Green Tea Products Available

Green tea is fast becoming one of the most popular forms of dietary supplement available on the market today. Since not everyone can sit down and have a relaxing cup of green tea on a daily basis, the health industry has developed a number of green tea products that can make getting your daily dose of green tea that much easier.

1 Green Tea Extract: If you're looking for a concentrated green tea product that offers you a more potent amount of the antioxidants and other nutrients that green tea is known for, you can't go wrong with green tea extract. It usually comes in a concentrated liquid form, and can be added to everything from drinks, to bread, to a relaxing bath. It is a very versatile green tea product, but some would consider the taste of it a little too strong, so be sure to dilute it with each use.

2 Green Tea Diet Pills: One of the most popular uses for a green tea product is that of a dietary aid. It has been shown in a number of medical studies that certain properties of green tea can aid the body in burning more calories, and therefore aid in weight loss. Since not everyone has the time or inclination to drink a cup of green tea during the day, green tea diet pills might be a great alternative.

3 Green Tea Gum: Occasionally you come across people who enjoy chewing gum, and wish to obtain the health benefits of green tea while doing something enjoyable. For these people, a great choice of a green tea product would be green tea gum. This product is usually found in the dietary aid aisle of the grocery store, or perhaps behind the counter at your local health food supplier. In addition, for those who don't really enjoy the taste of green tea, this green tea product is often infused with other flavors such as mint or even strawberry.

4 Green Tea Mints: Of course, for those out there that want the convenience of green tea gum, but enjoy a harder form of candy, there is an alternative tea product. Green tea mints offer a great way to slowly ingest the beneficial properties of green tea. Remember, these are but a few of the different types of green tea product available today. Be sure to ask your pharmacist for what he or she recommends, and don't be afraid to do a little bit of research on your own into these types of products. You'll be glad you did.

Types of Green Tea

There are basically four different types of tea:white tea, green tea, oolong tea, and black tea. All tea comes from the the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal tea, or tisane, is not considered a true tea, because it does not come from the Camellia sinensis leaves and is instead made from various herbs which can be loosely described as dried flowers, roots, stems, leaves, or berries of various plants.

As all tea comes from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, white tea, green tea, oolong tea, and black tea are different because they are processed differently.

White Tea

White tea is made from tea leaf buds. Because it is minimally processed, it may exhibit potent disease-fighting potential. There is little research on its health effects. It also tends to be the most expensive type of tea.

Green Tea

To make green tea, the leaves are picked and preserved (usually by steaming or baking) to keep them from undergoing the process of fermentation (or oxidation). It is this lack of oxidation that makes green tea good for you. The green tea leaves keep the rich polyphenols that give green tea its antioxidant properties.

Oolong and Black Tea

Oolong and black tea are picked and exposed to the air for a period of time. During this period, the leaves ferment ( oxidize ). Oolong tea is exposed to the sun and allowed to partially ferment while black tea is fermented completely.

The process of fermentation slightly changes the essential chemical makeup of tea. The longer the leaves are allowed to ferment ( oxidize ), they have less antioxidant capabilities as well as higher caffeine. Generally, green tea has one-half to one-third the caffeine of black tea.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA, also known as degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease), is a clinical syndrome in which low-grade inflammation results in pain in the joints, caused by abnormal wearing of the cartilage that covers and acts as a cushion inside joints and destruction or decrease of synovial fluid that lubricates those joints. As the bone surfaces become less well protected by cartilage, the patient experiences pain upon weight bearing, including walking and standing. Due to decreased movement because of the pain, regional muscles may atrophy, and ligaments may become more lax. OA is the most common form of arthritis, and the leading cause of chronic disability in the United States.

"Osteoarthritis" is derived from the Greek word "osteo", meaning "of the bone", "arthro", meaning "joint", and "itis", meaning inflammation, although many sufferers have little or no inflammation. A common misconception is that OA is due solely to wear and tear, since OA typically is not present in younger people. However, while age is correlated with OA incidence, this correlation merely illustrates that OA is a process that takes time to develop. There is usually an underlying cause for OA, in which case it is described as secondary OA. If no underlying cause can be identified it is described as primary OA. "Degenerative arthritis" is often used as a synonym for OA, but the latter involves both degenerative and regenerative changes.

OA affects nearly 21 million people in the United States, accounting for 25% of visits to primary care physicians, and half of all NSAID (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) prescriptions. It is estimated that 80% of the population will have radiographic evidence of OA by age 65, although only 60% of those will show symptoms. In the United States, hospitalizations for osteoarthritis soared from about 322,000 in 1993 to 735,000 in 2006.