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A Heart to Heart About the Benefits of Tea

Aug 10th, 2010
by Diane.
2 comments

By Casey Yew

For years now we’ve heard that tea is one of the healthiest things you can drink. We’ve read and heard about how good tea is for our immune system, how it can ward off cancer, and how it can strengthen our arteries and prevent heart disease. Tea has, in fact, been touted as a super-food, a natural source of unique compounds that help improve our health in every way. But just how effective is tea for keeping us healthy? And more specifically, just how good is tea for our heart?

Ever since we first noticed that people from eastern tea-drinking cultures seemed to enjoy longer and healthier lives, tea has become the focus for an intense amount of research. While initial examinations have conclusively demonstrated that regular green tea consumption reduces the risk of almost every major disease, more recent studies have begun to reveal exactly how and why tea is as beneficial as it is.

Scientifically speaking, tea derives all of its major healing benefits from a powerful group of antioxidants known as catechins. When it comes to your cardiovascular health, these catechins protect your heart and your arteries in two significant ways.

Firstly, these antioxidants have an amazing relaxing power on your arteries. Multiple studies have shown that by drinking a single cup of tea, you can make your blood vessels more flexible for up to two hours. Because your arteries are able to expand and contract more readily, your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood through your body, and as a result, your blood pressure will remain lower.

Secondly, these antioxidants also reduce the number of free radicals (harmful molecules) present in your blood stream. In layman’s terms, this means that the compounds present in tea prevent harmful plaque from building up on your arterial walls. These antioxidants are so powerful, that they will prevent damage and permanent arterial hardening regardless of how unhealthy your diet is. Even the greasiest fast food seems to have little effect on your heart so long as you have a glass of tea with your meal.

Although tea is a potent ally for protecting the health of your heart, there are a few ways to ensure you receive its maximum benefits. Just a little bit of citrus added to your tea has been shown to vastly increase the amount of antioxidants your body will absorb. At the same time, new research from Germany has revealed that adding dairy milk to your tea will render these antioxidants completely ineffective. So the next time you sit down to enjoy your afternoon cup, think lemon and honey instead of sugar and cream.

All About Food Medicine – Healthy foods are the natural medicines that will prevent common health problems the natural way – http://www.thefoodmedicine.com

Posted in: Green Tea, Health Benefits of Tea.
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Clouds in My Iced Tea

Aug 5th, 2010
by Diane.
2 comments

By Brian Karwowski

Iced tea is usually served in a tall glass with ice, sweetened or unsweetened, flavored or unflavored, with or without lemon, it’s up to you. You can get it in a can or a bottle but you can’t beat fresh brewed iced tea served over ice.

Popular around the world, only second to water and enjoyed almost universally, in the United States eighty five percent of all tea consumed is in the form of iced tea. Especially popular in the South, there it is usually served sweetened and is called ’sweet tea’. It’s a great alternative to carbonated drinks and is enjoyed year-round. Hot or cold it is loaded with antioxidants and everyone should take time to savor the flavor.

Many references point to the creation of Iced Tea occurring in 1904 at the St. Louis World’s Fair. A plantation owner named Richard Blechyden was giving away free hot tea samples on a very hot day. As one might expect he did not get any takers until he iced it. The beverage was only then a hit, and became all the rage.

It is more accurate that Mr. Blechyden made iced tea popular but was not the inventor of this popular beverage. No difference, let’s all just be glad to enjoy it.

Iced tea appeared in many cookbooks prior to 1904, especially in the U.S. South. It’s recipe in the White House Cook Book of 1886 is just one example prior to the 1904 World’s Fair.

IT is usually made from CTC tea, or crushed, tear, curl. CTC is an inexpensive mechanical process that reduces the leaves into tiny pieces known as fannings and dust that usually finds their way into tea bags. The tiny size of the leaves allows more flavor to escape rapidly producing a more robust tasting tea very quickly.

Iced tea is commonly made from CTC black tea, but you can also make delicious brews using whole leaf teas like white, green, oolong or black. The key to making great tasting tea is to use soft or filtered water and premium tea, the hotter the water the bolder the flavor.

Cloudiness In My Tea

A common question is what makes my iced tea look cloudy.

The cloudiness that you see is known as ‘tea cream’ and does not affect the flavor, just the appearance in your glass. Tea cream in the precipitate formed as tea cools. Calcium from hard water, and theaflavin, a polyphenol found especially in black teas, promotes a cloudy brew during cooling.

