Tea
Is Drinking tea worth it?
Yes, Numerous studies have shown that a variety of teas may boost your immune system, fight off inflammation, and even ward off cancer and heart disease. While some brews provide more health advantages than others, there's plenty of evidence that regularly drinking tea can have a lasting impact on your wellness.
Tea is one of the most frequently consumed beverages in the world. There are two main categories of tea: true teas and herbal teas. In addition, there are flavored teas that combine a true tea base with herbal infusions.
Organic Tea
If tea has been certified organic, that means that it was grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides. More and more synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and especially pesticides are being found to have adverse effects on the environment and on people’s health.
Why is it better to purchase organic teas?
Choosing organic can be an excellent option. Organic products are linked to a reduced risk of cancer, and it also keeps the planet healthier. There are several brands available which provide teas with least pesticide content.
True Tea
True teas are made using the leaves of the tea plant known as Camellia sinensis. These teas include green tea, white tea, oolong tea, Pu-erh tea, and black tea. While these teas are made using the same leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, the difference in color and taste arises from the production process.
Green tea and white tea are the true teas, which undergo the least processing. These teas are not oxidized. The leaves are harvested and dried to prevent the chemical reaction that turns the leaves a dark brown or black color. As a result, these teas retain their natural green color and are considered among the healthiest teas.
Black tea is fully oxidized while oolong tea is only partially oxidized. Pu-erh tea is aged and considered a post-oxidized tea. These true teas offer a range of health benefits, but are considered slightly inferior to green tea. The caffeine content of true teas varies between the different types and on how the tea was produced.
Herbal Tea
Herbal teas are made by infusing fruits, roots, herbs, leaves, and stems of a variety of plants. Herbal teas are also commonly called herbal tisanes. These teas boas health benefits that differ from true teas since they contain various compounds. Some of the most popular herbal teas include ginger tea, peppermint tea, and chamomile tea. Herbal teas do not contain any caffeine.
Health Benefits of drinking Tea
1. Protects Heart Health
Recent research including animal studies shows that tea drinking may significantly lower the risk for serious heart disease including heart attack and blood clots. Tea contains anti-inflammatory properties that help to soothe tissue in arteries. This helps to minimize the risk of inflammation that can restrict blood circulation and cause clotting. Try hibiscus teas for heart health.
Tea consumption may also help decrease high blood pressure and lower cholesterol. One study found that people who drank four cups or more of green tea each day had a 32 percent decreased risk of heart attack and significantly lower levels of bad LDL cholesterol.
2. Boosts Energy
Green tea contains a small amount of caffeine that can help increase energy. The low caffeine amounts make green tea a good choice for people who are looking to cut back on their caffeine intake.
Green tea's energy-boosting properties are further driven by an amino acid known as L-theanine. This amino acid slows the absorption of caffeine. As a result, the energy boost from green tea is longer-lasting and steadier than that from a cup of coffee. You'll get the increased focus and energy without the jittery side effects or the crash when the caffeine wears off. L-theanine also increase alpha waves in the brain, helping to increase focus while at the same time offering calming and relaxing effects.
3. May Aid Weight Loss
Green tea may help accelerate weight loss thanks to its chemical composition. Green tea contains amino acids that signal the body to burn stored fat. The caffeine in green tea also helps boost energy so you can power through your workouts more efficiently.
Studies have shown that these benefits are more pronounced in individuals of Asian descent. People of other ethnicities may also see improved weight loss numbers, but to a lower extent than others.
Green tea extract is a popular weight loss supplement that is promoted to accelerate weight loss. Green tea extract is simply a concentrated form of green tea leaves. By drinking green tea, you can get the same weight loss benefits as taking a supplement.
Green tea also helps to keep you hydrated and may satisfy a sweet tooth. Green tea is a calorie-free drink so you can drink as many cups as you'd like without feeling guilty. Replacing sugary sodas and sports drinks with green tea can cut calories and help you reach your fitness goals sooner.
