Tea Processing: White, Green, Black

Producing tea is all about oxidation.  White tea has little or no oxidation and Black tea has a lot of oxidation of the tea leaves.  In the middle we have yellow and green tea.  The provenance of the tea will effect flavour but also the processing....

White Tea:

Hardly any processing and no heat. White tea differs principally from green teas in that the white tea process does not incorporate any steaming or pan-firing. The name comes from the silver needle white teas that are used to produce the leaves. The tea plant is called "chaicha". The leaves are thinner and smaller and have a silvery-white down.

The flavour is described, typically as delicate with a lingering floral fragrance and a fresh, mellow, sweet taste with no astringency and grassy flavours.

Yellow Tea:

Yellow tea is partially oxidised tea leaves with some mild steaming involved. During the processing the chlorophyll is broken down and partly oxidized. The taste of yellow tea is somewhat milder, and described as being somewhere between white tea and green tea. The aroma is described as flowery and fresh.

Green Tea:

Tea is first plucked from the stem, two leaves and a bud.
the leaves are then cleaned and dried and often steamed for less than one minute in large vats. This is kills enzymes that may initiate or cause oxidation. 
The leaves are then kneaded by hand, piled and dried for about ten hours during which time it is constantly turned. 
The leaves are then pan fired and this stops the oxidation process for good. Typical flavour descriptors include: sweet, bittersweet, nutty, vegetal, buttery, floral and fruity.

Black Tea:

The final black tea that we buy is a highly oxidised product. The polyphenolics that were green have effectively been oxidised (like Iron and rust!) and are now darker and often a black/brown colour.

There is a critical withering part of the process where the leaves withered and rolled this process bruises the leaves and lets the chemicals in the leaves mix which initiates the oxidation process . The leaves are then separated by a roll breaker to allow for the full oxidation of the tea leaves. This process goes on for several hours while the leaves are spread out in a cool place. Drying / Pan Firing then stops the process. The leaves can then be sized, sorted and blended accordingly. Taste profiles of black tea are varied but really are an extension of the green tea flavour with more astringent and cooked notes reflecting the extra oxidation.

Why Diets don't Generally Work

Why Diets don't Generally Work

1. Companies Lie:

Many claims made by weight-loss programs are not truthful. Adverts maybe filled with testimonials about X Kgs of weight that are lost taking product Y. If it sounds too good to be true...it usually is.

2. Diet plans that focus on a Single food are normally not healthy:
Remember the grapefruit diet? Me neither.

It's a good idea to eat a well balanced diet so that you can maintain vitamin and mineral levels. Far better to focus on a holistic approach which includes a healthy lifestyle (exercise etc.) and healthy eating. Common sense tell us that eating one food type is probably not a good idea, either from a health point of view or a weight loss point of view.

3. Magic pills can sometimes be magically dangerous:
The Chinese herb ma huang was banned by the Food and Drug Administration in April 2004 after causing more than 100 deaths between 1993 and 2000, as well as more than 900 adverse reactions. There are more examples and the less said about this the better. Beware.

4. Open wallet surgery:
Losing weight is hardwork. To paraphrase an old saying: "staying or getting fit is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration".

The weight-loss industry is a big money spinner with an estimated $60 billion spent on weight loss potions between 2008 and 2009. With obesity levels on the increase there is an ever bulging demand with unscrupulous companies eager to help you part with your money. Again, beware!

5. Boot camps work for a short period of time:
The no pain, no gain mentality works when you have highly motivated trainers and you are in an environment which encourages weight loss. However, at some point you have to return to normal "civilian" life. With no protection from the boot camp and with all the worldly temptations around you participants in boot camps soon return to the same old habits that contributed to the weight gain in the first place. If you lose weight quickly you usually gain it again quickly.

6. Open Wallet Surgery part II:
Weight loss surgery is on the increase and is expensive. A gastric bypass operation reduces the size of your stomach so fewer calories are absorbed. These procedures can be dangerous: According to the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, the mortality rate for gastric bypass is 1 in every 1,000 patients. Also a number of complications can occur including abdominal infection and gallstones.

