There is no such thing as a "miracle" weight loss food or drug - however there are many indications that Green Tea brings a number of benefits to those trying lose weight:

Studies have also shown green tea extracts are capable of reducing fat digestion by inhibiting digestive enzymes. Others have shown thermogenic properties of green tea (probably brought on by the interaction between its caffeine content, and catechin polyphenols)Thermogenesis is the process of the body burning fuel (fat) without making chemical energy (the calories are released as heat).

However if you are overweight or obese - and change nothing else in your life except to start drinking green tea - you are not going to have an instant weight loss miracle! But the benefits to your health are not to be sniffed at.

Combined with other weight loss techniques, Green Tea (drink or extract) is an excellent addition to your diet.

Follow these five easy steps to brew your favorite Chinese tea.

	Step 1: Place one tea spoon of your favorite tea into teapot.
	Step 2: Rinse your tea by pouring 1/2 cup of hot water over the leaves then immediately pouring it out of the pot.
	Step 3: Add appropriate amount of water according to the suggested temperature as above Tea Brewing Table.
	Step 4: Allow tea to brew for the suggested infusion time as above Tea Brewing Table.
	Step 5: Enjoy your tea.

Remember:

Use bottled, filtered or purified water for best result of tea. Chinese Tea is good for multiple infusions, meaning that you can use the same leaves while refilling your pot with hot water 3 or 4 times at the same sitting.

Tea Brewing Table:

Tea Type White Green Oolong Black Floral Water Temp (degree celcius) 75-85 65-80 80-95 90-100 75-85 Infusion Time (min) 2-3 1-3 3-5 3-5 2-3

Tea was already mentioned in Chinese Literature as far back as 2700BC.
500 AD Buddhist Monks took leaf tea to Japan. 621 AD Buddhism was declared the major religion and green tea became the nation’s drink. In the 17th Century, tea reached the European landmarks via the famous Dutch East Indian Line. Following that, the English established their East Indian Line and created a tea monopoly for many years.

Camellia sinensis, the common tea plant, was first cultivated in the 4th century CE, after wild specimens were brought to China from India. Actually an evergreen tree which may grow up to 50 feet, the domesticated plant is pruned to a bush like state and kept at a height of five feet. After three to five years of growth, its leaves may be harvested to make tea. Today, women constitute the majority of pickers, and there is no machine that can exceed the 60 to 70 pounds of leaves per day that an experienced worker can collect. 60 to 70 pounds of fresh leaves can be produced app. 20 pounds of dry tea, or 2800 cups of tea.

All classes of tea, apart from the Rooibos tea, which grows in South Africa, come from the same plant. Different classes of tea (e.g. Black tea, Green tea) are the result of differences in the tea manufacturing process, and not due to different types of tea plants. However, from experience, tea manufacturers have discovered that certain varieties, locations and seasons tend to produce tea plants, which produce better qualities of certain classes of tea.

Unlike coffee and soft drinks, tea is positively impacting us through better health and increased vitality.

Not only is tea soothing and delicious, but it is healthy too. Here are some benefits derived from the increase in consumption of teas:

• The antioxidants in tea help prevent cancers of the mouth, stomach, pancreas, lungs, esophagus, colon, breast and prostate.
• The antioxidants in a single cup of tea equal those in one serving of vegetables.
• Scientific information from the USDA points out that drinking one cup of tea could make a significant contribution to daily antioxidant intake, equivalent to approximately one serving of vegetables.
• Polyphenols, chemical components of tea, prevent both the growth of bacteria responsible for bad breath and the bacteria"s production of malodorous compounds.
• Studies have shown that black tea suppresses the growth of bacteria in dental plaque and that rinsing with black tea reduces plaque formation and the production of acids that cause tooth decay.
• In an experiment, people who drank five to six small cups of black tea daily for two weeks were better able to fight off bacterial infections, report the researchers in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
• EGCG is one of the most abundant and biologically active antioxidants found in tea. It is believed to be responsible for tea"s beneficial health effects. The compound is found in higher concentrations in green tea, the least processed of teas, than in black and oolong varieties.
• Eating well Magazine named tea "Beverage of the Year" for its health benefits and mass appeal to consumers searching for an alternative to soft drinks and coffee.

Did you know?

Tea:
- Contains one-third the caffeine of coffee and cola
- Helps reduce fatigue and maintains mental alertness - Stabilizes fluid levels
- Is fat free and calorie free
- Flavanoids in tea help prevent heart disease by reducing blood clotting, lowering blood pressure, and lowering cholesterol

With ever-increasing scientific evidence about the health benefits of tea, this humble beverage is destined to become the elixir of the future.

My Cup of Tea will be attending at the Montreal Gift Show from March 7 to March 10. We will be located in booth number 4683 and will be introducing our 2 new product line: Sakura and Santhé Tea bags.

Come visit us and we will inform you more on those great upcoming tea!

Anita Lee, famous MC & actress in Toronto, presents the modern tea ceremony on Ming Pao, a major newspaper for the Chinese community in Canada.

My Cup of Tea has created a special giftset that is dedicated to the Year of Tiger:

- 1 x GungFu Teapot
- 2 x Mini Teacups
- 1 x Testube of Jasmine pearl

This giftset is a limited edition and will be available starting in February, 2010

My Cup of Tea will participate in the Chinese New Year Flower & Gift Fair 2010

- Date: February 10 to 14, 2010
- Location: Aberdeen Centre
- Address: 4151 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond, BC

The booth will be located along the Food & Confections Hallway, Booth # 41




Emily (left side) and Cherry (right side)  will be presenting My Cup of Tea's products during the event.

The new Lychee Bloom was presented as a gift for the guess at a seminar organised by Professionals’ Fund Group.

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MCOT staff attended at la Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDP) to give out a brief tea tasting session for the staff members. Our staff diplayed a great variety of new products that was well suited for office tea drinkers and also introduced some great gift ideas for the holiday season.

Ref : http://www.yelp.ca/biz/my-cup-of-tea-montreal

Wow... this is an adorable tea shop in the middle of Chinatown.  I'm used to someplace a little more simple with less finesse and flair, but I was quite happy to find such an upscale little boutique in the midst of it all.  We walked in and found the decor to be quite relaxing and pleasing to the eyes.  We saw little touches everywhere, which made us smile.  They had little chinese zodiac characters here and there along with other cute decorative touches.  They also had plenty of nice tea sets along the walls.

A couple of people happened to be in the back brewing up some iced tea (the owner was there I believe) and were more than happy to share their tips with us on the perfect iced tea at home.  Also they brewed up some combinations to show us the versatility of mixing loose teas with rose buds.  We learned that they try to educate each customer about the importance of using tea made without using chemicals in either the tea or the tea bags.  

Also the gentleman told us that his father was a well-respected Chinese doctor and that his goal was to show how tea can offer something that tastes good and is healthy at the same time.  To balance the traditional aspect of tea with it's modern aspect.  I found him to be very fascinating and eager to tell us about his vision.  He even offered for us to come back in a few hours to try the iced tea, but we were locked up in a church by that point.    

I would highly recommend this shop to any locals who are interested in exploring the complexities of tea or tourists (like us) who love tea and are always looking to find the best quality product possible.  The brand has some amazing visuals and marketing going for it, and I see a beautiful future ahead.  My favorite part about this brand?  They do everything they can to educate the consumer and are always striving to bring quality products to us (including house blends).