The Health Benefits of Tea
February 12, 2010
Ever since 4700 years ago since the legendary Shennong discovered tea, it was already speculated that tea had a healing effect on the body. A lot of people believe that tea can help treat abscesses, bladder ailments and lethargy among other illnesses. The bulk of the study on the link between health and tea has been on green tea. However, other types of tea like white, oolong, and black tea are also being studied.
Before we get ahead in the discussion, it must be clarified that all the benefits of tea are presumed as potential and not therapeutic claims. Tea has been studied to potentially stop or prevent some illnesses and not actually cure anything if we base it on the studies so far.
Cancer and Tea
Studies by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute on 1994 suggests that green tea drinking Chinese men and women are more likely not to have esophageal cancer by almost sixty percent.
The reason for this was probably because there is a substance in green tea that prevents cancer cells from growing. Researchers from the University of Perdue discovered that drinking green tea regularly lowers cholesterol levels, balancing out the good cholesterol from the bad cholesterol.
Potential Diabetes Deterrent
Diabetes has been a growing concern anywhere in the world. It has become an unexpected global killer, more so than car accidents. The fortunate thing about diabetes is that it can be prevented on most cases.
There has been epidemiological evidence that drinking green tea regularly may reduce the risk of people getting diabetes in the long run. Green tea is merely a preventive measure rather than cure, although there has not been any research on the rate of affectivity from drinking the tea of the green variety.
Further studies are on going to confirm the link and correlation of diabetes prevention and green tea.
Immune System Enhancer
For the longest time we only have vitamin c and zinc to help boost our immune system, but recent research about tea has shown that the beverage has thianine that helps in controlling infections in the body. Thianine helps boosts the effectivity of gamma delta T cells. These cells are some of the disease fighting machineries of our body.
This effect was found out in an experiment where 11 coffee drinkers and 10 black tea drinkers were observed for four weeks. Apparently the tea drinkers had 5 times higher anti-bacterial proteins in their blood tests than the coffee drinkers.
Other Potential Health Benefits
Tea has a lot more health benefits. Like coffee it also enhances mental clarity and alertness. This is due to the caffeine in both beverages.
Green tea also has an effect in fighting bad breath. Tea has natural anti-bacterial qualities that inhibit the growth of bacteria in the mouth.
Researchers are also considering tea to be the answer to the French Paradox. This paradox of the French people having healthier hearts than Americans despite of eating fat filled food stuffs. Researchers believe that tea drinking may have a link to this puzzle.
Recent studies has also shown that green tea can help in dieting. The experiment was done using coffee and placebo, green tea and coffee. Essentially, the green tea and coffee combination has helped drop a few pounds from the subjects.
Tea Side Effects
The only side effect of tea that are known so far is insomnia. Since tea, like coffee, has caffeine. The important thing to remember is that tea has less caffeine than coffee, so it has less of a side effect to the body.
Whether or not tea can cure the human body or prevent major illnesses it is clear that people enjoy drinking tea of any variety, may it be hot or cold. If in the future research finds that tea has indeed health benefits, we can still enjoy a cup of tea here and there just for relaxation and the occasional quenching of thirst.
Caffeine in Tea
February 8, 2010
The tea plant, Camellia sinensis, is one of several plants that naturally contain the stimulant caffeine. While tea has many health benefits, people are often concerned about the caffeine content of tea for a variety of reasons. Caffeine is addictive and can lead to withdrawal symptoms if its consumption is stopped suddenly. If consumed before sleeping, it can contribute to sleeplessness, and it is also thought to contribute to anxiety. Many people, including pregnant women, are advised to limit their intake of caffeine for medical reasons. Others avoid it for religious reasons. Even if you consume caffeine gladly, it is important to know about the caffeine content of the tea and other beverages you are drinking.
How much caffeine is in tea?
In general, tea has much less caffeine than coffee, but the caffeine content varies widely from one tea to the next. Many tea companies, and even some reputable entities such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, make misleading generalizations about the caffeine content of broad classes of tea. It is a widespread misconception that black tea contains more caffeine than green. Even more inaccurate is the notion that white tea contains the least caffeine of all teas.
