Tea Leaves you Healthy
BY MARY RAFFETTO
Click image to view
There are many different types of tea, and even more benefits of drinking the popular brew. Research has shown that there are a great number of ailments that can be prevented or improved by drinking tea, such as arthritis, cancer, elevated blood sugar, flu, heart disease, and high blood pressure, to name a few.
White tea is higher in antioxidants than green tea, having 50 times the flavonoids. It is rich in zinc and hydroxyl acid. Both green and black teas possess cancer-inhibiting characteristics, and green tea is known to thin the blood much like the oft-recommended aspirin-a-day regimen.
According to the Tea Association of America, black tea contains L-theanine, which primes the immune system in fighting infection, bacteria, and viruses. And it strengthens the body’s natural resistance to microbial infection. Researchers speculate that it is the polyphenols in both black and green tea that inhibit the mechanisms of cancer growth.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that seniors in Japan who drank one or more cups of green tea a day were half as likely to show cognitive and memory problems as those who drank less. The more tea the subjects drank, the lower were their chances of having mental difficulties.
Members of green tea-drinking cultures usually consume three cups a day.
Green tea contains the potent compound EGCG, which seems to inhibit the production of beta-amyloid, a toxic protein that clogs the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.
Though unfamiliar to some, red tea such as Rooibos contains no caffeine. It claims all the health benefits of black, white and green teas, and can even be applied to the skin for various disorders. Red tea is also recommended as a daily drink for children.
While many teas use the same brewing techniques, many have their own special brewing instructions. It is important that you use the correct methods for the particular type you are brewing.
And tea etiquette is as varied as the brewing techniques – depending on the culture in which the tea is being served. However, basic table manners should always apply, such as serving your guest before yourself, using your napkin, and sipping politely. And some etiquette experts even say, “no, you don’t have to extend your pinkie finger when holding the cup.”
White tea is higher in antioxidants than green tea, having 50 times the flavonoids. It is rich in zinc and hydroxyl acid. Both green and black teas possess cancer-inhibiting characteristics, and green tea is known to thin the blood much like the oft-recommended aspirin-a-day regimen.
According to the Tea Association of America, black tea contains L-theanine, which primes the immune system in fighting infection, bacteria, and viruses. And it strengthens the body’s natural resistance to microbial infection. Researchers speculate that it is the polyphenols in both black and green tea that inhibit the mechanisms of cancer growth.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that seniors in Japan who drank one or more cups of green tea a day were half as likely to show cognitive and memory problems as those who drank less. The more tea the subjects drank, the lower were their chances of having mental difficulties.
Members of green tea-drinking cultures usually consume three cups a day.
Green tea contains the potent compound EGCG, which seems to inhibit the production of beta-amyloid, a toxic protein that clogs the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.
Though unfamiliar to some, red tea such as Rooibos contains no caffeine. It claims all the health benefits of black, white and green teas, and can even be applied to the skin for various disorders. Red tea is also recommended as a daily drink for children.
While many teas use the same brewing techniques, many have their own special brewing instructions. It is important that you use the correct methods for the particular type you are brewing.
And tea etiquette is as varied as the brewing techniques – depending on the culture in which the tea is being served. However, basic table manners should always apply, such as serving your guest before yourself, using your napkin, and sipping politely. And some etiquette experts even say, “no, you don’t have to extend your pinkie finger when holding the cup.”