Tea Time - What Teas Do You Like?

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Black Tea - Benefits of Black Tea

 

What Is Black Tea?

 

 

 

Like green tea, black tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. The leaves are dried and fermented, which gives the tea a darker color and richer flavor than green tea (which does not undergo the fermentation process).

 

 

 

Black Tea and Caffeine

 

 

 

Depending on how strong it's brewed, black tea contains about 50 mg of caffeine per cup. (In comparison, green tea contains 8 to 30 mg per cup, while coffee contains 100 to 350 mg.)

 

 

 

Black Tea and Antioxidants

 

 

 

Black tea contains a number of antioxidants, which are compounds that help the body fight free radicals (chemical by-products known to damage DNA). These antioxidants include quercetin, a substance said to combat inflammation and support healthy immune function.

 

 

 

Black Tea Benefits

 

 

 

Here's a look at the science behind black tea's health effects:

 

 

1) Black Tea and Cardiovascular Health

 

 

 

To date, research on black tea's cardiovascular benefits has yielded mixed results. For instance, a 2009 review of nine previously published studies (including a total of nearly 195,000 participants) concluded that drinking three cups of black or green tea daily reduced risk of stroke by 21 percent. However, a 2007 study of 31 adults (ages 55 and older) found that six months of black-tea consumption did not significantly influence any cardiovascular risk factors (such as inflammation and systolic blood pressure). Both the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the National Institutes of Health point to this study as evidence that black tea may have no impact on cardiovascular health.

 

 

2) Black Tea and Diabetes

 

 

 

In a laboratory study published in 2009, scientists discovered that compounds extracted from black tea were more effective at slowing the absorption of blood sugar than those extracted from green tea and oolong tea. Additionally, a 2009 population study of 1,040 elderly adults found that long-term intake of black and/or green tea was associated with lower prevalence of diabetes.

 

 

3) Black Tea and Cancer Prevention

 

 

 

While some studies indicate that regular consumption of black tea may reduce cancer risk, others report no cancer-related benefits of black tea intake. Furthermore, some research suggests that black tea consumption may be significantly positively associated with increased risk of overall breast cancer and estrogen-receptor positive/progesterone-receptor positive breast tumors.

 

Drinking Black Tea for Health

 

 

 

Black tea consumption has not been proven to prevent or treat any health condition. Although black tea intake may offer certain health benefits, it's important to consult your doctor to determine which dose might be appropriate for you. In some individuals, high doses of caffeine may lead to a number of adverse effects (such as anxiety, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and the worsening of ulcer symptoms).

 

 

Green Tea Health Benefits

 

How much Green Tea should you drink?

 

 

 

There are as many answers to this question as there are researchers investigating the natural properties of green tea. For example, Herbs for Health magazine cites a Japanese report stating that men who drank ten cups of green tea per day stayed cancer-free for three years longer than men who drank less than three cups a day (there are approximately 240 - 320 mg of polyphenols in three cups of green tea). Meanwhile, a study by Cleveland's Western Reserve University concluded that drinking four or more cups of green tea per day could help prevent rheumatoid arthritis, or reduce symptoms in individuals already suffering from the disease. And Japanese scientists at the Saitama Cancer Research Institute discovered that there were fewer recurrances of breast cancer, and the disease spread less quickly, in women with a history of drinking five cups or more of green tea daily.

 

 

 

It gets more confusing. A University of California study on the cancer-preventative qualities of green tea concluded that you could probably attain the desired level of polyphenols by drinking merely two cups per day. On the other hand, a company selling a green tea capsule formula insists that ten cups per day are necessary to reap the maximum benefits.

 

 

 

How can you make sense of these conflicting claims? Given all the evidence, it is probably safe to plan on drinking four to five cups of green tea per daily. If you're a real devotee, by all means drink more; but whether or not you'll derive added health benefits remains to be determined by further research.

 

 

 

How to Brew a Cup of Green Tea

 

Producing the perfect cup of green tea is a tricky process. If not handled properly, those same polyphenols that provide health benefits can ruin the flavor, making the tea taste "gassy." It's particularly important not to overbrew. While it's best to follow the manufacturer's instructions for each variety of green tea, here are some general instructions:

 

 

 

Use one tea bag, or 2 - 4 grams of tea,* per cup.

 

 

 

Fill a kettle with cold water and bring to a boil.

 

 

 

After unplugging the kettle, allow it to stand for up to 3 minutes.

 

Pour the heated water over the tea bag or tea, and allow it to steep for up to 3 minutes. If using a tea bag, remove the bag.

 

 

 

Allow the tea to cool for three more minutes.

 

 

 

*One to two teaspoons, depending on the variety of green tea you are brewing.

 

 

 

Hidden Benefits of Green Tea

 

 

 

Considered by many to be one of nature's healthiest beverages, green tea is rich in antioxidants that could help fight off heart disease and cancer. Made from unfermented leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, green tea is also low in caffeine (offering about 8 to 30 mg per cup, compared to 100 to 350 mg per cup of coffee) and contains the amino acid L-theanine (shown to induce relaxation and relieve stress in preliminary research).

