Green tea!

There is so much information out there about green tea.  I recently traded my coffee for green tea (although I'm sippin on a cup of coffee as I write this).  I've been having green tea two or three times a day this month and I'm pretty pleased with the exchange.  

Unfortunately, there is so much conflicting information about green tea, how do you know what you're supposed to believe?  Here is what I found today on the Lipton Tea website: 

Nutrition experts agree that calorie-free tea is an excellent beverage for hydration.1,2 Hydration is fundamental to a number of physical and mental performance measures such as concentration, alertness, speed and sports performance.1,2 Healthy adults should consume 74 fluid ounces (2.2 L) for women and 101 fluid ounces (3.0 L) for men of fluids every day.3 There is belief that tea acts as a diuretic and may be dehydrating because of its caffeine content. However, research shows that the levels of caffeine in regularly consumed amounts of tea do not lead to dehydration, and in fact the fluid in tea contributes to hydration.1,2,4 Gardner EJ, Ruxton CHS, Leeds, AR. Review. Black tea - helpful or harmful? A review of the evidence. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007; 61:3-18. Popkin BM, Armstrong LE, Bray GM, Caballero B, Frei B, Willett WC. A new proposed guidance system for beverage consumption in the United States. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006;83:529-542. Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate. National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board; 2004:5-6. Maughan RJ, Griffin J. Caffeine ingestion and fluid balance: a review. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2003;16:411-420. Tea is not a substitute for fruits or vegetables, which provide a wide range of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Please consult your doctor regarding a diet/nutritional plan that is right for you.

Great, so now I can drink my tea and count it in my water intake?  Here's a little more info from their website:

Studies suggest that drinking black or green tea may help maintain normal, healthy heart function as part of a diet that is consistent with dietary guidelines. Research suggests that drinking 2 to 3 cups per day of black or green tea may help support normal, healthy vascular function. The mechanism behind this effect has yet to be fully demonstrated, but research suggests that tea flavonoids may be responsible.^1-3

Studies found that drinking tea may help maintain normal focus and alertness throughout the day. The two compounds in tea most likely responsible for these effects are L-theanine, an amino acid found almost exclusively in tea, and caffeine. ^4-6

Tea, when served without milk or sugar, contains virtually no calories. This makes zero-calorie tea an ideal choice as part of a weight control diet, especially when substituted for sweetened beverages.

1. Grassi D, Mulder TP, Draijer R, Desideri G, Molhuizen HO, Ferri C. Black tea consumption dose-dependently improves flow-mediated dilation in healthy males. J Hypertens. 2009;27:774-781.
2. Jochmann N, Lorenz M, van Krosigk A, et al. The efficacy of black tea in ameliorating endothelial function is equivalent to that of green tea. British Journal of Nutrition. 2007. Need full reference here
3. Hodgson JM. Effects of tea and tea flavonoids on endothelial function and blood pressure: a brief review. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2006; 33: 838-841.
4. Hindmarch I, Quinlan PT, Moore KL, Parkin C. The effects of black tea and other beverages on aspects of cognition and psychomotor performance. Psychopharmacol. 1998;139:230-238.
5. Hindmarch I, Rigney U, Stanley N, Quinlan P, Rycroft J, Lane J. A naturalistic investigation of the effects of day-long consumption of tea, coffee and water on alertness, sleep onset and sleep quality. Psychopharmacol. 2000;149:203-216.
6. De Bruin E.A. Drinking black tea improves attention and alertness. Presented at the Tea and the Brain symposium, New York, NY, 16 September, 2008.

So, what do you think about green tea now?