17 Oct 2011 - posted by Michelle

Michelle from Stir Tea here.  Thanks for your interest in receiving our tea news and special offers.

In this issue:

1.    Green Tea and Weight Loss

2.    Tea Recipe – Green Tea, Pear and Almond Smoothie

3.    Tea Superstition – Expect a Visitor

4.    Stir Tea – Introducing our new blends for Spring

5.    Special Offer – Win a copy of the Book, Tea - Recipes for Health, Wellbeing and Taste.

Happy tea drinking,  Regards Michelle  (full contact details at the bottom of this issue).

1. Green Tea and Weight Loss

October is that time of year when many of us think about shedding those extra winter kilograms as we transition from comfort foods to lighter fare.

At Stir Tea we are often asked whether drinking green tea will aid weight loss.

What the studies show:

Preliminary research suggests that drinking green tea may have an effect on body weight and fat accumulation. Key findings in two studies include:

• A 1999 study found that green tea extract was found to significantly increase 24 hour energy expenditure and fat oxidation in healthy men. (ref 1)

• Another study in 2002 showed that after 3 months consumption of green tea extract by moderately obese patients, body weight decreased by 4.60% and waist circumference decreased by 4.48%. (ref 2).

It is suggested that you need to be drinking around 5 cups of green tea per day to achieve weight loss results, complemented by sound nutrition and regular exercise.

We are very aware that other studies caution against the excessive use of green tea extract due to the possibility of increased toxicity in your body and the potential to interact with prescription drugs.  Extreme outcomes can be associated with extreme use – we recommend a common sense, balanced  approach to this and discussion with your doctor if you are under their care.

The recommended daily fluid intake for a healthy lifestyle is 8 cups of fluid – the great news is that each cup of antioxidant rich green tea counts toward this.

Contrary to rumour, green tea does contain caffeine.  If you increase your tea drinking then we suggest you are mindful of how this might affect your sleeping habits and consider not drinking in the few hours before bedtime.  If you have a caffeine intolerance of any kind then avoid tea and try our caffeine free herbal and fruit blends instead.

If you have tried green tea before and found it bitter then maybe your water was too hot.  Try brewing it with water that is just below the boil (bubbles just starting to break the surface of the water). Alternatively you may just not have found the right green tea yet. There is a significant difference between the processing and taste of Japanese green teas and Chinese green teas – taste the difference in our green tea variety packs, a great way to try six different flavours.

2. Recipe:  Green Tea, Pear and Almond Smoothie

We want you to enjoy our tea down to the last drop. Next time you have some brewed green tea liquor left over, set it aside to use as a replacement for the milk in your breakfast, lunch or post gym workout smoothie. See this recipe for a satisfying and sustaining Green Tea, Pear and Almond Smoothie.

3. Tea Superstition – Expect a Visitor

The following superstition is one that I grew up with - I thought everyone did. Recently after being poured a cup of tea by an avid foodie, I was asked to explain what I was doing. It is time to share ......

Sometimes when brewing loose leaf tea a single piece of stalk may float to the top of your cup. Superstition suggests that this means you should expect a visitor. Soft stalk represents a woman’s arrival while a woody stalk symbolizes a male guest (the length of the stalk will indicate a tall or short visitor).

As a child I was always told to remove the floating stalk with a teaspoon and place it on the back of your left fist. Tap that hand with the other hand while saying out loud the days of the week. The day of the week that the stalk falls off the hand is the day you should expect your visitor to call – now you know, get the jug on!

4. Stir Tea New Blends

Over winter we have been developing some new blends for you. Our spring 2011 releases are now on our website and include: 

Black Teas Blends:

•Masala chai (pictured) – an aromatic blend of spices and black tea

•Fruit salad black – a new favourite for many – black tea with the flavours of pineapple, strawberry and banana

•Vanilla black – a classic blend you have been requesting for some time.

Single Estate Black Tea:

•Ceylon orange pekoe - a large, flavoursome, bold leaf.

Green Tea:

•Green tea lemon – a great combination of green tea, lemon peel and lemon verbena.

Herbals and Fruits:

•Coconut lavender rooibos – an exotic, caffeine free blend.

With all orders placed during October we shall enclose a sample of one of these new blends for you to try based on your ordering history.

5. Stir Tea Special Offer and Parting Thought:

Win a copy of this book:

All subscribers to our online newsletter will go in a draw to win one copy of Margaret Roberts book:

Tea – Recipes for Heath, Wellbeing and Taste. 

If you have received this newsletter from us then you are already in the draw for this book. If you have not then make sure you visit our website and sign up by the end of October. We shall draw the winner on November 1st and contact them by email and phone.

Take a look at our new website:

We have updated our website and added some new features including the search function you asked for (thanks for your suggestions). Take a look here.

Parting thought:

Remember as we celebrate spring and the weather is a little unsettled:

“Tea to the English is really a picnic indoors” (Alice Walker)

Until next time, wishing you a fine measure of tea and many happy picnics.

Kind Regards, Michelle

Green Tea Study References:

(1)    Dulloo AG, Duret C, Rohrer D, Girardier L, Mensi N, Fathi M, Chantre P, Vandermander J. Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin Polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidisation in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Dec;70(6):1040-5

(2)    Chantre P, Lairon D. Recent findings of green tea extract AR25 (Exolise) and its activity for the treatment of obesity. Phytomedicine 2002;9(1):3-8

Michelle Casson
Director, Tea Global Ltd
P O Box 1157, Queenstown 9348, New Zealand

Phone:      +64 3 442 9033
Facsimile: +64 3 442 9324
Cellphone:  021 287 6383
Email:        info@stirtea.co.nz
Website:    www.stirtea.co.nz