초록 ▼

Green tea formulations and methods for the preparation thereof are shown and described. Generally speaking, the method of preparation includes the mixing of fresh tea leaves in an amount of cold water, followed by pulverization of the leaves to release their intracellular material from the cells of

Green tea formulations and methods for the preparation thereof are shown and described. Generally speaking, the method of preparation includes the mixing of fresh tea leaves in an amount of cold water, followed by pulverization of the leaves to release their intracellular material from the cells of the green tea leaves into the water and form an aqueous extract component. The remaining cellular material forms a leaf residue component which is removed from the mixture. Once the leaf residue is removed, the aqueous extract component is collected and may be dried or further processed to produce a final tea extract that has good natural color, robust natural flavor, and pleasant organoleptic properties, which also is high in polyphenol content, and may be used for various purposes such as the creation of a green tea beverage.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A green tea extract, having: a) no organic solvent or alcohol residues, and not any chemical residues b) a natural unoxidized green color provided by a green tea chlorophyll content of from about 0.1% w/w to about 5.0% w/w; c) a total natural polyphenol content of from about

What is claimed is: 1. A green tea extract, having: a) no organic solvent or alcohol residues, and not any chemical residues b) a natural unoxidized green color provided by a green tea chlorophyll content of from about 0.1% w/w to about 5.0% w/w; c) a total natural polyphenol content of from about 15% w/w to about 95% w/w; d) a total natural free amino acid content of from about 0.1% w/w to about 15% w/w; e) a total natural EGCG content of from about 1% w/w to about 85% w/w; f) a fresh green tea taste; and g) a natural green tea fiber resulting in a cloudy or somewhat opaque (not clear) characteristic in an aqueous form, wherein the green tea extract is soluble in both hot and cold water. 2. The green tea extract of claim 1, wherein the total polyphenol content is from about 20% w/w to about 90% w/w. 3. The green tea extract of claim 2, wherein the total polyphenol content is from about 25% w/w to about 85% w/w. 4. The green tea extract of claim 1, wherein the EGCG content is from about 3% w/w to about 80%. 5. The green tea extract of claim 4, wherein the EGCG content is from about 5% w/w to about 75% w/w. 6. The green tea extract of claim 1, wherein the green tea chlorophyll content is from about 0.5% w/w to about 4% w/w. 7. The green tea extract of claim 6, wherein the green tea chlorophyll content is from about 0.5% w/w to about 3% w/w. 8. The green tea extract of claim 1, also having a theanine content of from about 0.1% w/w to about 10% w/w. 9. The green tea extract of claim 8, wherein the theanine content is from about 0.5% to about 8% w/w. 10. The green tea extract of claim 9, wherein the theanine content is from about 1% to about 6% w/w. 11. The green tea extract of claim 1, wherein the green tea extract, when combined with an effective amount of water, makes a beverage, each serving of which includes: a) a total polyphenol content of at least about 100 mg; and b) an EGCG content of at least about 50 mg. 12. A green tea extract as set forth in claim 1 prepared according to a method comprising the following steps performed at a temperature condition of about 50° C. or less: a) combining a quantity of fresh-picked green tea leaves or leaf fragments from a camellia sinensis plant with an amount of cold water having a temperature of about 25° C. or less that is sufficient to provide a mixture of leaves and water having a ratio of from about 1:0.01 to about 1:40 by weight; b) pulverizing the leaves or leaf fragments in the mixture and maintaining the mixture for an amount of time sufficient to release intracellular material from the leaf cells into the water to create an aqueous extract component, and a leaf residue component; c) removing the leaf residue component from the aqueous extract component; and d) drying the aqueous extract component to a solid or semi-solid state wherein the green tea extract has a green tea chlorophyll content of from about 0.1% w/w to about 5.0% w/w which provides the extract with a natural green color, and a polyphenol content of from about 15% w/w to about 95% w/w, of which greater than 80% is retained in the extract after storage for 12 months. 13. A green tea beverage, comprising: a) A green tea extract, having: i) a natural unoxidized green color provided by a green tea chlorophyll content of from about 0.1% w/w to about 5.0% w/w; ii) a total natural polyphenol content of from about 15% w/w to about 95% w/w; iii) a total natural free amino acid content of from about 0.1% w/w to about 15% w/w; iv) an total natural EGCG content of from about 1% w/w to about 85% w/w; v) a fresh green tea taste; and vi) a natural green tea fiber resulting in a cloudy or somewhat opaque (not clear) characteristic in an aqueous form, b) an effective amount of water, wherein the green tea extract is present in an amount so that one serving of the beverage provides at least about 100 mg of polyphenols. 