Green Tea Time

Green tea is an easy sell, in any package. But, does it live up to the hype? The studies on animals are impressive, but the evidence in humans has been hard to come by.
Green tea is rich in plant compounds, but the jury is still out over "if " and how much is needed to be of any health benefit. The best source of polyphenols is from brewed green tea and not some weak, ready-to-drink or instant tea product. Most contain as much sugar as soft drinks, and the coloring is largely from synthetic dyes.
Steep the tea bag for at least 3 minutes. Squeezing in some lemon adds vitamin C, which protects the polyphenols from being oxidized and lost. Three or more servings a day are required to keep blood levels of polyphenols high enough to be effective. If you drink bottled tea, look for one made primarily from brewed tea and not tea extracts or concentrate.