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Health benefits of true tea
When you've been sipping yourself into bliss for 5,000 years, you learn
about the life of good health that a simple cup of tea brings. Zhena's
Gypsy Tea combines the ancient tea blending principles that began with
the earliest monks and herbalists with the latest health research, to
produce hand-crafted, premium quality, all natural and organic healthy
infusions with innumerable benefits.
So many teas…So many benefits
The tea plant, a shrub-like evergreen, called Camellia
sinensis, is grown in tropical climates that provide a combination of
both hot and cool temperatures. In addition to a tropical climate, the
plant requires at least 50 inches of rainfall a year, and prefers acidic
soils. Many high quality tea plants grow at elevations up to 5,000 ft,
as the plants grow more slowly and acquire a better flavor. Only the top
1-2 inches of the mature plant are plucked. These buds and leaves are
called flushes, and a plant will grow a new flush every seven to ten days
during the growing season.
Like fine wine, true tea is an agricultural art,
the quality, flavor, and taste of tea is influenced by its surroundings.
Soil, climate, sunshine, temperature, rainfall, and altitude all contribute
to making up the unique characteristics of each plant and leaf. More than
3000 varietals, or subspecies, of the tea plant exist in various growing
regions, resulting in thousands of teas, each with unique characteristics.
The finest teas are grown in India, Sri Lanka (Ceylon), China, Taiwan
(Formosa), and Japan. There are five categories of tea: black, oolong,
green, white, and pu'erh. Each tea category is determined by the type
of processing tea leaves undergo once harvested.
Types of tea is traditionally classified and distinguished
by the processing they undergo:
Black tea is a variety of tea
that is more oxidized than the green, oolong and white varieties. Black
tea; the leaves have been withered, rolled, fermented, then fired. Black
tea is generally stronger in flavor and contains more caffeine than the
less oxidized teas. While green tea usually loses its flavor within a
year, black tea retains its flavor for several years. For this reason,
and compressed bricks of black tea once served as a form of de facto currency
in Mongolia, Tibet, and Siberia into the 19th century.
Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese
tea somewhere between green and black in oxidation. It ranges from 10%
to 70% oxidation. Oolong tea; the leaves have been withered, rolled, semi-fermented,
then fired. Oolong has a taste similar to green tea but does not have
the stridently grassy vegetal notes that typify green tea.
Green tea is tea that has undergone
minimal oxidation during processing. The leaves have been steamed, rolled,
then fired. Over the last 20 years, green tea has been the subject to
many scientific and medical studies to determine the extent of its long-purported
health benefits, with some evidence suggesting regular green tea drinkers
may have lower chances of heart disease and developing certain types of
cancer. Green tea like white tea undergoes less processing, so more of
the tea leaf's beneficial properties remain intact. Green tea has half
the caffeine of black tea and varies widely in appearance and taste.
White tea is considered the purest of all teas. White tea is made from the fresh downy buds of the Camellia sinensis bush and plucked only a few days a year. Because of its rarity, it is revered by tea connoisseurs. White tea is the least processed tea, using relatively low heat and no rolling. White tea usually contains buds and young tea leaves, which have been found to contain lower levels of caffeine than older leaves, suggesting that the caffeine content of some white teas may be slightly lower than that of green teas.
Pu'erh tea (or Pu'er) is the only
tea that is aged before processing and whose taste improves as it ages..
Premium pu'erh teas are aged from twenty to sixty years to yield a mellow,
smooth and complex cup, which is responsible for its appeal among tea
enthusiasts. Those that truly love pu'erh tea find that its appeal is
not just in its unique harmonious scent and flavors, but also in the way
it soothes both mind and body.
Herbal tea, technically speaking,
are called "tisanes" in Europe (tisane is the French word for infusion),
and are not considered true teas since they are made from dried herbs,
flowers, leaves, roots and fruits, Like tea, herbal teas have been consumed
for centuries as healing tonics and traditional medicines.
Rooibos tea (pronounced "roy-boss"),
is grown only in South Africa. It is naturally caffeine-free and, like
tea, a source of vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting antioxidants.
All teas contain these cherished elements: polyphenols,
vitamins, and minerals.