 

 

 

Now, a number of studies are exploring the benefits beyond green tea's heart-healthy, anti-cancer, stress-reducing effects. Here's a look at some of the most promising findings so far.

 

 

 

1) Healthy Teeth and Gums

 

 

 

In a 2009 study, scientists sized up the periodontal health of 940 men and found that those who drank green tea on a regular basis had healthier gums than participants who skimped on the drink. For every cup of green tea sipped daily, in fact, there was a significant decrease in several indicators of periodontal disease (such as bleeding upon probing of the gum tissue).

 

Past research also indicates that drinking green tea may help you avoid tooth erosion.

 

 

 

2) Stroke Prevention

 

 

 

Another 2009 study suggests that drinking green tea each day can significantly slash your risk of stroke (the third leading cause of death in the United States). In reviewing nine studies on a total of nearly 195,000 people, researchers found that three daily cups of tea reduced stroke risk by 21%. What's more, consuming three more cups a day appeared to decrease stroke risk by an additional 21%.

 

 

 

3) Better Brain Power

 

 

 

Gulping green tea could preserve your brain power as you age, according to a 2006 study. The study's authors looked at tea consumption among 1,003 Japanese people (ages 70 and up), finding that those who drank the most green tea were the least likely to show signs of weakened brain function. For instance, study members who had a cup of green tea four to six times weekly were 38% less likely to display signs of cognitive impairment than those who drank green tea less than three times per week.

 

 

 

Green Tea and Cardiovascular Health

 

New study shows significant benefit from drinking green tea

 

 

 

A few months after the Food and Drug Administration declined to award a health claim to the makers of green tea, a study from Japan was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showing a significant reduction in deaths from cardiovascular disease among drinkers of green tea.

 

 

 

The study was initiated in an attempt to study a possible association between the consumption of green tea and reduced mortality. In <o:p> vestigators in Japan enrolled over 40,000 people in this study, and followed them prospectively for more than 11 years. During that time, individuals who drank more than 5 cups of green tea per day had a risk of overall mortality, and of mortality related to cardiovascular disease, that was 16% lower than for individuals who drank less than 1 cup of green tea per day. The protective effects of green tea was stronger in women than in men. Furthermore, green tea was particularly associated with a reduction in the risk of stroke.

 

 

 

In general, the health benefits from green tea were seen in individuals who drank at least 1 cup per day.

 

 

 

Several potential mechanisms have been postulated for beneficial effects mediated by green tea, including its antioxidant properties and its favorable influence on hypertension and LDL cholesterol.

 

 

 

Dr Rich Comments:

 

 

 

It is entirely likely that in 10 - 15 years, once definitive clinical trials are at last completed, the FDA will finally declare green tea to be useful in reducing cardiovascular disease. You can wait for this to happen if you want.

 

 

[phaulgas]

green tea

[wakangamoks]

green tea, chinese style. the european got some wierd after taste.

[DarkAngel]

green tea and oolong

[SamanthaJones]

green tea and chai tea

[orionquest]

coffee milk tea.

[Itto Ogami]

CELESTIAL SEASONINGS http://lh6.ggpht.com/_3Lud_9_uocs/THn00wl1bRI/AAAAAAAABbg/f-FQpeV1i7Y/smiley-hug2.gif

1. Detox A.M.
2. Echinacea Complete Care
3. Ginseng Energy

on a side note, the ff sucked from STASH TEAS:

1. mango & passion fruit
2. blueberry
3. apple & cinnamon - puede na...

malas lang, bought them in box of 20s, obligado tuloy akong ubusin

.

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Edited August 29, 2010 by Itto Ogami

[mc_darklight]

green tea leaf

[Seishi]

Green tea and White tea

[Cyk-O]

Lipton yellow tea, green tea and milk tea for me

[strangedays]

Twinings Pure White Tea

[Guest mirang]

green tea, it also boosts antibiotics making it 3 times more effective

[mark625]

jasmin tea

[erato]

Bori Cha [barley Tea]

[Niuroujidan]

Genmai Tea

[charmingcindy26]

mint tea

[asmodeus]

Recently I have been buying Twinings' Four Red Fruits Black Tea

 

 

http://i822.photobucket.com/albums/zz142/DevilAsmodeus/twining001.jpg

 

http://i822.photobucket.com/albums/zz142/DevilAsmodeus/twining002.jpg

 

http://i822.photobucket.com/albums/zz142/DevilAsmodeus/twining003.jpg

 

 

The aromatic fruity flavor is not overpowering ...... I usually enjoy a cup or two after a heavy meal.

[Mango Man]

Green tea plain

[mbt31]

English breakfast wiyh milk n sugar

 

African sunrise from coffee bean

 

That blue bottle milk tea at 7-11

[jexpat]

Tropical Passion Tea Latte at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

[mark625]

crysantelium

[PAINinthebutt]

house tea ng hap chan

[tomward]

ceylon tea

[mc_darklight]

lately Oolong tea... replaced my love in green tea

[erika123]

Definitely japanese green tea