4. Supports Mental Health
Regular tea consumption has been linked to lower risk of neurological disease and decreased stress levels. Green tea consumption has also shown promise in preventing cognitive decline associated with brain disease such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's. Tea offers natural calming effects that can reduce stress and help you unwind after a tough day.
Tea contains antioxidants that work to prevent oxidative stress, which can damage healthy cells. Antioxidants in tea eliminate free radicals caused by pollution and other factors, which can cause oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been linked to dementia and depression. Antioxidants also help cleanse the body of toxins that can cause mental health problems. Tea drinkers have been shown to have lower stress levels and improved overall health with regular consumption.
5. May Regulate Blood Sugar
Drinking tea may help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent or control disease such as type 2 diabetes. Black tea has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels after eating a meal. The effects were demonstrated for up to 120 minutes after meal consumption. Researchers attribute theses health benefits to polyphenols in tea. These polyphenols boast anti-inflammatory and antioxidant powers.
6. Aids Digestion
Tea helps streamline digestion and can treat a host of issues ranging from nausea and upset stomach to diarrhea. Ginger tea is an herbal tea that has long been used in China and India to treat upset stomach. The ingredients gingerol and shogaol helps to soothe the stomach lining to prevent vomiting. Peppermint tea also helps to soothe an upset stomach thanks to high levels of antioxidants and. menthol.
Tea also contains tannins, which have been shown to reduce intestinal inflammation. This can help soothe stomach cramps and treat irritable bowel syndrome.
What is the right way to make tea?
· Boil water.
Different types of tea require different water temperature to brew. Check the tea packaging to see the recommended water temperature.
· Warm up teapot.
This step is a detail that takes your tea to the next level and almost no one does it. But they should. Take some of the boiled water and fill half the tea pot and give it a few swirls then throw out the water. We’re warming the teapot so that when the hot water for tea goes in, the water temperature won’t drop too much.
· Put tea into teapot and add hot water.
· Cover teapot and steep tea.
Set the timer on your phone to steep it to the correct amount of time. The steep time is different for each kind of tea so check the tea package to see what is recommended. Usually, it’s no more than 5 minutes.
· Strain tea solids and pour hot tea into teacups
If you want to have another cup, pour more hot water into the teapot (using the same tea leaves) and set the timer again. For the second steep, add 1-2 more minutes.
Tea Sommelier’s Tip: Don’t leave tea leaves sitting in water after the steep time since it makes the tea really bitter. To avoid this, use a tea infuser inside a teapot so that the tea leaves are separated from the water after the first pour or make just enough tea and pour out every last drop so there isn’t any water sitting in the teapot.
NOTES & TIPS
· Use Filtered water
· Clean, filtered water won’t add any other taste to your tea.
· Set the correct water temperature
Water temperature is a little tricky. Some tea require just boiled water while other teas are a little more sensitive to hot water (especially green tea) so you’ll need to make sure the water temperature is correct. An electric kettle with temperature setting is key to making a proper cup.
· Steep for the correct amount of time
Overstepping tea leads to a bitter cup. This is the time to use the timer on your smartphone. Follow the steep time recommendations on the tea package, but roughly it is: black tea for 4-5 minutes, green and oolong for 3 minutes, and white tea for 4 minutes. The only tea that should steep for longer than 5 minutes is herbal tea.
· Use loose tea
Tea in tea bags are the leftover broken bits, or “tea dust,” collected after tea has been processed. That doesn’t sound too appealing, does it? Good quality tea is a rolled whole tea leaf. As the tea steeps, it will unfurl in the water and you should be able to see the entire leaf.
Warm the teapot
An important step to making sure the tea brews properly in hot water
What kind of tea is best to purchase?
If you ask me the best tea to purchase are organic tea or if you are lucky enough why not grow your own organic plant to make your tea, this will be much healthier.
Sources
https://www.ohhowcivilized.com/
