Health Benefits for Drinking Tea



Nutritional Value of Tea

Tea and Caffeine

Tea and Antioxidant properties

Green tea health benefits



Nutritional Value of Tea

The nutritional value of tea, apart from it being a low calorie drink is attributed to its mineral content. Tea contains the elements of manganese zinc, potassium & magnesium which the human body needs daily.

Tea can reduce the risk of death from coronary hear disease and the chances of having a first heart attack. Tea has a high content of a natural group of chemical antioxidants known as flavonoids.  On-going research is discovering that at this level of intake tea may offer significant health benefits.  The role of tea in reducing cancer risk is also widely recognised
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In addition to tea’s contribution to overall daily fluid intake as well as the presence of powerful antioxidants called flavonoids, tea, when taken with milk, may also contribute to our daily intake of certain nutrients.

Taken on it’s own tea has no calories. However, when milk is added to it, like the English Tea , it can provide a number of vitamins and minerals.  In addition to the nutrients described, tea provides 70% of our daily Fluoride intake.2 Fluoride is needed to support bone mineralisation and protect teeth against dental caries.

As well as contributing to fluid and antioxidant intake, drinking 3-4 cups of tea a day with milk, can provide certain vitamins and minerals, thereby helping to support overall health and well being.

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Tea and Caffeine

Caffeine is known to stimulate the central nervous system and respiration. Other desirable effects of caffeine include relief of fatigue, increase of alertness and aiding digestion. Excessive caffeine is said to have adverse effects on the human system however tea has only half the caffeine levels of coffee and research proves that the presence of caffeine in tea does not produce unhealthy results due to it’s combination with tea polyphenols.

The polyphenols present in tea act in many beneficial ways to human health. A cup of tea contains about 1000 ppm (parts per million) polyphenols. The catechins available in tea polyphenols has the capacity of suppressing the excessive rise of cholesterol, inhibiting hypertension, reducing glucose levels in the blood, preventing cardio-vascular diseases, lowering high blood pressure and keeping intestines in good order.

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Tea and Antioxidant properties

Increasing evidence is highlighting the role antioxidants may have in protecting against certain conditions such as heart disease, stroke and cancers. It has been proposed that the mechanisms leading to these diseases may be promoted by free radicals and that antioxidants may oppose the action of these molecules. In addition to the well known antioxidants such as Vitamins C and E, there is growing research demonstrating the potentially beneficial effects of plant-derived antioxidants, polyphenols, found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals and drinks such as tea and red wine.

It is well known that fruit and vegetables are good sources of antioxidants, however, what is less well known is the amount of antioxidants present in tea. The major group of antioxidants in tea are flavonoids that appear to be digested, absorbed and metabolised by the body. There is a wealth of evidence demonstrating that tea and flavonoids exhibit beneficial effects in animal and in vitro studies and provide a promising area of research for future human studies.

So as well as eating more fruit and vegetables, antioxidant intake can be topped up by drinking more tea, helping to promote overall health and well-being.

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Green Tea Health Benefits

Green tea is considered as one of the three major non-alcoholic beverages in the world.  


Ten Major Health Benefits for drinking Tea

1  
 Green tea may prevent cancer
Research suggests that the consumption of 5-6 cups of green tea per day by the majority of men and women in Japan is linked to the significantly lower rate of cancer. Studies have shown that in order for cancer to form two things have to be present; an “initiator” which damages DNA in the cell rendering it subject to cancer and a “ promotor” which activates cancer, leading to a malignancy. The tanninand catechin in green tea reduces both the “initiator” and “promotor”.
2
 Green tea may restrict blood cholesterol
High cholesterol is associated with a wide range of diseases in adults. Green tea catechin restricts the excessive buildup of “bad” cholesterol and also limits excessive blood cholesterol
3
 Green tea may control high blood pressure
Mice experiments indicate that daily consumption of green tea catechin has the ability to prevent a rise in blood pressure
4
 Green tea may lower blood sugar
About 60 years ago, Dr. Minowada of Kyoto University noticed that sugar in the urine of hospitalized diabetes patients fell markedly during periods when they participated in the Tea Ceremony. He reported that tea had the capability of lowering blood sugar. In recent years studies by Dr. Y. Hara and Dr. M. Shimizu havedemonstrated that green tea catechinhas an ability to lower bloodsugar, and polysaccharidesin green tea possess the same ability.
5
 Green tea may suppress aging
One way of slowing down aging is to prevent the productive of active oxygen and lipid peroxide in the body. Oxygen can oxidizecell membranes, which damage DNA. Catechinin green tea contains antioxidants 20 time stronger than Vitamin E.
6
 Green tea refreshes thebody
Green tea taken in proper quantity stimulates every organ in the body.
7
 Green tea may deter food poisoning
Green tea catechinis a powerful sterilizing agent for many types of bacteria that cause food poisoning.
8
 Green tea may prevent and treat skin disease
Soaking in green tea treats athlete’s foot, bed sores & skin disease
9
 Green tea may stop cavities
Cariogenic bacteria create glucan, which creates plaque. Green tea catechincan destroy cariogenic bacteria.
10
Green tea may fight viruses
Green tea catechinand theaflavin (an oxidized form of catechin present in black tea) have a strong effect on the influenza virus. The anti-viral capability of green tea catachin may have some beneficial effect on the AIDS virus.


More on Tea for health on

http://wywy.essortment.com/teahealth_rgfr.htm
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9709/11/green.tea/