Green Tea: A Good Dietary Supplement

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There are so many dietary supplements to pick from to help you lose weight. But one good natural dietary supplement is green tea. Green tea comes either caffeinated or decaffeinated, and you can ingest it in a variety of ways, not just by drinking the tea.

Green tea originated in China, where people have been growing the leaf for at least 5,000 years. India is the second country known to grow green tea. Invented during China's Song Dynasty, the tea was first medicinally used to control bleeding, blood pressure, help heal wounds, regulate body temperature, and promote digestion.

Green tea is so popular in Japan that it is known more commonly as simply tea. Once green tea made its way from China and India to Japan, it became wildly popular among the island's inhabitants. Green tea was brought to Japan by Buddhist monk My?an Eisai. Soon after its arrival it began to be grown in Japan, as well.

There are also many different varieties of green tea. Green teas in China are grown all throughout the many provinces of the country. The leaf's grade and quality all depend on how it's been grown, where it's been grown, what parts of the plant are used, and how the leaf has been processed. Although there aren't quite as many varieties as in China, some of the green teas grown in Japan rival ones grown in China.

The most famous of the Chinese green teas is Xi Hu Longjing. The name of this green tea means "dragon well" in Chinese. The tea is pan fried and has very unique flat look. Yet, there are many farmers who grow green tea variations and try to pass them off as Xi Hu Longjing. But the authentic variation is grown in the Zhejiang province of China, where some of the most famous, well-known, and high-quality green teas are grown. Other green teas in the province are Long Ding, Gunpowder, Hui Ming, Qing Ding, and Hua Ding.

There are many people who religiously drink green tea. Some drink it out of habit, some because they truly enjoy the taste, and some because of the health benefits of the tea. There have been many studies as to the authenticity of the tea's health benefits. Among its benefits are that the tea has anti-cancer properties, it increases your metabolism (this is how it helps you lose weight), it helps those suffering with diabetes, it boosts the immune system and mental awareness, lowers the chances of cognitive impairment, and lowers stress hormone levels.

Many people also drink the tea for an energy boost that is without any bad after effects. The caffeinated variety of green tea has about a fourth of the caffeine that coffee has per cup of liquid. Therefore, green tea is better for those who are more sensitive to caffeine, but who still would like a boost of energy in their days.

Green tea has just recently increased in popularity in the United States. Along with the top three countries who have liked green tea since its creation, the tea is also widely popular in Taiwan, Korea, many Middle Eastern countries, Malaysia, Singapore, Morocco, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.