To avoid creaming when making iced tea, use soft water and cool slowly to room temperature before refrigerating. Adding some lemon can sometimes help.

Tip

Steep your tea stronger than you normally would to make up for the dilution from ice. Stronger tea is made by using more tea, not increasing the the steeping time. Long steeping times can make it bitter.

Brewing methods include overnight refrigeration, cold steep, quick brew, and sun tea which is not recommend because the temperature of the tea may not get hot enough to destroy harmful bacteria. Just follow the directions supplied and enjoy.

So whatever your pleasure, bags or whole leaf, make some fresh brewed Iced tea, kick back, enjoy, and watch the clouds go by.

Posted in: Tea Information.
Tagged: · · ·

Fascinating Journeys – The Early History of Tea

Aug 1st, 2010
by Diane.
1 comment

By Darlene Freiberg

If the life and history of the humble tea leaf were ever put to the big screen, it would have all the makings of a block buster hit. Adventure, intrigue, fortunes made and lost, revolution, war, and massive social change are just a few of the major marks of tea’s tumultuous journey and history.

Although no one knows for certain, legend has it that emperor, scholar, and herbalist, Shen Nung discovered tea’s refreshing, healthful properties when a few leaves fell into a kettle of water he was boiling. The date given is 2737 B.C.

Recognized immediately for its medicinal qualities, the Chinese used tea as a digestive aid and topical ointment to soothe skin problems, and relieve rheumatism.

Tea continued to become more popular through the Han Dynasty (A.D. 206-220), and by the end of the third century A.D., had become China’s national drink.

A.D. 332 the first record of tea manufacturing was officially recorded by Zhang Yi, giving a detailed description of how plants were pruned and plucked, and how the leaves were processed.

The fourth and fifth centuries saw many new tea plantations grow along the Yangtze River Valley, and tea was now considered to be a pleasurable drink as well as a medicinal tonic.

The Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618-906) saw a new set of tea etiquette evolve. This strict set of rules created a new role in society for “Tea Masters” who worked for the emperor and wealthy mandarins.

Known today as the patron saint of tea, LuYu wrote his Cha Chang (Classic of Tea), during the eighth century A.D.. LuYu learned how to correctly brew tea from his adoptive father, a Buddhist monk, and was China’s first real tea specialist.

He worked for 20 years to write Cha Chang, and the work became essential reading for everyone from tea farmers and researchers, to the Chinese consumer.

In Cha Chang, LuYu described the tea plant, and methods of cultivation, how different teas were manufactured, and even taught readers what type of water to use for brewing, and tea’s health benefits, making it in his eyes the perfect beverage. He also examined other points, such as the culture and rituals of tea-drinking.

During the Song Dynasty (A.D. 960-1279) Chinese social life centered around the Chinese Tea House. Think of it as our social club of today. This was where family and friends gathered to play cards, chess, or just relax and talk. It also provided a new venue for merchants and businessmen to do business and make deals.

The Chinese Tea House was also multi-faceted, as it provided a backdrop for professional actors, poets, jugglers, and storytellers who entertained there for the enjoyment of the people.

By now the Chinese were trading their tea to Tibet and the Arab lands to the west, Turks, tribes, and groups living in the Himalayas, and along the Silk Road trading route, linking India to Macedonia.

It the sixteenth century China began trade with Europe, but the long sea voyages often took too long and the tea was often spoiled, forcing the Chinese producers to find better options for manufacturing, packaging, and transportation.

Up to this point in tea’s history, all Chinese teas were green. Under the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) tea was sold as loose leaf rather than being formed into dried compressed cakes as was previously the fashion. But the loose tea spoiled more easily before reaching its destination – the customer.

Always conscious of profits, the Chinese producers turned to a new method of manufacture, and devised black teas. By allowing the leaves to oxidize naturally, they dried to a dark coppery color. These new black teas lasted much longer and travelled better than the more delicate green teas had.

The Chinese kept to their practice of drinking green teas, but the new black teas found a growing market with European trading companies importing an ever increasing supply to their home ports.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darlene Freiberg is a freelance copywriter, author, and web publisher, with an avid interest in everything TEA. Come uncover and explore the many amazing facts about tea by visiting http://www.theteadetective.com

Learn more about the six main types of tea, their features, and manufacturing process by visiting: http://www.theteadetective.com/SixMainTeaTypes.html

Posted in: Tea Information.

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