Friday, September 11, 2009

Everything You Want To Know About Tea

By Christina Moore

The latest research is great news for tea lovers. Not only is tea a tasty and enjoyable beverage but it is also incredibly healthy as well. Tea has a rich history dating back thousands of years and is enjoyed all over the world as a coveted, soothing beverage. In fact, in many Asian cultures tea has been consumed on a regular basis not only for its unique and appealing taste but also for its natural healing and disease preventing properties.

Whether it be green tea or black tea, they are cultivated from the same shrub. Most teas are made from Camellia sinensis: the tea plant. Camellia sinensis is an evergreen shrub. Its leaves and buds are used to make tea. This has been the plant that most tea comes from for thousands of years. This is why most teas have the same healthy ingredients. What has changed is the way the Camellia sinensis leaves and buds are processed. Today, you can choose from leaves that are crushed, cut, whole, fermented, and even steamed.

The biggest positive effect tea drinking has on health comes from polyphenols. Polyphenols are in fruits and vegetables. But get ready for this. Tea has a polyphenol concentration that is 1,000% higher than the concentration levels found in fruits and vegetables. Whoa! So what exactly do polyphenols do? Polyphenols are powerful antioxidants that fight disease by destroying free radicals in the body. Free radicals are what cause age related illnesses such as: arthritis, heart disease, Alzheimer's, and cancer.

But it gets even better than that. Tea also has what are called Phytochemicals. The Phytochemicals in tea have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels, prevent infection, and even improve memory!

Now if that were all that tea did, that would be enough but there is even more! Tea also contains flavonoids and fluoride. Flavonoids and fluoride help prevent plaque and can even kill bacteria! This is why research studies have shown that tea can control halitosis and even prevent cavities.

Another interesting benefit of drinking tea is centered on green tea. New research has shown that green tea boosts the metabolism and increases fat oxidization. It also has an ingredient that controls hunger.

The healing properties of tea were discovered and utilized thousands of years ago by ancient Asian cultures. Tea has continued to grow in popularity throughout the ages and across the globe for its excellent taste, incredible variety and added health promoting benefits.

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