Sunday, June 14, 2009

A Suggestion to Consume Tea


Tea has become the second most consumed beverage in the world, second only to water. It's not that much of a surprise however, as you will soon see. Tea is a beverage that comes from tea leaves which are mainly from the camellia plant which contain polyphenols, a group of chemical substances which are believed to provide many health benefits such as helping reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Tea comes in many different colors such as red, green, black, and white. Although they are different colors, they come from the same type of plant. The reason there is a color difference is because the way the tea leaves are processed. Basically, the more processed the tea leaves are, the darker in color they will become. So green and white tea are the least processed of them all. Black tea is fermented and processed a lot more but still contains polyphenol so the health benefits are still there.

The reason why polyphenol is important is because it has an antioxidant structure. What antioxidants do is gives an electron to the free radicals and thereby balancing them and making them more stable. They don't necessary get rid of the radicals, they just help stabilize and control them.

So how much tea should you drink? Studies have shown that you have to drink 3-5 cups of tea a day. Keep in mind that just because these are the statistics that these studies show, it doesn't necessary mean that it's 100% accurate. Tea has caffeine in it but it's about half the amount that brewed coffee has. Because it has caffeine, you shouldn't overly consume tea on a daily basis.

The best way to make tea is by using a teapot. They come in many different sizes and styles. Some are just basic and some are more convenient, allowing you to stop the brewing process to give you the right flavor of your choice. It is generally better than using a teabag and placing it in your cup because the flavor can be better distributed. The benefits of tea are many. After all, as the saying goes, tea is the cup of life.

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