HEALTH BENEFITS OF GREEN TEA 1

What are The Health Benefits of Green Tea?

Topic Development Assessment
Alison Nielsen










UL100B: Information Literacy and Technology
Fall 2014









HEALTH BENEFITS OF GREEN TEA 2

What are the Health Benefits of Green Tea?
Topic Overview
Green tea comes from the camellia sinensis plant, a shrub home to China and India. This
shrub is a type of evergreen bush that thrives on cool mountainsides, and it can only be picked
four to five times a year. The camellia sinensis plant was first documented about in 1766 BC
when the Chinese began to use the shrub for herbal remedies and for medical reasons. The
Chinese boiled tealeaves, along with other plants, seeds, and various kinds tree bark to make
these remedies. This herbal remedy usage varied from monks using them to stay awake during
meditation to overall rejuvenation of the body. Throughout its years, especially in 1122 BC, tea
started to be thought of as an enjoyable drink, rather than a medical mixture. From then on,
through various marriages and trade deals, tea began to flourish throughout Asia, Europe, and
then finally, the Americas.
While tea spread to places all around the globe, China, and many other countries, were
coming up with different types of tea. Today, the five main types of tea are white, green, oolong,
black, and pu erh. These different types of tea all come from the camellia sinensis plant; they just
vary in leaf drying, rolling, baking, and steaming time and in spices added to them. Specifically,
green tea is first picked, then left to dry for only a short time (to prevent oxidation so green tea
will keep its green color), and then is cut, steamed, and sent through the rest of the usual
manufacturing process.
Green tea has many health benefits. It is often referred to as an antioxidant and anticancer
agent. Many cancers and diseases have been reduced with green tea, and there are still many
other studies being done as to what else green tea can do. Although there are many positives with
HEALTH BENEFITS OF GREEN TEA 3
green tea, there are also risks. Green tea does have caffeine in it, which does affect many people
prone to kidney inflation, insomnia, cardiovascular disease, and many others.

Works Cited
Green tea. (2010). In Mosby's handbook of herbs & natural supplements. Retrieved from
http://search.credoreference.com.emporiastate.idm.oclc.org/content/entry/ehsmosbyherbs
/green_tea/0.
Heiss M. L., & Heiss R. J. (2007) The Story of Tea A Cultural History and Drinking Guide.
Berkeley: Ten Speed Press.





HEALTH BENEFITS OF GREEN TEA 4
Research Question:
What are the health benefits of green tea?
Preliminary Research Outline:
I. Introduction
II. Tea: Camellia Sinensis Plant
III. Background/History/Origin of Tea
a) China
b) Herbal Remedies
c) Tea Types
d) Green Tea
e) Production Process
IV. Health Benefits
a) Antioxidants
i. Muscle Health
ii. Common Cold
b) Anticancer
i. Breast Cancer
ii. Gastrointestinal Cancer
c) Parkinsons Disease
V. Possible Side Effects
a) CNS
b) CV
c) GI
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d) INTEG
VI. Conclusion
Timeline:
September 17
th
: Create Thesis Statement
September 26
th
: Prepare for Creating Search Statements Assignment
September 29
th
: Creating Search Statements Due
October 3
rd
to October 15
th
: Select Sources for Evaluation of Sources
October 20
th
: Evaluation of Sources Due
October 27
th
: Re-read sources and take notes for Annotated Bibliography
November 10
th
: Annotated Bibliography Due
November 15
th
to November 29
th
: Prepare for Trail to Information Literacy and Beyond
December 1
st
: Trail to Information Literacy and Beyond Due