Remember too that surgery of this nature can limit calcium absorption by the body. So, yes this may work but there can be consequences.

7. Go Light!:
Low-calorie foods and beverages are on the increase. But people are getting heavier. I am doing the arithmetic here and something does not add up.

Some products are being economical with the truth about their ingredients. Low fat products are products that have Fat removed which is true...but you have to replace the fat with something. From a product design point of view there are normally a couple of ways of doing this: 1. With air; 2. With water; 3. With carbohydrates.

So, calorifically the product may have the same or even more calories than full-fat versions.

TRANS FATS REDUX

"A study by researchers at the University of North Carolina found that women whose diets were high in trans fats had a 66% higher risk of ischemic stroke (blood clots in vessels supplying blood to the brain) than those whose diets were the lowest in trans fats." So, what are Trans Fats and how can you help your diet?


What are Trans Fats?
Trans fats (or trans fatty acids) are created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid.  Another name for trans fats is “partially hydrogenated oils."  Look for them on the ingredient list on food packages.

Why do Companies use Trans Fats?
Companies like using trans fats in their foods because they’re easy to use, inexpensive to produce and last a long time.  Trans fats give foods a desirable taste and texture.  Many restaurants and fast-food outlets use trans fats to deep-fry foods because oils with trans fats can be used many times in commercial fryers.  The subtle difference between Trans and Cis is the positioning of the atoms in the chain.  Although the atoms are the same the spatial arrangement is different and this imparts very different physical characteristics.

How do Trans Fats affect health?
Trans fats raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels.  Eatingtrans fats increases your risk of developing heart disease and stroke.  It’s also associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.


Where are Trans Fats found?
Trans fats can be found in many foods – but especially in fried foods like French fries/chips, doughnuts, and baked goods including pastries, pie crusts, biscuits, pizza dough, cookies, crackers, and stick margarines and shortenings.  You can determine the amount of trans fats in a particular packaged food by looking at the Ingredients/Nutrition panel.  Look for ingredients referred to as “partially hydrogenated oils.”


References:
American Heart Association
Nutrition Dr.
HelpingYouCare
 

Serotonin & Stress

Taken from WEBMD:

1. What is serotonin?

Serotonin is as a neurotransmitter, a type of chemical that helps relay signals from one area of the brain to another. Serotonin is manufactured in the brain, but the majority of it is found in the digestive tract and in blood platelets.

2. How is serotonin made?

Serotonin is made via a biochemical conversion process. A protein called Tryptophan is the starting material  and combines with an enzyme - tryptophan hydroxylase - which forms 5-hydroxytryptamine, otherwise known as serotonin.

3. What role does serotonin play in our health?

Serotonin helps to relay messages in the brain.  It is believed to influence a variety of psychological and other body functions. Most of our brain cells are influenced one way or another by serotonin. 

In terms of our body function, serotonin can also affect the functioning of our cardiovascular system, muscles, and various elements in the endocrine system.

4. What is the link between serotonin and depression?

An imbalance in serotonin levels may influence mood in a way that leads to depression. 

One theory about how depression develops centers on the regeneration of brain cells -- a process that some believe is mediated by serotonin, and ongoing throughout our lives. According to Princeton neuroscientist Barry Jacobs, PhD, depression may occur when there is a suppression of new brain cells and that stress is the most important precipitator of depression.   At the time of writing there is no way to measure the levels of serotonin in the living brain.  Blood levels of serotonin are measurable -- and have been shown to be lower in people who suffer from depression.

5. Can diet influence our supply of serotonin?

There are foods and some nutrients that can increase levels of tryptophan, the amino acid from which serotonin is made.

6. Can exercise boost serotonin levels?

Exercise can do a lot to improve your mood -- and across the board, studies have shown that regular exercise can be as effective a treatment for depression as antidepressant medication or psychotherapy.

7. Do men and women have the same amount of serotonin -- and does it act the same way in their brain and body?

Studies show that men do have slightly more serotonin than women, but the difference is thought to be negligible.

8. Since both dementia and Alzheimer's disease are brain-related conditions, does serotonin play a role in either problem?

