Tea is the most consumed beverage in the world. Daily rituals of British afternoon tea and Japanese tea ceremonies are emulated by those who want to participate in the culture of tea drinkers. In the Middle East, tea is a common beverage, with a pot always brewing on the stove or samovar. Tea has been consumed for the past five thousand years and is known to have health benefits.
The three kinds of tea, green, black, and oolong are grown from a plant called Camellia sinesis, which contains a chemical known as polyphenols. Ninety-five per cent of the polyphenols in tea are flavonoids, of which green tea contains simple flavonoids, whereas black tea has complex flavonoids. Flavonoids are also found in fruits and vegetables and are known for their anti-oxidant properties.
All teas are green at harvest, and depending on whether the tea leaves are exposed to air, (a fermentation process,) which then transforms into the dark or “black” tea. Oolong is classified between the green and black tea. Although the majority of tea being consumed is the black variety, green tea consumption has doubled in recent years.
The Journal of Neuroscience published an article describing how the antioxidant found in green tea reduced the production of beta-amyloid proteins, plaque deposits found in Alzheimer's disease.
From Japan, studies show that black tea lowers cholesterol, which reduces risk for heart attacks and congestive heart failure. The study states that drinking tea in conjunction with following a moderately low fat and cholesterol diet will further reduce the risk of developing congestive heart failure. Drinking three cups of tea daily has shown to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease. In addition, the daily habit of tea consumption reduced the mortality rates for both men and women.
Lastly, studies conducted in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition in Britain and the University of Illinois in Chicago show that green and black teas, which contain fluoride and polyphenols, interferes with the production of enzyme that catalyzes the production of hydrogen sulfide, the cause of bad breath.
Undue stress in today's society wreaks havoc into our mind and body, which has manifested into illnesses like gastro-intestinal disturbance and heart attacks. Tea rituals create a niche in the daily grind, where we are allowed to just sit, breathe, and nourish the inner stillness.