In reality, caffeine content varies more among individual teas than it does among broad categories of tea such as black, white, green, oolong, or pu-erh. A study published in 2005 in the Journal of Food Science listed, among other things, the caffeine content of 77 different teas. Alarmingly, the highest caffeine content was found in a white tea. Another study in the 2008 Journal of Analytical Toxicology found caffeine contents of teas ranging from 14 to 61 mg per 6 or 8 oz serving, with “no observable trend in caffeine concentration due to the variety of tea“.
What determines the caffeine content of tea?
The use of leaf buds (tips) greatly increases the caffeine content in tea, as the buds have more caffeine than the mature leaves. “Tippy” teas such as Yunnan Golden Monkey or Bai Hao Yinzhen (Silver Needle) are thus much higher in caffeine than those using more mature leaves such as Souchongs or Shou Mei.
Roasting also destroys caffeine. Hojicha, a Japanese roasted green tea, was found in the first study mentioned above to have less caffeine than some decaffeinated teas. Many oolong teas are also roasted to varying degrees, and can be lower in caffeine, although other non-roasted oolongs can be very high in caffeine.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the quantity of leaf used and the length of time for which the leaves are steeped are both critical in influencing caffeine content. Both using more leaves and steeping for a longer time will increase the caffeine in a cup of tea.
Most herbal teas contain no caffeine.
The overwhelming majority of herbal teas are caffeine free. Other than Camellia sinensis, only a few commonly consumed plants contain caffeine. These plants include coffee, Yerba mate, and the Yaupon holly; outside of Yerba mate, these plants infrequently occur as ingredients in herbal tea. In addition to exploring other herbal teas, people desiring caffeine-free tea-like drinks might want to try South African rooibos and honeybush, two plants which are often described as being similar to tea in flavor, health benefits, and manner of production.
Sources:
Alex Zorach has an M.A. in statistics from Yale University, and is an avid tea drinker and the creator of http://RateTea.net/ , a website for rating and reviewing teas and learning about tea. In addition to identifying decaffeinated and caffeine free teas, the website also contains information on different varieties of tea and their health effects. Rate and review tea.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alex_Zorach
Cocoa, Tea Caffeine and Health
February 8, 2010
Coffee, tea, or hot cocoa: which is best for you? Two separate studies reveal these benefits: cocoa helps lower elevated blood pressure, and caffeine may help prevent Parkinson’s.
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Can someone name off all different kinds of tea?
February 6, 2010
And which one or few is your favorite? You can do the same for coffee if you want. That would help also. Thanks.
Green, black, white, red – the vast array of tea varieties can be dizzying. With the sudden upsurge of interest in high-quality loose-leaf teas, where does a newcomer begin? How about starting with the one plant that produces every tea in the world?
The Camellia sinensis is an evergreen native of China. It takes a variety of forms, growing 15 to 20 meters tall, with leaves ranging from smooth and shiny to fuzzy and white-haired. The plant gives rise to more than 3,000 varieties of tea worldwide, which can be roughly classified into six basic categories: white, green, oolong, black (the Chinese call these red teas), pu-erh, and flavored. Some specialists would add another category, blends. And then there are countless herbal infusions, informally referred to as “tea” but entirely unrelated to “real” tea made from Camellia sinensis leaves.
white tea
White tea is the rarest of all tea types. A specialty of Fujian province on China’s east coast, it was relatively hard to come by outside of China until recently. The name comes from the almost colorless liquor, and from the silvery hairs found on the buds of the plant. Delicate in flavor as well as color, the tea has a subtle, slightly sweet flavor and a mellow creamy or nutty quality. White tea consists of the whitish buds of the tea plant; lower quality varieties contain some leaves as well. The buds (and leaves) are naturally dried using either sun drying or steaming methods. This is the final step in the production process, as white tea is unfermented.
green tea
Green tea makes up approximately ten percent of the world’s tea. The production process, like that of white tea, starts with withering, followed by pan-frying or steaming to prevent fermentation. (The two types differ in that white tea has a higher proportion of buds to leaves.) After steaming and before drying, green tea leaves are rolled to give them the desired shape. In China, this consists of eyebrow-shaped or twisted pieces, tight balls, flat needles, or curled whole leaves. Japanese green tea leaves are shiny green blades with reddish stalks and stems. Green tea is greenish-yellow in color, with a grassy, astringent quality reminiscent of the fresh leaves. Scientific studies have shown that both green and black teas prevent cavities and gum disease, and increase the body’s antioxidant activity.
