TEA TYPE : GREEN TEA

Sweet, pine-scented mangoes are notoriously hard to skin and to pit. They contain a single hard flat seed surrounded by slippery flesh. To pit and slice a mango easily, try the "hedgehog method." Hold the mango with the seam along the stem parallel to the knife. Cut a hemisphere off of each side of the mango, about a quarter to a half inch to either side of the stem. Each hemisphere should then be scored with a knife in a grid-like pattern. Cut down to the skin, but not through it. Once scored, push firmly up on the middle of the skin side of the hemisphere with your fingers, while pushing down on the rim with your thumbs, turning the hemisphere inside out. At this point, a "hedgehog" shaped hemisphere with cubes of mango flesh should be sticking out of the inside-out skin. The cubes can be easily sliced off with a paring knife for no-mess mango pieces!

Green teas are well known for their high antioxidant levels and ability to arrest free radicals in our bodies. Green tea includes many kinds of antioxidant polyphenols, such as flavonoids, thearubigins, and epicatechins. The strongest antioxidant effects are often attributed to catechins, including EGCG which has received a great deal of media attention lately.

Recent epidemiological research strongly suggests that frequent green tea consumption reduces mortality, and studies have identified potential benefits in preventing ailments as diverse as tooth decay, cancer, and heart disease. Additionally, green tea includes L-theanine, a substance that has been shown to improve concentration and create a feeling of relaxation. Theanine is thought to counterbalance caffeine in tea and is often cited as a reason that tea may make one less jittery than coffee.