Commercially available green teas vary widely in antioxidant potency, scientifically expressed in EGCG levels, and may contain various pesticides. Dr. Lee's TeaForHealth® green tea, however, is certified to contain a minimum 7.10% EGCG or higher in dry weight. In collaboration with a tea research institute in China, these standards are designed to maximize the health benefits of green tea.
TeaForHealth® is only harvested in the spring and the fall seasons when the growth of the tea tree is slower. This allows for increased concentration of the active ingredients in the tea leaves. The tea is selected only from plantations that do not use chemically synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, and certified to be organically cultivated by the Organic Tea Research and Development Center of China. The fresh tea leaves are processed immediately upon harvest and are packaged in vacuum with nitrogen flushing to prevent oxidation and to delay degradation during storage.
The total concentration of green tea catechins (GTCs) is about 15%, and the EGCG content is about 9-11% in dry weight when our teas are freshly packaged. While all teas eventually decrease in antioxidant activity during storage, Dr. Lee's TeaForHealth® green teas are sealed in vacuum with nitrogen flushing, which greatly slows the degradation process. The GTC and EGCG contents are at least 10% and 7.10%, respectively. Pesticide and heavy metal contaminant residues and the fluoride level in Dr. Lee’s TeaForHealth® are non-detectable or well below the limits set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pharmacopoeia for Herbal Medicines and the FDA, respectively. Certificates of analysis of each lot of green tea issued by independent laboratories are kept on file as quality assurance to consumers.
Fluoride in tea has drawn the attention of some news media recently. Fluoride intoxication has been known to be a health issue for Tibet people who consume brick tea, a type of black tea. Fluoride contents in green teas are too low to cause any health concerns. Readers interested in this subject may click here.
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