Tweaklet #57 – Green Tea vs Black Tea

Are you a tea drinker? If you’re not then I might have a few incentives for you to consider.

Next to water, tea is one of the most consumed drinks in the world. Recently green tea has received more attention for its health benefits, than black tea, but actually, they both contain many beneficial substances that boost good health.

So black and green tea come from the same camellia sinesis plant. They are both harvested from the upper buds and leaves of the plant. Green tea is dried slightly and then heated to stop oxidation and enhance the flavour.

Black tea is crushed and rolled and allowed to oxidize and turn a dark colour before it is harvested. This gives it a stronger richer flavour.

Both green and black tea contain large quantities of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, but different types. What they have in common are flavonoids which protect our bodies against chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes and more.

These flavonoids protect the heart and blood vessels to lower cholesterol, harmful plaque and blood pressure.

Green tea has some other powerful protective compounds that help to burn fat, boost the immune system, help with allergies and asthma. It also contains very useful amino acids and trace elements such as calcium, magnesium, chromium, manganese, iron, copper and zinc.

Green and black tea both contain caffeine, generally green has slightly less, and both have less caffeine than coffee. Interestingly though it’s the way tea affects brain chemicals that for many people make it preferable to coffee.

Tea helps us feel awake and alert but in a relaxed state of mind, which is a really beneficial balance for your brain and your general state of well being. Hmmm, I like it – calm and alert! Something to strive for!

If you’re wondering which type of tea to choose, studies show both types of tea contain similar beneficial health benefits, but green tea wins big in terms of the amounts of antioxidants it contains.

So all that’s left to be said is get brewing! As always choose a quality product and work out what feels good when you drink it. Sharpening our intuition around food that suits our body is a wonderful thing to practice.

Green tea, black tea another tiny food tweak from Tweaklets.

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Tweaklet #53 – Psoriasis

Let’s talk skin and specifically Psoriasis. Psoriasis spans anything from dandruff and dry itchy skin to fungal breakouts and cracked and bleeding skin. Anyone who suffers from it knows just how irritating and painful this skin condition can be.

Psoriasis is caused by a pileup of skin cells that have replicated too rapidly. Normal healthy skin cells turnover about once a month, but when you have psoriasis the skin cells pile up way too fast.

It begins in the immune system where white blood cells, that fight inflammation, are mistakenly called into action and end up actually attacking the body.

This is called an auto-immune response and, as research is starting to determine, auto-immune issues often start, or are fuelled by an imbalance in the gut.  Conventional drug therapy only suppresses skin conditions, sometimes successfully for periods of time, but as it is not addressing the cause, this will only ever be temporary. Thankfully, you can help combat psoriasis by following a proper psoriasis diet treatment plan.

Some of the best foods to consume on a regular basis are…..

Foods high in probiotics such as organic raw cultured dairy, like kefir and fermented vegetables which introduce the healthy bacteria and yeast the gut needs.

High fibre foods, which includes eating the rainbow of fruits, vegetables, beans and seeds. These all keep the natural detoxification of your body on track.

Foods high in antioxidants like berries, nuts and kidney beans.

Foods high in zinc – grass-fed meat, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas.

Other things like wild-caught fish Herbs and spices, like curcumin and turmeric. And you can use aloe vera both internally and externally.

And make sure to drink plenty of water. Hydration and detoxification are key.

When you suffer from psoriasis it’s important to exclude, or certainly keep to a minimum, foods that increase acidity and inflammation – which includes processed foods,….. fried foods……….., simple sugars, alcohol, conventional dairy, conventional meats,  hydrogenated oils and caffeine. Keeping your diet gluten-free will also improve symptoms.

It’s never too late to take a new approach to psoriasis or any other skin condition. Making some tiny food tweaks really can help.

I’d like to thank Dr Michael Murray and Dr Josh Axe for providing such thoughtful and practical information on this and so many other subjects.

Visit the Tweaklets YouTube Channel

Download my free E-Book here.

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