In much the same way that we lose bone mass as we age, some researchers believe that the activity of neurotransmitters also slows down as part of the aging process. In one international study published in 2006, doctors from several research centers around the world noted a serotonin deficiency in brains of deceased Alzheimer's patients.

9. What is serotonin syndrome -- and is it common or dangerous?

SSRI antidepressants are generally considered safe. However, a rare side effect of SSRIs called serotonin syndrome can occur when levels of this neurochemical in the brain rise too high. It happens most often when two or more drugs that affect serotonin levels are used simultaneously. For example, if you are taking a category of migraine medicines called triptans, at the same time you are taking an SSRI drug for depression, the end result can be a serotonin overload.

MAHATMA GANDHI's thoughts...Take note!

The World is big enough for everyone’s needs – but it is too small for the GREED of some!

MAHATMA GANDHI

El mundo es suficientemente grande para satisfacer las necesidades de todos, pero siempre sera demasiado pequeño para satisfacer la avaricia de algunos.

Tea Pouring - Gold medalist

Check this video out....this guy has reinvented the rules on tea pouring....

TEA POURING

Glycemic Index Explained

Glycemic Index (GI) is simply a tool that helps us differentiate between the carbohydrates in foods that we eat and how our bodies use them.  Recently, we posted a few articles on weight control on our sister blog and GI came up quite a bit so here is the explanation with the help of GI symbol website in Australia.

• Carbohydrates with a low GI (55 or less) don't make our blood glucose levels rise very high for very long. They provide sustained energy.
• Carbohydrates with a high GI (70 or more) are the ones that cause our blood glucose levels to go higher for longer. High blood glucose may cause damage to vital organs.

Reference: Check out this website which we copied for this blog and where there is more excellent information on GI.

CD11b Expression and the Innate Immune System

Why CD11b is important in Immunity: (Ref: Novus Biologicals)

CD11b is an integrin - Integrins are receptors that mediate attachment between a cell and the tissues surrounding it.
CD11b is expressed on the surface of many leukocytes including monocytes, neutrophils, natural killer cells, granulocytes and macrophages, as well as on 8% of spleen cells and 44% of bone marrow cells.
Functionally, CD11b regulates leukocyte adhesion and migration to mediate the inflammatory response.
CD11b antibody studies have shown the protein to be directly involved in cellular adhesion, although migration can only take place in the presence of the CD18 subunit.
As well as playing a role in various adhesion reactions, CD11b is a receptor for complement C3bi, mediating complement-coated particle uptake. Research using CD11b antibodies has identified CD11b as a receptor for fibrinogen gamma chain peptides, factor X and ICAM1, with possible roles in cell-mediated cytotoxicity, chemotaxis and phagocytosis.
Until recently, mouse CD11b expression had only been reported in detail for neutrophils and monocytes. In 2005, Kawai et al. undertook a CD11b antibody study to clarify CD11b function in B cells. Flow cytometry was used to isolate peripheral CD19+ B cells, and their migratory function was verified via transwell assays. Using CD11b antibody preparations, the contribution of Cd11b to migratory ability was then determined. It was seen that naïve B cells had little migratory capability and were CD11b negative. Memory B cells, however, had a high degree of motility and expressed CD11b. Given these findings, the authors suggested that CD11b plays an essential role in memory cell migration.

Nk Cells - Natural Killers

See Science Daily for their definition and explanation of Nk Cells.

Key points:

• NK cells play a major role in the elimination of both tumours and virally infected cells.
• NK cells are cytotoxic; small granules in their cytoplasm contain special proteins such as perforin and proteases known as granzymes.  Granzymes are enzymes that break down proteins and are released by natural killer cells. Their purpose is to induce cell-death within virus-infected cells, thus destroying them.
• Upon release in close proximity to a cell slated for killing, perforin forms pores in the cell membrane of the target cell through which the granzymes and associated molecules can enter, inducing cell-death (apoptosis).
• The distinction between apoptosis and cell lysis is important in immunology - lysing a virus-infected cell would only release the virions, whereas apoptosis leads to destruction of the virus inside. NK cells are activated in response to interferons or macrophage-derived cytokines.