POLYPHENOLS
Recent research shows that tea leaves which are
derived from the leaf of the Camellia sinensis (tea plant) may have effective
cancer-fighting properties. This includes all green, black, oolong, pu'erh
and white teas. The leaves of the Camellia sinensis contain chemicals
called polyphenols, which give tea its antioxidant properties.
Polyphenols, like other antioxidants, help protect
cells from the normal, but damaging, physiological process known as "oxidative
stress." Although oxygen is vital to life, it's also incorporated into
reactive substances called free radicals. Free radicals can damage the
cells in our body and have been implicated in the slow chain reaction
of damage leading to heart disease, cancer and alzheimers.
Continuing studies have demonstrated the disease
preventative properties of polyphenols. They can stop the damage that
free radicals do to cells, neutralize enzymes essential for tumor growth,
and deactivate cancer promoters. Some laboratory studies directed towards
heart disease have found that polyphenols help prevent blood clotting
and lower cholesterol levels.
Although much remains to be learned about the health
benefits of tea, it is considered a good choice for at least some of the
6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluids recommended daily. The best teas are
those brewed from loose leaves or tea bags of black, green or white tea,
as they have the most antioxidant power. Allow your tea to steep for three
to five minutes to allow the maximum amount of antioxidants to be released.
VITAMINS
Vitamins are organic compounds that function as
supportive regulators within the body. Tea contains:
Vitamin A-promotes the development
of healthy bones, skin and vision, and it strengthens the immune system,
increasing resistance to infection.
Vitamin B1-essential for carbohydrate
metabolism, energy release and for heart health, a healthy brain and nervous
system.
Vitamin B2-needed for normal growth
and development, encourages the release of energy from food and maintains
the health of mucus membranes. Also for healthy eyes, nervous system,
clear skin, and plays a role in fertility.
Vitamin B6- essential for healthy
red blood cells, metabolism, digestion and nervous system.
Vitamin B12- contributes towards
healthy nervous and cardiovascular systems, helps the formation of red
blood cells and bone marrow, production of genetic material and metabolism
of fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
Vitamin C- for the support and
maitenence of healthy blood vessels, muscles, gums, bones and teeth. Vitamin
C is a powerful antioxidant with antiviral, antibacterial and immune-boosting
effects and helps the body ward off infection. Vitamin C also maintains
collagen production for healthy skin.
Vitamin E- essential for heart
health, circulation and functioning of the sexual organs. It also strengthens
immune function, is antioxidant and protects cells from free radicals
(oxidizing substances that damage and kill off healthy cells). Helps heal
skin and scar tissue, reduces inflammation.
Vitamin K- regulates blood clotting.
Is taken in through food and also produced by bacteria in the small intestine.
MINERALS
Minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic nutrients.
Tea contains:
Fluoride - important for strengthening
tooth enamel, making it more resistant to tooth decay.
Magnesium -essential for the healthy
heart and liver, nerve and muscle function, balanced metabolism and strong
bones. It assists in the production and repair of cells.
Potassium - Paramount for cells
in the body to regulate fluid and alkaline/acid balance. It plays an important
role in regulating heart rhythm, transporting oxygen to the brain, nerve
transmission, metabolism, enzyme production, excretion and the maintenance
of normal blood sugar levels.
Zinc - aids tissue repair and
wound healing and is necessary for healthy immune and reproductive systems
and liver function. It plays an important role in enzyme and insulin formation
and activity, and in the metabolism of vitamin A and essential fats. It
is essential for healthy skin, bones and teeth and also for normal development
of the brain, nervous system and bone strength during pregnancy
Tea And Caffeine
Caffeine is a substance found
naturally in many plants and tea is one of them. Caffeine helps with metabolism,
weight loss and vitality. The average amount of caffeine from brewed tea
leaves depends on the type of tea (black tea contains more caffeine than
green tea), the brewing duration, and the water temperature (the higher
the temperature- the greater the amount of caffeine drained from the leaves).
A healthy individual can consume up to about 350 mg of caffeine per day
without any concern.
Caffeine Content
All figures are approximate, especially with coffee.
Different varietals can have different caffeine content, and the way the
coffee is roasted can also change the values.
Following is the amount of caffeine in various
drinks, at 200 mg of beverage:
Espresso 50-150
Filter coffee 60-80
Instant coffee 40-70
Black tea 40-60
Oolong tea 30-50
Green tea 15-20
Red tea 0
Herb and fruit infusions 0
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