research. We were surprised to find such high activity for the white tea extracts in all five tests that were conducted.”

The researchers were blown away by exactly how well the white tea had performed. “We were testing very small amounts far less than you would find in a drink,” Professor Naughton, one of the country’s leading specialists on inflammation, said. “The early indicators are that white tea reduces the risk of inflammation which is characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis and some cancers as well as wrinkles.”

Eight of the other plants and herbs analysed also helped protect against the breakdown of both elastin and collagen. After white tea, bladderwrack performed well followed by extracts of cleavers, rose, green tea, angelica, anise and pomegranate.

White Tea Matcha Health Benefits #2

Below appears an article from Science Daily outlining a recent study on White Tea Extract and its effect on obesity.

White Tea: Solution To Obesity Epidemic?

ScienceDaily (May 7, 2009) — Possible anti-obesity effects of white tea have been demonstrated in a series of experiments on human fat cells (adipocytes). Researchers have now shown that an extract of the herbal brew effectively inhibits the generation of new adipocytes and stimulates fat mobilization from mature fat cells.

Marc Winnefeld led a team of researchers from Beiersdorf AG, Germany, who studied the biological effects of an extract of white tea – the least processed version of the tea plant Camellia sinensis. He said, "In the industrialized countries, the rising incidence of obesity-associated disorders including cardiovascular diseases and diabetes constitutes a growing problem. We've shown that white tea may be an ideal natural source of slimming substances".

After treating lab-cultured human pre-adipocytes with the tea extract, the authors found that fat incorporation during the genesis of new adipocytes was reduced. According to Winnefeld, "The extract solution induced a decrease in the expression of genes associated with the growth of new fat cells, while also prompting existing adipocytes to break down the fat they contain".

White tea is made from the buds and first leaves of the plant used to make green tea and the black tea most commonly drunk in Western countries. It is less processed than the other teas and contains more of the ingredients thought to be active on human cells, such as methylxanthines (like caffeine) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) – which the authors believe to be responsible for many of the anti-adipogenic effects demonstrated in their study.

White Tea Matcha Health Benefits #1

The following comes from a 2004 article in Science Daily. The article is talking about the health benefits of White Tea Extract - hmmm.... could that be White Matcha? Seems like White Matcha would be a very good thing to have around during cold and flu season! With its prophylactic properties, it could help you avoid that next bug altogether.

White Tea Beats Green Tea In Fighting Germs

ScienceDaily (May 28, 2004) — NEW ORLEANS – May 25, 2004 -- New studies conducted at Pace University have indicated that White Tea Extract (WTE) may have prophylactic applications in retarding growth of bacteria that cause Staphylococcus infections, Streptococcus infections, pneumonia and dental caries. Researchers present their findings today at the 104th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

"Past studies have shown that green tea stimulates the immune system to fight disease," says Milton Schiffenbauer, Ph.D., a microbiologist and professor in the Department of Biology at Pace University's Dyson College of Arts & Sciences and primary author of the research. "Our research shows White Tea Extract can actually destroy in vitro the organisms that cause disease. Study after study with tea extract proves that it has many healing properties. This is not an old wives tale, it's a fact."

White tea was more effective than green tea at inactivating bacterial viruses. Results obtained with the bacterial virus, a model system; suggest that WTE may have an anti-viral effect on human pathogenic viruses. The addition of White Tea Extract to various toothpastes enhanced the anti-microbial effect of these oral agents.

Studies have also indicated that WTE has an anti-fungal effect on Penicillium chrysogenum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the presence of WTE, Penicillium spores and Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells were totally inactivated. It is suggested that WTE may have an anti-fungal effect on pathogenic fungi.

Several findings in the new study are of particular interest:

* The anti-viral and anti-bacterial effect of white tea (2 brands were tested and studied) is greater than that of green tea.

* The anti-viral and anti-bacterial effect of several toothpastes including Aim, Aquafresh, Colgate, Crest and Orajel was enhanced by the addition of white tea extract.

