| Tea |
 |
If man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty. ~Japanese Proverb
Tea is a wonderful beverage, full of warmth, health and love. It comforts you when you are sad, it calms you when you are flustered, it brings people together and it helps us to stop for a moment and just enjoy. |
|
The story of tea begins in China. According to legend, in 2737 BC, the Chinese emperor Shen Nung was sitting beneath a tree while his servant boiled drinking water, when some leaves from the tree blew into the water. Shen Nung, a renowned herbalist, decided to try the infusion that his servant had accidentally created. The tree was a Camellia sinensis, and the resulting drink was what we now call tea. It is now the most commonly consumed beverage in the world, after water.
The Camellia sinensis provides the leaves for black, white, oolong and green tea, with the difference being in the processing. White tea is the least processed and comes from the young new leaves. This tea and green tea are both simply steamed quickly. Black and oolong teas are partially dried, crushed and fermented. The less processed the tea is, the more antioxidants it has. |
|
|
The health benefits of tea include:
Tea contains high levels of anitoxidants such as polyphenols, flavonoids and catechins, which has been shown to protect your body against some types of cancer, heart disease, and can even lower your cholesterol levels.
Tea is a source of the minerals manganese, essential for bone growth and body development, and potassium, vital for maintaining body fluid levels.
Tea contains fluoride and tannins that can help keep your smile looking bright.
Tea has no calories.
While many teas contain naturally occurring caffeine, it is less than half of the amount found in brewed coffee.
When it comes to deciding which tea to choose - the less processed teas are best. White, green and oolong teas provide the most benefits, while black tea is processed to a point where it becomes acidic in the body. Also try to enjoy your tea without sugar. Research has shown that Americans consume 27 teaspoons of added sugar in their average diet every day! That, my friends, does not do your body any good.
Herbal teas do not come from the same plant as traditional teas so are not really teas at all, but herbal fusions. Many of these also have an abundance of health benefits.
So get yourself a big pot of steaming green, white or oolong tea to cheer you up and improve your health!
|
|
|
