I've been trying to be healthy lately and take care of myself. I don't really like drinking tea because its so bitter (ick
) and I can't add sugar because sugar can cause attention deficit disorder (among others) which I have a suspicion I might be developing and I can't have anything that will make studying any more of a pain. Of course, green tea is really well known to have a lot of benefits. It has properties that increases your metabolism and helps burn fat faster. A lot of companies are using green tea extracts as one of the main ingredients in weight loss pills. Green tea contains 10 times more antioxidants then most fruits and vegetables including flavoid antioxidants that fight free radicals. It also prevents bad breath, lowers bad cholesterol and promotes good cholesterol. The amount of caffeine it contains ranges anywhere between 15-75 mg (newer leaves have more caffeine) which is about 1/4-1/3 the amount in coffee.
first bring water to a boil
let it cool for 2-3 minutes, tea is best brewed in 60-80 C (140°F - 175°F).
combine with tea, tea bags have more caffeine and less tea flavor so try to use loose leaves more often. also, loose leaves can be reused more times. let it sit for about 3-4 minutes
and drink. While the tea is hot the catechins (where the antioxidants are) and the theanine (which sweetens) reduce the effects of caffeine by combining with it. When the tea cools the catechins disintegrate and more caffeine is released.
Green tea also makes a very nourishing facial mask, toner or exfoliating scrub. On top of detoxifying and repairing the skin (helps sooth a sunburn), it fights acne and delays signs of aging with its ability to firm skin and is gentle enough for sensitive skin.
The toner is really simple to make, all you need is to brew a cup and refrigerate it, there are a lot of good reviews here.
Green Tea and chocolate antioxidant Facial Mask
- 1 tbsp green tea powder
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- 1 teaspoon honey
mix together and rinse off after 20 minutes
chocolate is a rich source of flavonoid antioxidants that help slow down the aging process and the green tea makes skin softer and smoother and helps heal acne
instead of green tea powder i just cut open a tea bag and use its contents but you can make green tea powder by crushing the leaves manually or with a food processor (like a blender).
looks all mucky.... but your skin feels so fresh afterwards.
Green Tea Face Mask (all skin types)
- 2tbs Oats
- 1/4 cup of strong hot green tea
- 1/2 tsp of honey
combine the ingredients while the green tea is still hot to make a thick paste. By using the mask warm you make it easier for your skin to absorb the nutrients. leave it on for 20-30 minutes and rinse off. apply moisturizer and your done!
enjoy and treat yourself from within and over.
“Happiness is not the absence of problems but the ability to deal with them.”
jam is just sugar and preservatives with a fruit flavor. check the label and you wont find any nutrition. (2% iron does not make up for the 17 grams of sugar!) 
fruit juice would be fairly healthy if there wasn't so much sugar in it, there's more sugar in one of those lunch-pack-size juice boxes then in a chocolate candy bar. there's also a high level of preservatives to keep the juice from going bad, after all, how long would an real orange last in your home? oh and even fruit juices labeled "no sugar added" or "100% juice" have added sugar in the form of fructose.