* White tea extract exhibited an anti-fungal effect on both Penicillium chrysogenum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

* White tea extract may have application in the inactivation of pathogenic human microbes, i.e., bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

Matcha Facts and How To's

Matcha – Nutritional Information

	Matcha	Green Tea	Black Tea	Coffee
Polyphenol (Tannin)	1.0g	0.07g	0.1g	0.25g
Protein	3.1g	0.2g	0.1g	0.2g
Fiber	3.9g	---	---	---
Calcium	42mg	3mg	1mg	2mg
Iron	1.7mg	0.2mg	0mg	---
Potassium	270mg	27mg	8mg	65mg
Vitamin A	480ug	---	---	---
Vitamin B1	0.06mg	---	---	---
Vitamin B2	0.14mg	0.05mg	0.01mg	0.01mg
Vitamin C	6mg	6mg	---	---
Carotene	2900ug	---	---	---
Caffeine	0.3g	0.02g	0.03g	0.06g

*Per serving - By Standard Table of Food Composition in Japan (5th ed., 2000)

How to make Matcha

	1. To make a smooth, tasty Matcha, you need: Matcha, a tea strainer, a tea spoon, a bamboo whisk, and a bowl.
	2. In a bowl, sift about 1 teaspoon matcha using a tea strainer.
	3. Whisk matcha with hot water using bamboo matcha whisk, moving the whisk vigorously in “M” motion.The only rule with Matcha, in order to maximize the health benefits, is to avoid using boiling water temperatures as the heat will denature some of the health-giving amino acids in the tea. Using hot liquids at a temperature of about 80-85 degrees is ideal.
	4. For freshness, keep matcha in an air-tight container after opening.
	5. Soak bamboo whisk in water before making matcha to prevent breakage.

More about Matcha

There are lots of studies establishing that green tea is very high in antioxidants, and therefore a very healthful choice. If green tea isn't your thing, perhaps matcha is. It can be brewed into a short concentrated drink, but because it a powder, it can be incorporated into smoothies, cooking and baking of both sweet and savory dishes, making it a versatile way to capture those antioxidants. Because matcha is the whole green tea leaf in a pulverized form, you receive even more antioxidants, and also some fibre. Matcha is also high in amino acids (specifically L-theanine), chlorophyll and vitamins A, C and E. Here's a recipe to hide the matcha in so your whole family gets the benefits!

Green Tea (Matcha) Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar or zylitol (birch/corn sugar - it's healthy for you!)

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp powdered Japanese green tea (matcha), or try the Kenyan White Rhino Matcha

1/2 cup milk (even nonfat works okay)

1 stick of butter, softened

2 eggs 

 

Oven 350ºF

 

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and green tea powder and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter until light. Add the sugar and beat some more until light and fluffy.  Add the dry mixture and the milk. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until the dry ingredients are just incorporated (don’t over mix). The batter will be somewhat lumpy.  Divide the batter among the muffin tins (I used those foil liners. If you don’t have any liners, grease the tins), about 2/3 full. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Did You Notice It?

We now carry TWO kinds of matcha! We've shared the benefits of matcha both in newsletters and here on the blog, but a review is always good, and as we rediscover Japanese matcha, perhaps we'll learn some new things about the Kenyan matcha, too. So follow along over the next few days as we explore matcha!

Today, here's a very informative video (found via Tea Guy), filmed in Japan, about matcha. It is the first of 5 made. Very well done!

Need a Dessert for a Christmas Potluck?

This recipe appeared first on the Nook & Pantry blog and sounds pretty fabulous! The base is a brownie made with white chocolate that sandwiches a matcha cheesecake swirl.

Green Tea Cheesecake White Chocolate Brownie

Brownie base
8 Tbsp butter (1 stick), cut into 1-in pieces
5 oz. white chocolate, chopped
2 eggs
5 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 C flour

Cheesecake swirl
8 oz bar of cream cheese, room temp
1 egg
3 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp green tea/matcha powder
About 2 tsp of water, hot but not boiling

Preheat the oven to 325ºF.

Mix the green tea powder with a bit of hot water to form a paste. Mix the cream cheese, egg, and green tea paste until smooth. Taste a bit and see if it's strong enough.

Melt the butter with the white chocolate. Mix in the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and flour (and baking powder if you want to experiment with it). Whisk until smooth but do not over mix.

Line a 8 x 8 square baking dish with a sheet of foil (with overhang for easy lifting) or grease and flour it. Pour in half of the white chocolate batter. Then drop half of the cream cheese mixture on top in spoonfuls. Top the batter with the rest of the white chocolate brownie batter, then finally add the remaining half of the cream cheese mixture on top. Use a knife and swirl the brownie and cream cheese together to create a marbled pattern.

Bake the brownies at 325ºF for 40 - 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. The center should be almost set. You don't want the toothpick to come out clean because that would mean the brownies have overbaked. Cool in the pan for 5 then lift the brownies out and cool to room temperature. They're best served cold so chill them in the fridge for about 3 hours.