Check the video out on NK cells

A small fraction (~2%) of the lymphocytes circulating in the blood are neither T cells nor B cells.  Most of these are called natural killer (NK) cells because they are already specialized to kill certain types of target cells, especially

• host cells that have become infected with virus;

• host cells that have become cancerous.

Advice to writers of blogs, articles and books

From WORLD WIDE WORDS (Issue 763 Sat 19 Nov).
Let your conversation possess a clarified conciseness, 
   compacted comprehensibleness, coalescent consistency, and 
   a concatenated cogency. Eschew all conglomerations of 
   flatulent garrulity, jejune babblement, and asinine 
   affectations. Let your extemporaneous descantings and 
   unpremeditated expatiations have intelligibility, without 
   rhodomontade or thrasonical bombast. Sedulously avoid all 
   polysyllabical profundity, pompous prolixity, and 
   ventriloquial vapidity. Shun double-entendre and prurient 
   jocosity, whether obscure or apparent. In other words, 
   speak truthfully, naturally, clearly, purely, but do not 
   use large words.
   [Notes and Queries, 11 Feb. 1893.]

Sugar, Fat & Insulin

Insulin (from HowStuffWorks)

When you eat a meal, the presence of sugars, amino acids or fatty acids in the intestine stimulates the pancreas to secrete a hormone called insulin. 

Insulin tells the cells to do the following:

• Absorb glucose, fatty acids and amino acids.
• Stop breaking down glucose, fatty acids and amino acids; glycogen into glucose; fats into fatty acids and glycerol; and proteins into amino acids.
• Start building glycogen from glucose; fats (triglycerides) from glycerol and fatty acids; and proteins from amino acids.

The activity of lipoprotein lipases depends upon the levels of insulin in the body. If insulin is high, then the lipases are highly active; if insulin is low, the lipases are inactive.  This means that Fat will potentially build up!

The fatty acids are then absorbed from the blood into fat cells, muscle cells and liver cells. In these cells, under stimulation by insulin, fatty acids are made into fat molecules and stored as fat droplets.

Fat cells can absorb glucose and amino acids from the bloodstream after a meal, and convert those into fat molecules. 

The conversion of carbohydrates or protein into fat is 10 times less efficient than simply storing fat in a fat cell, but the body can do it. If you have  just 100 extra calories in fat (about 11 grams) floating in your bloodstream, fat cells can store it using only 2.5 calories of energy. On the other hand, if you have 100 extra calories in glucose (about 25 grams) floating in your bloodstream, it takes 23 calories of energy to convert the glucose into fat and then store it. Given a choice, a fat cell will grab the fat and store it rather than the carbohydrates because fat is so much easier to store.

How nerves work part 1

Cholinesterases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine into choline and acetic acid.
This reaction necessary to allow a neuron to return to its resting state after activation.

Acetylcholine was the first neurotransmitter be be identified. It was discovered by Henry Hallett Dale in 1914 and its existence was later confirmed by Otto Loewi. Both individuals were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine in 1936 for their discovery.

The development of acetylcholinesterase (AChe) inhibitor drugs has followed the finding that pathways in the cerebral cortex and basal forebrain are compromised in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). 


There is a resultant cholinergic deficit which contributes to the cognitive impairment of patients with this disease.  

An interesting article can be found on "How Stuff Works" about how Acetycholine receptors work (and how nicotine is implicated in this process).


Although many believe this ‘cholinergic hypothesis’ to be important, others feel it represents a less significant component of the disease process. Many other neurotransmitters are affected in AD, and the relative importance of each in relation to clinical findings has not been fully elucidated.

Heart Warming Terms

More evidence about traditional ingredients and their positive effects on health is gathering.  Here at InnOrbit we thought we'd update you on a couple of terms we've seen recently which may help in understanding.

Cardiac Hypertrophy:


Cardiac hypertrophy is a thickening of the heart muscle (myocardium) which results in a decrease in size of the chamber of the heart, including the left and right ventricles. A common cause of cardiac hypertrophy is high blood pressure (hypertension).


Telomere:

A telomere is a region of repetitive DNA sequences at the end of a chromosome, which protects the end of the chromosome from deterioration. The telomere regions deter the degradation of genes.

