Linda, thanks for the link I’ll have a read. I do use soya but in moderation mainly soya milk as I’ve given up dairy. I wouldn’t go back to dairy now as my cholesterol and that of my husband has dropped right down and not having dairy stops me eating the foods that made me put weight on such as milk chocolate and cheese. I’ve lost over 2 stone since I gave up dairy and being overweight post menopausal also increases risk.
The chinese diet is very different at least in more rural areas. The research I’ve linked is looking specifically at how eating different amounts of soya affected death and recurrance rates. Those eating high rates of soya though may have had a healthier lifestyle eating more veg etc. I think the problem in the West is that we take for granted that certain staples are okay even good for us. I’d certainly welcome more research.
The whole subject of diet is such a minefield isn’t it. I think we can beat ourselves up trying to know what the right to do is. I suppose the old saying of having things in moderation and not too much of the same thing.
take care all
Elinda
I worked in a Japanese bank for 10 years and my colleagues only ever consumed soya products that were from their own country - they used to buy them in the specialist Japanese shops we had in London. Also, things like Tofu (bean curd) did not figure hugely in their diets. I only ever had it as a filling in little bun type cakes we used to get brought to the office by visitors or people who had been out in Tokyo visiting head office. Sometimes it came in a sweet block like Turkish Delight, but it was very sickly so you would only ever eat one small piece. Coffee or regular tea were never drunk by them, only ever high quality green tea which is not the same as the stuff you buy here in the supermarkets. Proper Japanese green tea is very expensive, which makes me wonder if this is why they celebrate it with things like the tea drinking ceremony. At that point our office had to buy it from Fortnum and Mason as it was a bit of a luxury item.
My Japanese colleagues always complained about having difficulties with the western diet on account of dairy, bread and processed foods and said our diet made them very constipated. It’s changing now, but back in the 80s and 90s, I would also say they were the heaviest smokers I had ever met - they all chain smoked, even the women (our office resembled TVs Mad Men until we moved to new premises and they banned it).There was also a fondness for good whisky and wine when over here as in Japan they could not afford to buy it.
Cherub I use the Japan Centre in London for green tea - it is very expensive (can be £30 a packet!)but bears no relation to the supermarket stuff, which can taste quite bitter. It is much higher in catechins (the magic cancer fighting ingredient)than the cheap stuff, so I think it is worth it. They have a website and will deliver.
Hi Finty,
Thank you for the information for the Japan Centre, just had a quick look on the website, not sure what green tea you buy! l thought Sencha was the best, but non seemed to be £30 so am l looking at the right ones? l assume loose is better than the bags?
Sandra
I found this loose leaf Sencha green tea in Sainsburys - though I think it was lurking in the ‘World Foods’ aisle rather than with the other teas!
I recently bought some White Peony tea just to try it out and it’s really light and makes similar claims to green tea. I find it hard to give up the traditional cuppa but these two have helped me cut down at least - and avoid dairy and soya. Hope this helps!
I have been trying to find out as much as possible about the green tea, but it can be confusing. Certainly the experts seem to agree that Japanese is better than Chinese, and there is a very large range of ECGC content, with the best ones having 20x or more than the worst. The Foods to Fight Cancer book lists the best types in this order, highest EGCG content first:
The supermarket brands seem to be rather generic, and the only ones I have seen are Chinese. I emailed the Japan centre explaining what I wanted the tea for, and they have sent me what they consider to be the best types. Unfortunately all the packaging is in Japanese (!) so I’m not entirely sure which they are, but I think they are Gyokuro. Anyway - they were very helpful so do contact them yourself.
I think how you make the tea is also important. It does need to be left to steep for quite a while. It loses it’s effectiveness if you make iced tea - apparently the ECGC’s bind to the ice. What I would like to know is whether you can make a big pot and then reheat it as required, or whether it has to be drunk fresh each time. So if anyone knows - would love to hear from you.
I’ve just had a quick look at the website and couldn’t see the ones I was talking about. So I’ve just checked back through my emails to find the last lot I ordered. It was called Ushijima no Gyokuro for £23.79, which came to £27.26 including P&P. As I said earlier it was one they recommended to me, so it may not have been on the website. The guy that I dealt with is called Nik Newman and his email is <script type=“text/javascript”>eval(unescape(‘%64%6f%63%75%6d%65%6e%74%2e%77%72%69%74%65%28%27%3c%61%20%68%72%65%66%3d%22%6d%61%69%6c%74%6f%3a%6e%69%6b%40%6a%61%70%61%6e%63%65%6e%74%72%65%2e%63%6f%6d%22%3e%6e%69%6b%40%6a%61%70%61%6e%63%65%6e%74%72%65%2e%63%6f%6d%3c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b’))</script>. Hope this helps.
Hi all
Just thought I’d put my 2p worth in. I’ve spent months looking into dietary supplements and changes. I now use zeolite powder, msm and essiac tincture daily. I also start the day with a drink containing wheatgrass powder. I then nibble on cacao nibs, goji berries and a couple of bitter apricot kernels. I eat nuts and fresh berries every day and have cut out 99% of the junk and processed foods. My main baddie is cheese though!
I can’t believe that we are told after diagnosis that diet doesn’t really make much difference. So many people could benefit from making changes. I am not a fanatic - far from it - nor a vegetarian or vegan and its taken me over a year but I gradually changed what I eat and added in a range of superfoods and supplements. I feel like I am doing something for myself finally instead of being passive and feeling helpless.
love to all
alex
Thanks Finty for the info re green tea. I had decided before the weekend to go back to drinking more of it but as you say the supermarket ones, even good ones, can be rather bitter.
One I have found that is nice but again more expensive is green tea with mint from Teapigs, they also do a couple of other green teas and quite a few different herbals: teapigs.co.uk/products/tea/green-tea/
These are teabags but it’s a different type of teabag than the usual. My brother only drinks mint tea and he says theirs is by far the best.
If I’m at home I quite like the whole ritual of the teapot if I’m not too busy. Will give the green tea you ordered Finty a go.
Elinda
Has anyone tried Matcha japanese green tea powder? apparantly the tea leaves are ground to produce a powder which is very high in antioxidants (catechins). I see Teapigs do one and also just found this site which does an organic one: healthysupplies.co.uk/matcha-green-tea-30g-koyu.html
If anyone’s tried this can they say how it compares to leaf green tea please.
Elinda I’ve tried a powder from the Japan Centre - they included it in my last order, but I’m not sure if it is Matcha. This one was very different to the leaves, much stronger flavour, almost like soup! I didn’t like it much but the sachets are handy for when I’m out and can’t make my own leaf tea.
If you order the expensive Gyokuro, you only need to use a tiny amount for each cup, half a teaspoon or so, so it lasts quite a long time.
Hiya!
I like this green tea as it isn’t bitter…Lipton green tea / Tchae Orient.
I’m also going to look in Sainsburys for Sencha, so thanks for the info!