Tea Time Part 2
“Tea Time” Part 2
January is National #DrinkHotTeaMonth.
January is National Hot Tea Month! Kinda makes sense, right? We usually get a craving for warm beverages during the winter months (so comforting!) and often make health-based resolutions at the beginning of the New Year (cliché if you want it to be, but always a prime opportunity to start fresh with a few desired goals!).
In Part 1, we talked brief tea history (dating back thousands of years), the more recent mainstream consumption of sugar-loaded variations (20th century – present), and how to perhaps revisit tea in a more simple and nourishing manner.
In this follow-up, we wanted to bring to attention many of the considerable health benefits of tea, which include:
• Tea contains zero calories and actually aids hydration. If substituted for soda, it may help with healthy weight maintenance.
• Early studies suggest that tea may lower levels of cholesterol, as well as blood pressure.
• Antioxidants in tea limit the effects of free radicals, which we encounter regularly and can harm the body.
• Older women who drink tea were found to have higher bone marrow density (BMD) than those who did not. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)
• Drinking tea may help protect the immune system with an inherent amino acid (L-theanine).
• Tea contains vitamins and minerals: B1, B2, B6, C, folic acid, magnesium, potassium and zinc.
• Plus, lots of active research into how tea may help with prevention of cancer.
(These interesting facts were taken from the very informative Tea Forte | Benefits of Tea.)
Skin Care
Another area of self-wellness gaining lots of attention these days is that of skin care and how tea can aid in its maintenance and rejuvenation. In a recent article published by Well+Good entitled ‘6 Teas with Skin-Boosting Beauty Benefits’ they proclaim, “many (tea) varieties can help you get a glowing complexion.” They cite the following as having the best inherent properties and producing the most significant results: Rooibos, White, Green, Spearmint, Chamomile, and Hibiscus.
Skin-Smart Single Steeps Sampler by Tea Forte, featuring most of the aforementioned varieties, is currently available at Chef & Shower for $12.99.
And if you’re looking to add insult-to-injury (or more accurately, the EXACT opposite of that!), add a few drops of honey to your steaming cup. In addition to being a probiotic, it nourishes the skin and soothes sore throats (helpful around this time of year)!
We must say, after learning so extensively about these special leaves, we wholeheartedly agree when Tea Forté calls tea, “the healthiest beverage on earth”.
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A few more fun & interesting facts about tea:
• Sweet Tea was originally a luxury beverage, as tea, sugar and ice were in short supply, and therefore expensive.
• Green tea was the most popular variety consumed in the US until WW2, when war with Japan affected trade, and black tea became the choice more readily available (from India).
• The oldest-dated recipe for sweet tea was discovered in a cookbook dated 1879.
• Popular tea brand, Lipton, began promoting dip recipes in the 1950’s (using their instant soup mixes), which led to the popular consumption of chips & dip in America.
Post brought to you by | Nicholas Tindall
