Lose Weight with Green Tea
by Patricia Rouner
Published by Smith House Press
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Reviewed by Connie Anderson
Subtitled: Safe Weight-Loss Method That Works!
You know the kind of person who when you ask: What are you drinking? they answer--TEA. Ask another person, like author Patricia Rouner, and you will know more about green tea that you thought possible.
Some of the topics covered are:
-- The science
-- Growing and processing tea
-- How to brew (and this IS important)
-- Polyphenols (huh?)
-- Coffee / caffeine comparison
-- Extracts
-- Fighting diseases
The subtitle about weight loss might pull a lot of readers in, but the chapter on fighting disease was very important.
"If only half the studies are proven accurate, green tea's health benefits are stunning," the author states on page 85. She had Googled "kidney disease and green tea" and 477,000 articles of interest were listed. A sample of the health issues discussed in the book are: immune system, allergies, Alzheimer's, blood pressure, bone density, carbs, artery disease, etc., etc.
Did you know...?
-- A report stated that oral cells damaged by smokers can be decreased by drinking green tea.
-- The most popular tea brands have different antioxidant levels.
-- Adding sugar and milk do not affect the flavonoid in the tea, but increase the calorie count.
-- Ice tea "happened" in 1904 at the St. Louis Exposition. It was HOT! and no one wanted the vendor's hot tea. He added ice, and happy lines formed. Ice tea makes up almost 85% of tea consumed in the U.S.
The FAQ (one at the end of each section) about caffeine was interesting. A pound of tea has more calories than a pound of coffee--but tea makes 300 cups while coffee yields 80 cups. Draw your own conclusions on that.
All that said, what is it about green tea that helps you lose weight? Well, it speeds up metabolism and helps the body bun fat, about 80 calories a day. It can reduce hunger, which means lower calorie intake. It can help older people lose weight and younger people prevent middle-age spread. With almost two-thirds of Americans overweight--that's a good deal. And you'll learn so much more in the "Science" chapter.
Losing weight is part of being more healthy--and green tea combines the two benefits.
Armchair Interviews says: If you want to know about green tea...but were afraid to ask, this book has all the answers. So when someone asks, "What are you drinking?" they better be prepared for a lot of information.