14. The green tea beverage of claim 13, wherein the green tea extract is present in an amount so that one serving of the beverage provides at least about 300 mg of polyphenols. 15. The green tea beverage of claim 14, wherein the green tea extract is present in an amount so that one serving of the beverage provides at least about 600 mg of polyphenols. 16. The green tea beverage of claim 13, wherein the green tea extract is present in an amount so that one serving of the beverage provides at least about 50 mg of EGCG. 17. The green tea beverage of claim 16, wherein the green tea extract is present in an amount so that one serving of the beverage provides at least about 150 mg of EGCG. 18. The green tea beverage of claim 17, wherein the green tea extract is present in an amount so that one serving of the beverage provides at least about 300 mg of EGCG. 19. The green tea beverage of claim 13, wherein the green tea extract has a theanine content from about 0.1% w/w to about 10% w/w. 20. The green tea beverage of claim 19, wherein the green tea extract has a theanine content from about 0.5% w/w to about 8% w/w. 21. The green tea beverage of claim 20, wherein the green tea extract has a theanine content from about 1% w/w to about 6% w/w. 22. The green tea beverage of claim 13, wherein the beverage has a natural green color provided by the chlorophyll in the green tea extract. 23. The green tea beverage of claim 13, wherein the water is hot water. 24. The green tea beverage of claim 13, wherein the water is cold water. 25. The green tea beverage of claim 13, further comprising a fruit extract. 26. The green tea beverage of claim 25, wherein the fruit extract is selected from the group consisting of: acai berry, apple, apricot, banana, blueberry, cranberry, cherry, fig, grape, grapefruits, hawthorn berry, huckleberry, kiwi, kumquat, lemon, lime, luohan fruit, lychee (litchi), mango, melon, nectarine, noni fruit, orange, papaya, peach, pear, persimmon, pineapple, plum, pomegranate, raspberry, strawberry, tangerine, watermelon, and mixtures thereof. 27. The green tea beverage of claim 13, further comprising a vegetable extract. 28. The green tea beverage of claim 27, wherein the vegetable extract is selected from the group consisting of: artichoke, avocado, asparagus, beans, bell pepper, broccoli, brussels sprout, cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, celery, cucumber, eggplant, green bean, lettuce, onion, parsley, pea, potato, pumpkin; radish, radicchio, rhubarb, spinach, tomato, zucchini, and mixtures thereof. 29. The green tea beverage of claim 13, further comprising at least one water-soluble vitamin selected from the group consisting of vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin B13, vitamin B15, vitamin B17, biotin, choline, folic acid, inositol, para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), vitamin C, vitamin P, and combinations thereof. 30. The green tea beverage of claim 13, further comprising at least one oil-soluble vitamin selected from the group consisting of: vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, and combinations thereof. 31. The green tea beverage of claim 13, further comprising at least one amino acid ingredient selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, carnitine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, lysine, methionine, N-acetyl cysteine, ornithine, phenylalanine, taurine, L-theanine, tyrosine, valine, and mixtures thereof. 32. The green tea beverage of claim 13, further comprising an herbal extract. 33. The green tea beverage of claim 32, wherein the herbal extract is selected from the group consisting of ginseng, ginkgo biloba, dong qui, hawthorn berry, goji berry, hoodia, St. John's wort, saw palmetto, kava kava, rose hips, echinacea, licorice root, grape seed, chamomile, sea buckthorn, aloe vera, cinnamon bark, cordyceps, ho shou wu, dandelion, gynostemma, mushroom, notoginseng, dan shen, ginger, garcinia, guggulu, sage, barberry, gokshura, celery seed, psyllium seed husk, and mixtures thereof. 34. A composition comprising the green tea extract of claim 1 and a carrier. 35. The composition of claim 34, wherein the carrier is water, and the composition is a beverage. 36. The composition of claim 34, wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of carboxymethylcellulose sodium, cellulose, dextrin, dextrose, ethylcellulose, fructose, gelatin, guar gum, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, glucose, maltodextrin, mannitol, methylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, polymethacrylates, povidone, sorbitol, starches, sucrose, sugar, sucralose, stevia, flavor agents, and combinations thereof. 37. The composition of claim 34, wherein the composition is formulated as a solid oral dosage form. 38. The composition of claim 37, wherein the composition is formulated as a chewing gum. 39. The composition of claim 37, wherein the composition is formulated as a tablet. 40. The composition of claim 37, wherein the composition is formulated as a powder. 41. The composition of claim 37, wherein the composition is formulated as a lozenge.