Cammellia sinensis

Green Tea drinking in some Asian countries has evolved into quite a delicate art, much as wine sampling or tasting has done in France. There are connoisseurs of finely brewed tea, who can tell what type of water was used, what kind of utensils were involved and the approximate conditions under which a particular tea is made. In mainland China, some teas are so incredibly strong to the palate that they"re served in (literally) thimble-sized cups. Black and green teas both contain caffeine (1-5%). Since caffeine constricts the blood vessels in the head, it"s able to calm the pain caused when they throb and swell.

University of California scientists have discovered that tea drinkers experience a lot less hardening of the arteries than coffee drinkers do. It seems that the caffeine in coffee is bound with some heavy oils, which tend to elevate serum cholesterol levels quite a bit. But not so with either dark or green teas. In fact, it"s believed that the caffeine content in both teas may actually help to cut cholesterol somewhat. Besides this, the tea"s polyphenols act in concert with the vitamins C and P present, helping to strengthen the blood vessel walls of the heart.