Teas And Your Health
Zachary Thompson
There are many teas that have been drunk throughout the ages.
They are basically infusions of plants, usually the leaves and
sometimes the flowers, by boiling them with water. Teas can be
drunk hot or cold and are used for a variety of ailments. Teas
of different sorts are drunk worldwide.
The official tea that we drink is the second most popular
beverage and grown in the mountainous regions of China, India,
Sir Lanka, Vietnam, Nepal, Georgia, Japan, Kenya, Malawi and
Taiwan. The tea we drink is taken from the top leaves and the
buds of the Camellia Sinensis tree. These leaves are specially
dried and then crushed for maximum flavor.
Tea is a mild stimulant, with small amounts of caffeine. It has
far less than its counterpart coffee. It also has small amounts
of vitamin A, B2, C, D, K, and P. there are also trace amounts
of some minerals. Overall it is good for your health. It is
recommended that about 3 cups of tea and more should be drunk a
day to get the healthful qualities of this beverage.
There are 4 common forms of tea are:
Black tea
White tea
Oolong tea
Green tea
Black tea is the most common form of tea and is known as the
famous “English tea” as this is drunk predominantly in Britain
and the Western world. This tea is drunk hot but can also be
used to brew the famous iced tea. It is made from the leaves of
the tea plant and is completely fermented. This results in its
darker color. It is more of a stimulant than the other teas and
a more intense taste. Sometimes it is drunk with lemon but most
commonly with milk.
White tea comes from the bud of the tea plant. It undergoes
little or no processing (fermenting or oxidizing) this brings
out the antioxidants but will reduce the stimulant quality of
this tea. Because the buds can only be harvested in the spring
season this tea is not so common and fairly expensive.
Oolong tea is fermented more than green tea but less than
black. Research has shown that this tea helps the digestive
system and is good for metabolism.
Green tea is also not fermented like white tea but is made from
more mature leaves so is much more common and affordable. This
tea was predominantly drunk in the Orient namely Japan and
China, but is gaining new ground in the West as research is
showing the beneficial properties of this form of tea. Again it
has more antitoxins (flavonoids) and is less of a stimulant.
Added to this it has vitamin C and fluoride.
Tea Houses are becoming very popular especially in fashionable
areas of Europe like Paris. As more research comes to light we
will hear more about the benefits of this popular drink. So the
next time you relax with a good refreshing cup of tea you can
rest assured that your favorite beverage is also good for your
health.
About The Author: Zach Thompson is a Glyconutrients Consultant.
His clients range from pro athletes and actresses, to cancer
patients and children with Learning Disabilities. To learn if
glyconutrients can help you, visit
http://www.myglyconutrientstore.com
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