Coffee or Tea
Have you ever wondered how your cup of coffee & tea gets from
the farm to your house? Or what the health benefits of drinking
coffee and tea are? Well hopefully after reading a few of the
pages of the 'time for coffee and tea' site you'll have a fuller
insight into both the production, science and health benefits of
these beverages.
Tea please…..
Tea is the second most consumed
beverage in the world, with water
as the number one. It is in almost
every culture, and there are
literally thousands of varieties.
Tea is a beverage that is enjoyed
in the morning, afternoon, or
evening, whether feeling ill or
good, and can be consumed hot
or cold.
Tea contains fluoride, which has a well-established link to
dental health. Studies have shown that tea can provide up to
70% of the fluoride you need. It's also thought that
antioxidants in tea may help inhibit the growth of the bacteria
that cause plaque.
Tea without milk and sugar has virtually no calories. And in hot
weather, it seems refreshing. This may be because it can raise
your body temperature and momentarily cause an increase in
perspiration, which cools the skin.
Teas are made from tea leaves rich in natural antioxidants, plus
other good stuff your body loves. As for the taste, with a range
covering hot and cold teas, and green and black varieties, it
boosts your taste buds, as well as your well being.
The amount of caffeine in tea depends on a number of
things, the variety of tea leaf, where it is grown, size and cut of
the tea leaf, and how you brew or steep as well as how long.
Tea has only 1/2 to 1/3 as much caffeine as coffee when
you compare them cup for cup.
Different Types of Tea
There are four main varieties of tea:
Green Teas
Green tea is made from unoxidized leaves which are simply heated after picking to destroy the
enzymes that cause oxidation. They are then rolled to release their flavour. Green teas are sweet
and contain many of the vitamins and antioxidant properties of the fresh green tea leaf, making
them highly regarded as a healthy, fragrant and delicious drink.
Oolong Teas
Oolong, meaning Black Dragon, is usually from China and Taiwan (often called Formosa, its old
Portuguese name). It is a semi-fermented tea, a cross between green and black teas, which is widely
prized for its digestive benefits. Tea Palace offers a range of the finest oolong teas from both China
and Taiwan, including Iron Goddess of Mercy (Ti Kuan Yin) and the highest grades of Formosa
Oolong teas.
Black teas
Black teas get their characteristic flavour and colour from a natural oxidation process, which follows
initial drying and rolling of the leaves after they have been picked. Tea Palace offers a wide range of
single estate black teas including world famous Assams, Darjeelings and Ceylons and a range of
bespoke Black Blends.
White tea
White tea is the world's rarest tea as it can only be picked for a few weeks in any one year. Authentic
white tea is only grown in the Fujian province in China where the exact method of processing is kept
secret. What we do know is that white tea is made from a specific tea plant variety, as well as a
particular processing method which raises small silvery hairs on the leaves and buds.
White tea has seen a recent increase in popularity and has well-documented antioxidant and
detoxifying benefits.
Top 10 Health Benefits of Drinking Tea
1. Tea contains antioxidants.
2. Tea has less caffeine than coffee.
3. Tea may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.
4. Tea protects your bones.
5. Tea gives you a sweet smile.
6. Tea bolsters your immune defenses.
7. Tea protects against cancer.
8. Tea helps keep you hydrated.
9. Tea is calorie-free.
10. Tea increases your metabolism.
Tea is good for the heart
but
did you know that simply adding milk or
dairy to your tea can completely block the
health benefits of the tea itself?
Yes, it may sound hard to believe, and surely many will be disappointed at the
news, but this research shows that dairy negates the very antioxidant
benefits that are the reason many people choose to drink tea in the first place.
This is big news for the millions of people out there who add milk to their tea
each day, thinking that they're getting all of those wonderful tea antioxidant
benefits in their daily ritual.
What's the problem with milk and tea?
The culprits in milk are a group of proteins called caseins that interact with tea,
decreasing the concentration ofcatechins -- the flavonoids in tea that are
responsible for tea's protective effects against heart disease, the effects of aging,
dementia, and other areas, according to the authors of a landmark study in
Germany:
If you want to drink tea for its health
effects, don't drink it with milk.
Noted that not only does milk block
tea's benefits for blood vessels, it
alsodestroys the antioxidant effects
of tea and perhaps its cancerprotective effects as well.
Adding milk to a cup of tea can
destroy its ability to protect against
heart disease, according to research.
So what about coffee…
Did you know that coffee can
actually do a lot more than
simply give you a boost in the
morning? There are actually a
number of health benefits to
drinking coffee regularly. So,
before you make the switch to
herbal tea, read on to learn
more about what coffee can
do for you and your body.
"Do You Take Milk or Sugar with That?"
Research has points for both arguments: coffee is both good for the body and
can be bad for the body. Most studies promote using coffee in moderation to
avoid its possible negative effects such as restlessness, anxiety, irritability,
tremors, sleeplessness, headaches, gastrointestinal symptoms and abnormal
heart rhythms. However, in one study from Harvard University, researchers
suggest the more coffee, the better.
Some like it black, while
others like it with lots of
milk
and
sugar.
Everyone has their own
personal
preference;
but have you ever
wondered if putting
milk in coffee destroys
some of its health
benefits?
Coffee is a surprisingly good source of antioxidants and may reduce
the risk of some diseases according to recent research. Does
putting milk in coffee offset these benefits?
If you like your coffee with a little
cream or milk, you can stop
worrying. A new study published in
the Journal of Nutrition shows that
putting milk in coffee doesn’t affect
its antioxidant levels. Milk may be
fine, but it’s best to avoid nondairy creamers and sugar since this
study showed that they reduced
the time it took for caffeic, ferulic
acid, and isoferulic acid – three
antioxidants in coffee – to make
their way into the blood stream.
Some studies have shown
coffee drinkers have a
lower risk of chronic
diseases including type 2
diabetes, liver disease,
Parkinson’s
disease,
Alzheimer’s disease, and
gall bladder disease.
Unfortunately, coffee still contains a
large amount of caffeine which can be
a problem for people with heart
disease,
high
blood
pressure,
insomnia, or anxiety; and it’s not clear
whether drinking decaffeinated coffee
has the same health benefits. Some
people
experience
unpleasant
reactions to drinking coffee due to the
caffeine; and because it’s acidic it can
cause heartburn and indigestion. It
also reduces the absorption of iron by
the intestines – so it isn’t a good
choice of beverage for anyone with
iron deficiency anemia.
Top 11 Health Benefits of Coffee
oAntioxidant Rich
oMagnesium Rich
oAnti Bacterial and Anti Adhesive Qualities
oPromotes Digestion
oImproves Athletic Endurance and Performance
oDecreases Depression
oDecreases Your Chances of Developing
Parkinson's Disease
oDecreases Your Risk of Developing Colon Cancer
oOffsets the Damaging Effects of Smoking
oTreats Asthma and Headaches
oReduces Your Risk of Liver Disease
Decaffeinated coffee may be harmful to heart
Decaffeinated Coffee Is Not Caffeine
Free.
Decaffeinated coffee may have a
harmful effect on the heart by
increasing the levels of a specific
cholesterol in the blood, researchers
say. Their explanation is that caffeinefree coffee is often made from a type
of bean with a higher fat content. The
group drinking decaffeinated coffee
had experienced an 18% rise in their
fatty acids in the blood, which can
drive the production of bad 'LDL'
cholesterol.
So what else is left to be said - Drink Up or Stop Drinking It!