Telomere Attrition:
Telomeres–the terminal caps of chromosomes–become shorter as individuals age. There is significant interest in determining what causes telomere "attrition" or shortening since this process may play a role in biological aging. One hypothesis is that telomere attrition is due to inflammation, exposure to infectious agents, and other types of oxidative stress, which damage telomeres and impair their repair mechanisms.


Cardiac Mycocyte Apoptosis:  
Mycocytes: There is a portion of the heart muscle known as the SA Node.  This is located in the right atrium of the heart. It is made up of a group of cells (myocytes) positioned on the wall of the right atrium, at the center of the heart and near the entrance of the superior vena cava. These cells contract at a rate of about 70-80 times per minute, which make up the natural heart beat.
Myocyte apoptosis may be a causal mechanism of heart failure.  Remember Apoptosis is programmed cell death - sometimes this is a good thing (e.g. differentiation of cells) and sometimes bad.

InnOrbit drinks still Helping with Sport & Energy:

NO - Molecule of the year 1992 - they're having a laugh?

Each year Science, the prestigious science journal, awards a prize for the most significant development in scientific research. Originating in 1989 as the Molecule of the Year.

In 1992 Nitric Oxide (No, not laughing gas - that's Nitrous oxide N₂O) was awarded the prize.  So what's the fuss about Nitric Oxide.  Turns out it is produced in the body during biochemical processes in extremely small amounts but can be detected by cells and cell recognition processes to initiate and control important interactions - that is - an important cellular messenger molecule.  And it's important in maintaining the human species!

Some interesting and relevant functions

• Nitric oxide is also known as the endothelium-derived relaxing factor, or EDRF. The endothelium (inner lining) of blood vessels uses nitric oxide to signal the surrounding smooth muscle to relax, thus resulting in vasodilation and increasing blood flow.
• Nitric oxide (NO) inhibits vascular smooth muscle contraction and growth, platelet aggregation, and leukocyte adhesion to the endothelium. Humans with atherosclerosis, diabetes, or hypertension often show impaired NO pathways.
• Nitric oxide is also generated by monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils as part of the human immune response. 
• Nitric oxide secreted as an immune response is toxic to bacteria.  In response, however, many bacterial pathogens have evolved mechanisms for nitric oxide resistance. 
•  Nitric oxide may serve as an indicator for inflammation in conditions such as asthma. There has been increasing interest in the use of exhaled nitric oxide as a breath test in diseases with airway inflammation. 
• Reduced levels of exhaled NO have been associated with exposure to air pollution.
• Nitric oxide is elevated in populations living at high altitudes, which helps to avoid inadequate oxygen supply by aiding the cells in the lungs to dilate.

Check out this article HERE on how Nitric Oxide can be used to deliver more oxygen in the blood to tissue.

Materiabio: for Health and Vitality / Para Salud y Vitalidad

Hoy he visitado Materiabio en la Roca del Vallés.

La propietaria, Eva-Ruth González, no es sólo una entusiasta de las terapias naturales, sino también una experta en cómo el cuerpo reacciona ante las emociones. Eva-Ruth incluso ha creado un tratamiento novedoso llamado Terapia de alineación emocional (TAE) que centra la atención en cómo el cuerpo reacciona ante ciertos tipos de estrés y emociones. Su conclusión es que mente, cuerpo y emociones pueden ser tratados como un todo y que cada persona puede recibir una ayuda personalizada.

 Eva-Ruth utiliza determinados aceites esenciales sobre puntos concretos del cuerpo para desbloquear y reequilibrar a 3 niveles: emocional, físico y energético.

Tiene la suficiente información y pruebas como para explicarme cómo, gracias a su sistema único y novedoso, es posible sentirse en paz con uno mismo, y que las emociones y la mente pueden ser alineadas correctamente para poder vivir en armonía con nosotros mismos.

En su herboristería, Materiabio, en La Roca del Vallés- también pude ver una gran variedad de productos altamente nutritivos hechos con ingredientes tradicionales y naturales. Estos productos pueden ayudar a mantenerse sanos y a tratar una variedad de afecciones y desórdenes, gracias al consejo del experimentado equipo de Materiabio. El establecimiento está bien surtido de productos como aceites esenciales y tratamientos florales (Flores de Bach), entre otros.

