Green Tea Day #1!

Recognized as an antioxidant-rich and anti-aging phenomenon, green tea is a very popular drink among the health conscious. Researches have shown evidence suggesting that regular green tea consumption can lower the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancers. Here you will find some surprising alternative uses for green tea that may make you very happy...

Helping weight loss

Get your daily dose of green tea! Studies show that catechins in tea significantly decrease body weight as well as maintain body weight after a period of weight loss.

Dark circles and puffy eyes

Use 2 bags to make your regular green tea. Let tea bags cool and place one over each closed eye. Tannins in green tea are an astringent and are able to shrink living tissue. The tea bags can also reduce swelling and tighten the skin around the eyes by reducing the dilation of the blood vessels under them.

Irritation and redness relief

Steep a few bags of green tea in boiling water. Allow it to cool and immerse a washcloth in the water. Squeeze the washcloth of excess liquid and use it to pat irritated or red skin. Anti-inflammatory properties will help to reduce symptoms.

Facial scrub

Add some water and white sugar to green tea creating an exfoliating paste, and use it in a facial scrub. Green tea’s skin-tightening ability will give you a smooth finish.

Keep your teeth healthy

Drink one cup of unsweetened green tea daily to increase teeth health. Studies show that antimicrobial molecules called catechins are the reason for this result. If you do not like the taste of the tea, you can also try a green tea infused toothpaste.

Storing root vegetables

Keep them in an open basket, in a cool and dry place (away from light and the oven). They will last approximately a month (baby potatoes only about 10 days).

Storing berries, citrus and grapes

Store in the refrigerator to keep fresh for up to 2 weeks. Find below a few additional tips for each of them:
• Grapes: store in plastic bags and do not wash until you are ready to eat them!
• Citrus: if you decide to store at room temperature, they will be fresh for about 1 week only. They still last longer than most other fruits because of their hard skin. Meyer lemons and limes have a shorter life and should go straight to the refrigerator.
• Berries: their real life time will depend on the variety (blueberries will stay fresh the longest). Do not wash until you are ready to eat them! The dusty covering you see on berries is a natural preservative that keeps them fresh.