oolong tea
Often referred to as “the champagne of teas,” oolongs are considered to be among the finest – and therefore most expensive – teas in the world. Most oolongs hail from Taiwan; in China they are also referred to as pouchongs. Oolong tea is “semi-fermented,” meaning that it goes through a short period of oxidation (fermentation) that turns the leaves from green to red-brown. The liquor is pale yellow, with a floral, fruity quality – reminiscent of peaches – and a hint of smoke. Due to the delicacy of the flavor, connoisseurs generally prefer drinking it without milk, sugar or lemon.
black tea
Though known to most of the world as “black tea,” the Chinese call it “red tea” due to its characteristic reddish-brown color. Black tea is the most common type of tea worldwide. It has a broad range of flavors, but is typically heartier and more assertive than green or oolong teas. It is made by fully fermenting the harvested leaves (for several hours) before the heating or drying processes occur. This oxidation imparts a dark coloring and triples the caffeine.
pu-erh tea
Pu-erh (or Puer) tea is in a category all its own. Though it could simply be classified as a type of Chinese black tea, it is differentiated from other black teas by the fact that it is fermented not once, but twice. The double oxidation process is followed by a period of maturation, which is often used to develop a thin layer of mold on the leaves. The mold imparts a distinctive soil-like flavor that many people find off-putting. For this reason, pu-erh tea is often consumed for medicinal purposes rather than for pleasure – aside from being known for its strong earthy quality, it is recognized as a powerful digestive aid.
flavored tea
Tea easily absorbs other aromas and tastes. Thus tea drinkers the world over have long enhanced their tea with additional flavors, from flowers and oils to herbs and spices. Flavoring tea is a well-established tradition in China, where, for centuries, people have brewed tea with onions, orange peel, peach leaves, and berries. The Chinese are also known for their flower teas – popular varieties include jasmine, orchid, rose, and magnolia.
In many Arabic nations, mint (plus a generous amount of sugar) is the flavoring of choice. In India, the spicy “masala tea” is a popular beverage. It is made by boiling black tea with spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and black or white pepper; milk and sugar are usually added as well. Beyond herbs and spices, the flavor craze has more recently spurred manufacturers to produce tea with just about every flavor imaginable, from banana to toffee pudding.
blends
Blends are the mutts of the tea world, possessing mixed heritages, so to speak, rather than a single lineage. Tea producers make blends by combining different types of teas, often in order to achieve flavor consistency from one season to the next. Common blends include English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Irish Breakfast, and Caravan.
herbal infusions & tisanes
The word “tea” is often loosely used to describe any beverage made with the leaves of a plant. But technically speaking, true “tea” is made from the Camellia sinensis – and everything else isn’t “tea” at all. Connoisseurs and tea professionals will tell you that all leaf-derived drinks other than true “tea” should be referred to as tisanes or herbal infusions.
Tisane (tee-ZAHN) is what many people think of as “herbal tea,” that is, a drink made by steeping various herbs, spices, flowers, etc. in boiling water. The term “herbal infusion” is pretty much the same thing: a drink made by steeping an herb in hot water. These herbal drinks are commonly associated with physical and mental health, and are consumed for their soothing or rejuvenating qualities. They also suit the needs of those who wish to avoid caffeine. Common herbal beverages are chamomile, peppermint, fennel, rose hip, and lemon verbena.
My favorite is Oolong and Darjeeling.
Which is better when on a vegitarien diet, coffee or tea? And which kinds?
February 5, 2010
I am starting a more healthier eating diet becaus eof access body weight especially in the stomach area. i woudl like to know which is better coffee or tea. And which kinds are good for te vegitarien diet?
Tea would be better. I heard that Green Tea was suppose to help with weight loss. Also a Red Tea is good. I am in the process of quiting coffee because of the caffeine. I am going to go to decaf soon. Decaf really isn’t good for you either because they use chemicals to decaf it but if you can find one that has been decafed by the Swiss Water process, it is better. See sources below.
