Japanese Green Tea - A Look At Each

By Marry R

Japanese green tea is likely to be the best choice in Green tea available. It is a drink that provides you with numerous health benefits, such as weight loss, disease prevention, lowering bad cholesterol levels and much more. Green tea was not always grown in Japan. In fact, its origins come from China and only travelled to Japan in the 12th century by the hand of a Buddhist monk named Esai. This monk started growing and processing this tea in Japan obtaining new flavours and aromas.

Today, you will find that there are four main types of Japanese green tea available, each with its particular character and yet still full of the antioxidants that make this tea such a great addition to your daily diet.

There are four types of Japanese Green Tea. They are:

- Gyokuro Tea is a tea with a delicate processing method, being grown in the shade so that a higher content of chlorophyll is obtained. In the end, you get a rare and expensive tea, but with a wonderful sweet taste and a low caffeine content.

- Matcha Tea is the result of reducing Gyokuro tea to powder and then brewing it to make you a tea rich in antioxidants. Used also in several recipes for a green tea flavour, this tea offers you a whole new experience in green tea brewing and drinking.

- Sencha Tea is best described as an everyday tea to accompany meals. It brews a yellow greenish coloured tea with a floral taste.

- Bancha Tea may also be viewed as the everyday drink. Inexpensive, rich in antioxidants and woody in flavour, Bancha is available as Hojicha or as Genmaicha, a variation of this by mixing it with roasted rice.

Now that you have learnt about each type of Japanese Green Tea, give them a try and enjoy and healthier lifestyle. Let this wonderful coffee alternative make its way into your home and introduce it to your family and friends.

Learn more about the potentials behind each of these Types of Tea.
Find tips on how to brew each tea and make your tea experience extraordinary with: http://www.therighttea.com/.

Keep Vegetables Fresh The Natural Way

By Mark Gold


Who likes to have a brown, wilted salad, or to bite into a mushy spot on a red, juicy tomato? The answer is obvious, no one does! In order to retain the key nutrients in every vegetable, and to ensure a ripe, crunchy bite every time it is absolutely essential to keep vegetables fresh. In order to avoid wasting vegetables and keep them crisp and full of flavor there are all kinds of things you can do, here are some useful suggestions:

Firstly it is important to note that there are three temperature zones in the refrigerator;

The 'humid zone' is the bottom area with the crisper drawers, which keeps a humid environment to help keep produce fresher, but it can accelerate spoilage if the humidity is too high. Some refrigerators have vents to regulate the humidity.

The 'moderate zone' is the middle and bottom shelves, closer to the front.

The 'cold zone' is the top and middle shelves, closer to the back. Here the temperature can dip below 34F.

Check vegetables regularly for signs of mold or rot and remove any that are bad. Keep mushrooms in a brown paper bag with the top closed slightly. Keep eggplant, onions and squash on a counter or shelf, they don't do well in the cold. Keep them in a covered container. Put an apple in the bag with potatoes and store them in a cool, dry place, this will keep them from rotting too quickly. Put green leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, in plastic bags and put a moist paper towel in the bag to retain freshness and absorb excess moisture. Put vegetables with the same storage guidelines together. For instance green onions, lettuce and spinach require lower humidity and should be kept in one area of the refrigerator, while asparagus, cauliflower, and celery should be stored in a crisper drawer.

Refrigerated Fresh Vegetables

Cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts keep well in plastic storage bags in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to five days. Cabbage unwashed, uncut and wrapped in plastic will last up to 10 days.

Turnips, carrots and beets do well in the fridge in perforated plastic bags. Remove the leafy tops because they will draw moisture out of the root. The holes allow air to flow without letting moisture escape. These should last up to two weeks.

Wash vegetables just before you are ready to use them, this will help to keep down bacterial growth.

Vegetables like cucumber, beans and artichokes do well in plastic in the fridge. Peppers should be stored in a paper bag in the bottom crisper drawer.

Non-refrigerated Vegetables

Corn on the cob is the only vegetable that should not be stored at all, it should be husked and eaten the day it is picked. If that’s not possible, blanch it for two minutes and cool it with cold water and store it in a plastic bag in the fridge. The freshness will last for two or three days.

