Teas Me
For the Health of It
Tea is cool again. Walk into any modern teashop (many are cropping up around the country) and you’ll likely find an elegantly-lined wall of beautiful earth-toned tea leaves, all waiting to be steeped and savored. The image of well-to-dos sitting upright, pinkie finger curled, is a thing of the past (at least for most of us), and these hip hangouts are here to stay.
The Bud or the Bean?
When it comes to variety, these walls of tea put many a coffee shop to shame. But it’s not just the assortment of flavors and choices that is drawing many coffee lovers to experiment with “the other hot drink.” With the health benefits of tea broadcast far and wide in the recent years, it’s difficult to have missed all of the fuss it has garnered. Because of these benefits, many people have turned to tea as a nourishing alternative to coffee. Whether you’re reducing caffeine intake, or still need your morning buzz, tea is a delicious and refreshing change of routine.
Tea-rrific
Tea is grown and processed on large plantations throughout China, Japan, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan. According to tea expert Sebastian Beckwith, “All tea comes from one plant, Camellia sinensis. The differences in the many teas we have––whites, greens, oolongs, blacks, and pu-erhs––is in the specific varietal that was used, the local environment the tea was grown in, and the way it was processed.”
People have been drinking tea for as long as they’ve known how to heat water and recent scientific studies are proving what ancient cultures have known since before recorded history––drinking tea is really good for you. The benefits are quite remarkable:
• Enhances immune function
• Lowers LDL cholesterol levels
• Increases HDL cholesterol levels
• Reduces blood pressure
• Thins the blood, reducing the risk of a heart attack
• Lowers the risk of stroke
• Reduces the risk of cancer
• Boosts longevity
• Aids digestion
• Prevents dental cavities and gingivitis
Source: www.inpursuitoftea.com
Of the four types listed above, green tea has attracted the brightest spotlight due to it having the richest polyphenol content, the antioxidant compounds that tackle free radicals and keep degenerative disease at bay. What many folks don’t realize is that while they’re getting this mighty dose of antioxidants (also found in other teas), what they’re drinking is also providing them with a healthy host of vitamins and minerals. Tea contains carotene, vitamin C, thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin B6, panothenic acid, folic acid, manganese, and potassium.
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