We’re learning daily about the health benefits of drinking tea, but did you know these fun and interesting facts about this delicious brew?
• All tea, whether it’s black, green, oolong or white, comes from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis.
• Should you leave this plant to grow in the wild, it could reach up over 30 feet high and can produce tea for 50 years.
• An experienced tea picker can collect roughly 70 pounds of tea in one day, which would be enough to make 14,000 cups of tea!
• One pound of tea will make approximately 200 cups.
• When properly sealed and stored, loose tea can stay for up to a year.
• The Irish drink more tea per capita than any other group in the world.
• The Chinese word for tea is “cha”.
• Up until the 19th century, solid blocks of tea were use as money in Siberia.
• Americans consume 1.42 million pounds of tea each day, and three billion cups are drunk worldwide each day.
• Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world, behind water, so drink up!
Friday, September 17, 2010
Tea: Did You Know?
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Cancer Prevention With Tea: True or False?
Is there truth to the idea of cancer prevention with tea drinking? According to some studies, tea can work in numerous ways to help prevent cancer for some. These studies show that tea can inhibit the formation of tumors and slow the growth of existing tumors. According to 1997 University of Kansas research, the antioxidant power of EGCG is approximately 100 times greater than Vitamin C and 25 times greater than Vitamin E in restricting the free radical damage to DNA that could increase the risk of cancer.
The idea of cancer prevention with tea drinking has been around for several decades and has been noted in possibly diminishing these types of cancers:
Breast Cancer: Research shows that breast cancer is much less common in countries where green tea is regularly drunk. One such study showed that women who drink at least 26 ounces of green tea leaves each year had a 39 percent reduced risk of breast cancer compared to non-drinkers.
Ovarian Cancer: Studies have shown drinking two or more cups of green or black tea a day lowered the risk for ovarian cancer by 46 percent in 61,000 women, with each additional cup lowering the risk by another 18 percent. It is possible that the more black tea you drink the greater protection against ovarian cancer.
Lung Cancer: Another study concerning the prevention of cancer by tea drinking showed that smokers who drank four cups of decaffeinated green tea a day had a 31 percent decrease in biomarkers of oxidative DNA damage in white blood cells compared to those drinking four cups of water per day. The oxidative DNA damage is connected to the development of various forms of cancer. Black tea may have a preventive effect on the exposure of smoke to the lungs.
Prostate Cancer: Second to skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men. More than 230,000 American men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, according to the American Cancer Society. Yet another study has found that the polyphenols in green tea can help prevent the spread of prostate cancer.
Other Cancers: In addition to the above forms of cancer, studies have shown that tea can assist the prevention of other cancers such as skin, stomach, bladder and colon cancers.
The idea of cancer prevention with tea drinking has been around for several decades and has been noted in possibly diminishing these types of cancers:
Breast Cancer: Research shows that breast cancer is much less common in countries where green tea is regularly drunk. One such study showed that women who drink at least 26 ounces of green tea leaves each year had a 39 percent reduced risk of breast cancer compared to non-drinkers.
Ovarian Cancer: Studies have shown drinking two or more cups of green or black tea a day lowered the risk for ovarian cancer by 46 percent in 61,000 women, with each additional cup lowering the risk by another 18 percent. It is possible that the more black tea you drink the greater protection against ovarian cancer.
Lung Cancer: Another study concerning the prevention of cancer by tea drinking showed that smokers who drank four cups of decaffeinated green tea a day had a 31 percent decrease in biomarkers of oxidative DNA damage in white blood cells compared to those drinking four cups of water per day. The oxidative DNA damage is connected to the development of various forms of cancer. Black tea may have a preventive effect on the exposure of smoke to the lungs.
Prostate Cancer: Second to skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men. More than 230,000 American men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, according to the American Cancer Society. Yet another study has found that the polyphenols in green tea can help prevent the spread of prostate cancer.
Other Cancers: In addition to the above forms of cancer, studies have shown that tea can assist the prevention of other cancers such as skin, stomach, bladder and colon cancers.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
A Cup of Tea for Your Heart
With there being so many diet fads and lose-weight-quick schemes out there, maybe looking at history and how tea has been beneficial to the heart is a smart and reasonable way to approach dieting. As early as the late 1960s, American scientists were finding interesting results in Chinese Americans who drank tea. During their autopsies, these individuals’ arteries were found to contain only two thirds as much coronary artery disease as Caucasian coffee drinkers.
In additional studies throughout time, a link has been shown between drinking tea and preventing heart disease. These benefits are thought to come from ingredients known as “flavanoids”, a type of antioxidant found in all types of tea. They act as a neutralizing agent of free radicals, a highly reactive molecule traveling around the body causing chemical reactions that can damage cells, including those in the heart tissues. These free radicals are directly linked to heart disease, stroke, cancer and aging. By drinking tea at least one cup of tea a day, you may reduce your risk of a heart attack by almost 50%, according to some of these studies. Most research studies have found that tea drinkers have a higher reduction in heart attack risk compared to non-tea drinkers.
Furthermore, the affects of tea drinking can be seen in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Hypertension, which is the most common type of heart disease, can possibly be lowered by almost 50 percent by drinking as little as a half-cup of green or oolong tea each day.
With the benefits of drinking tea for your heart being shown in numerous studies, it’s an excellent idea to drink at least a cup a day to lower your chances for heart disease. Keep your heart clean and healthy with a daily dose of tea.
In additional studies throughout time, a link has been shown between drinking tea and preventing heart disease. These benefits are thought to come from ingredients known as “flavanoids”, a type of antioxidant found in all types of tea. They act as a neutralizing agent of free radicals, a highly reactive molecule traveling around the body causing chemical reactions that can damage cells, including those in the heart tissues. These free radicals are directly linked to heart disease, stroke, cancer and aging. By drinking tea at least one cup of tea a day, you may reduce your risk of a heart attack by almost 50%, according to some of these studies. Most research studies have found that tea drinkers have a higher reduction in heart attack risk compared to non-tea drinkers.
Furthermore, the affects of tea drinking can be seen in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Hypertension, which is the most common type of heart disease, can possibly be lowered by almost 50 percent by drinking as little as a half-cup of green or oolong tea each day.
With the benefits of drinking tea for your heart being shown in numerous studies, it’s an excellent idea to drink at least a cup a day to lower your chances for heart disease. Keep your heart clean and healthy with a daily dose of tea.
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