Keep tomatoes at room temperature and away from direct sunlight, they should keep for three or four days. Wrap sliced tomato in plastic and keep in the fridge.

A hanging basket is perfect for onions, whereas a dark place is best for garlic.

Without doubt the best way to keep vegetables fresh is a product called eggstrafresh®. It is scientifically proven to prolong the life of almost all foods by dramatically reducing oxidation and retaining moisture. Simply place one eggstrafresh® in your refrigerator and one in your pantry. It’s that easy! To find out more about this exciting new way to preserve food, visit http://www.eggstrafresh.com/.

About The Author
Mark Gold has more than 27 years of experience in the Food and Beverage Industry. He is also involved in Business Development for C-5 Biotechnologies, LLC.

The author invites you to visit:http://www.eggstrafresh.com

21 Tips For Cheap Healthy Way Of Living

By: Dr Gerald Coy

Most people want to stay healthy or become healthier. But a lot of us make bad choices in our daily lives. We make these decisions from our desire for pleasure and how we have set our priorities. Few people are willing to make changes in their lives, but here are a few simple suggestions to make life a little better.

Doing the right thing starts in you "head", how you think of things and how you see life around you. Take into consideration:

1. Not looking for the "closest" parking space and "enjoying" a little walk through the parking lot as a chance to get a little exercise,

2. Get a "to go" box and put ½ your sandwich or lunch before you start eating thus reducing your intake by that amount.

3. Another way is to "share" a meal with a loved one or friend. It is like getting two meals for the price of one.

4. Order "water" with your lunch. We consume too much sugar, plus sometimes the cost of a drink is almost 1/3rd bill. $2.00 – $3.00 for a glass??? You save money that can be used for better things.

5. Eat earlier! Eating late and then going to bed shortly after is not good for your digestion and does not allow for the body to burn off calories that end up being stored. If you like to eat out, there are a lot of savings by eating during "early dinner time" where there are many specials.

6. There is so much truth about walking around the perimeter of the market to get you milk, meats, eggs, and fresh fruit and vegetables. What is in the middle are a lot of things you really do not need or want.

7. Packaged meals have more sodium, more preservatives and other things that are not the best for you to have in your diet.

8. LEARN TO COOK! Most people do not even know how to boil water. There are so many good things you can do with just a little effort. Learning to make a good salad, or steaming some vegetables with a dash of flavoring are not difficult.

9. PLAN! There is an old saying about not shopping when you are hungry with a lot of truth to it! But if you make plans for your meals, you can drop by and get that fresh vegetable or that piece of fish or chicken to make a good meal and not just have a hamburger, or pre-package meal.

10. NO! You do not have to finish everything on your plate. When you are full, STOP EATING. If you take smaller proportions you can prevent having too much food in front of you.

11. Use a salad plate for your meal, it fills faster and looks more complete.

12. Drink a glass of water before you start eating helping to fill your stomach

13. Make sure you are getting a balanced diet or take supplements to complete what your body might be craving for making you hungrier than you really are.

14. Learn to become more active with after meal walks with someone you enjoy, walk the dog, or join a gym (but make sure you use it!).

15. Get your rest. The body needs down time.

16. Reduce stress by avoiding irritations when you can.

17. Become a positive thinker, read more and do more meditation or involve yourself with your faith to find more comfort.

18. Watch less news, read fewer papers, and go to movies that make you feel good. There are enough challenges in life without listening to everyone else's problems.

19. Make friends and enjoy them. Spend time with more positive people, but that means you need to be positive too.

20. Do not spend a lot of time in traffic, but if you do, enjoy relaxing music, not rock and roll that keys you up to where you will be more stressed.

21. Love life for what it is by enjoying the day for what it offers, not what you did not get.
All of this will bring you a happier and healthier life. Just try to add one of these things each week. Within 5 months you will be doing all of them.

Enjoy your life, it is the only one you get, and YOU are responsible for it. If you are not happy, YOU need to change, not someone else.

About the Author:

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