Teatime Tuesday: It's Not Easy Being Green

Teatime Tuesday: 

It’s Not Easy Being Green

As the beverage of choice in America, coffee is consumed by 60-70% of the population, with tea a distant second. However, according to several studies, tea is gaining popularity for its health benefits and lower caffeine content. Black tea tends to be the most popular with robust, spicy chai tea gaining traction.

Green and white teas seem to be viewed as “relaxing” drinks, although some varieties of each have as much if not more caffeine than some black teas. Made from the same leaves as black tea: Camellia sinensis, green tea has not been subjected to withering and the oxidation process. No chemical changes occur during its manufacture.

Green teas are “initially processed by soaking in an alcohol solution, which may be further concentrated

to various levels.” (Wikipedia). Next comes a series of rollings and firings to shape and dry the leaves. Sometimes, the leaf is alternately rolled or shaped by hand, giving each tea its own characteristic appearance, and rolling and shaping often differs by country.” (The New Tea Companion; Jane Pettigrew).

A number of studies have been done to determine the health benefits, if any, of green tea and include:

• An increase of one cup per day has been correlated with a slightly lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
• Green tea consumption is has been noted to lower fasting blood sugars as well as decrease the blood concentration of total cholesterol.
• A study by the National Institute of Health showed a decrease in body weight, body mass index, and systolic blood pressure.

An interesting feature to tea (black, green, white, or other) is that the caffeine is metabolized slower and more “evenly” than coffee, providing a sort of “time-release” effect thought to last 4-6 hours rather than the “jolt” one gets from coffee.

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Love Under Construction

Can two stubborn people tear down the walls of independence to find love?

Nadine Krause took in boarders to help her family climb out of debt after her father’s death. Business has gone well, and she’s earned enough to expand the house. When her brother’s friend agrees to take the job - the only man in town willing to work for a woman - sparks fly. But not the good kind. Or are they?

Looking for something different, Leo Albrecht takes a project working for Nadine Krause, the spunky owner of Cocoaville’s favorite boarding house. An easy job. Then he manages to injure himself and needs her help to finish making it nearly impossible to ignore his growing attraction. Should he break his rule of not mixing work and his personal life?

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/47Gn0q

Photo credits:

Green Tea: Pixabay/Apple_Deng

Tea Drying: Courtesy tea101.com

Tea Leaves: Pixabay/Silke