"Materiabio también ha escogido las bebidas ayurvédicas de InnOrbit, y una selección y muestras de bebidas están ya disponibles"

Connect with InnOrbit on Facebook!

Today I visited Materiabio in Roca de Vallés.  

The owner, Eva-Ruth Gonzalez, is not only an enthusiastic practitioner of natural therapies but also an expert in how the body reacts to emotion.  Eva-Ruth has even developed a novel treatment called Emotional Alineation Therapy that taps into how the body reacts to certain types of stresses and emotions.  Her conclusion was that the mind, body and emotions can be treated as an integrated one and that every person can be helped in this respect on an individual basis.

Eva-Ruth uses determined essential oils on certain points of the body to unblock and re-equilibrate on 3 levels – emotional, physical and energetic.

She had plenty of evidence to tell me how, using her unique and novel system, it is possible to feel at one and that emotions and mind can be aligned correctly and we can learn to live in harmony with ourselves.

In her herbalist, Materiabio in Rocal Vallés, I also saw a wide range of highly nutritional products made with traditional and natural ingredients.  With advice from the team at Materiabio these products can be used to stay healthy and to treat a variety of ailments and conditions.  The shop is well-stocked with products like essential oils and flower remedies (Bach Flowers), amongst others.

Materiabio have also kindly selected InnOrbit ayurvedic drinks and a selection of drinks and samples are currently available.

Understanding some Heart changing terms

We recently have written articles about research taking place on the cardiovascular improving properties of certain traditional ingredients.  Traditional ingredients like Cardamom, amongst others, are key ingredients in the Ayurvedic beverages produced by InnOrbit and can have positive health benefits on heart and blood health.

There are a couple of terms that probably need some extra explanation and that are implicated in Cardiovascular health.


1. Fibrinogen is explained very well by Dr Jeremy Kaslow here and summarised below:

Fibrinogen is:

• a protein found in the blood that plays a key role in clotting.  
• a sticky coagulant that appears to significantly increase the risk of experiencing one of the leading causes of death and disability - stroke.
• a powerful predictor of a "stroke" (when measured in the blood).

"Fibrinogen's association with increased mortality is probably directly related to its ability to promote thromboses, or clots, by causing platelets to clump inside blood vessels.  This is one of the main mechanisms underlying ischemia and heart attack. Exercise, quitting smoking, and certain medications have been shown to lower fibrinogen in the short term." Dr J. Kaslow

2. Fibrinolysis is the  the process by which a fibrin clot (the product of coagulation) is broken down. The enzyme plasmin hydrolyses the fibrin mesh at various places, leading to the production of circulating fragments that are cleaved by other proteases and eliminated.

Fibrinolytic drugs are often given after a heart attack to dissolve the plaque blocking the coronary artery.

Antifibrinolytics, such as aminocaproic acid (ε-aminocaproic acid) and tranexamic acid are used as inhibitors of fibrinolysis. Their application may be beneficial in patients with hyperfibrinolysis because they arrest bleeding rapidly if the other components of the haemostatic system are not severely affected.

"There are a number of assay for measuring fibrinogen levels in plasma  although in practice most laboratories use the Clauss method - A functional assay based upon the time for fibrin clot formation"

Check out the excellent Khan Academy tutorial on how the heart works and how heart attacks and heart failure occurs...at THIS LINK.

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InnOrbit tries its Best to add value to the Small Family Farmers we buy our Herbs and Spices from …


They work hard and often its the younger members of the family who may suffer with a lack of a good education.




How:  Through sales of InnOrbit drinks and products we sponsor girls through 10 years of education.

If you would like to learn more, or can help us to place these young girls in schools any quicker, please contact us via the founder of InnOrbit:  Ketan Joshi at  Ketan@InnOrbit.com.

Alternatively, buy our products and tell your friends and families of these products so they too will want to buy them … and with everyone buying these products, we will be able to add more and more girls to our cause faster …

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