Familiar name: Tea
Latin name:Camellia sinensis, Thea sinensis
Sanskrit name: Chai
Other than water, tea is consumed by more people than any other beverage on earth. Tea has been a part of the human diet for close to 5000 years, since its discovery by the legendary Chinese emperor,Shen Nong. The story goes that he stopped with his entourage for refreshment, and while his cook was boiling water, the leaves of nearby bush blew in to the water, resulting in the first infusion of what we now call tea.
This invigorating herb from China spread to Japan and India, then across Europe and Russia. Arriving in the New World in the late 17th. century , tea became the symbol of the struggle between independence minded colonists and their British oppressors, sparking the revolution that birthed the United States. Tea has always had the tendency to arouse passions.
Although prized for its astringent taste and refreshing energy boost, tea has also been long valued for its medicinal properties. It has been used to settle the digestive system, treat infections, soothe pain and overcome fatigue. Recent scientific studies have documented tea's health promoting effects conditions ranging from dental cavities to cancer.
The Science of Tea
One cup of tea has the antioxidant activity of ten glasses of apple juice or three glasses of orange juice. A group from the National Institute of Nutrition in Italy found that the antioxidant capacity of green tea is six times more potent than black tea. Interestingly, when human subjects took their tea with milk, the antioxidant effect of both the green tea and black tea varieties was reduced.
Laboratory studies on tea or tea components have shown potential benefits in the suppression of cancer growth. In mice given carcinogenic chemicals, tea improved their immune cell's ability to identify and eliminate potentially malignant cells. I n laboratory cultures of tumor cells, green tea extracts showed potent inhibition of cancer cell growth. Both green and black tea has been found to inhibit DNA reproduction and promote the demise of tumor cells.
Studies looking at the relationship between tea drinkers and cancer in people have generally suggested a protective effect from tea. Japanese women who regularly drank tea before developing breast cancer had significantly reduced recurrences and improved outcomes. The incidence of prostate cancer in Chinese men is the lowest in the world and correlates with their tea intake, suggested that green tea may confer some protection against the common malignancy in men. The risk of colon cancer may be slightly reduced in green tea drinkers, while the risk of lung cancer may be slightly elevated in black tea drinkers who also smoke. Overall, the polyphenols present in green tea seem to have a cancer protecting effect, although it is not clear how long and how much one has to drink to gain the benefit . Tea has also been associated with a reduction in coronary heart diseases. Animal studies have shown that tea has a mild cholesterol lowering effect, although this has been harder to demonstrate in people. Studies from around the world have suggested that tea drinkers have lower blood pressure, fewer coronary heart attacks and live longer. Not every report has confirmed this advantage, raising the possibility that people who take their tea with milk do not derive the same benefit as those who take their tea alone.
Other therapeutic effects of tea have been reported including the prevention of dental dental cavities, accelerated weight loss in in dieters, and reduced digestive symptoms in inflammatory bowel disease. Tea has known antibacterial properties, which is greatest in green tea and less in black. this may in part explain its traditional use in the treatment of infectious dysentery. In addition to providing refreshment, this ancient hrebal brew has many potential therapeutic benefits.
How to use
High quality green , Oolong and black teas are readily available from specialty grocers, coffee shops and Asian food stores. Although five to six cups a day are often consumed in China and Japan, one or tho cups of green tea will provide a hefty dose of polyphenols without charging you up with caffeine. Use one cup of boiling water per one teaspoon of loose tea and steep for five minutes before sipping slowly. You can make iced green tea by placing two teaspoons per cup of cold water and brewing the mixture in an a closed jar placed in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Powdered green tea tablets and capsules are available in doses equivalent to up to ten cups of tea, but we prefer the more natural infusion.
Ayurveda and Tea
Tea carries the bitter and astringent tastes and has a cooling influence on the physiology. It is balancing to Pitta and Kapha but can be aggravating to Vata. Precautions
Adverse reactions to tea are exceedingly rare. Due to its caffeine content, it can produce nervousness and insomnia in sensitive individuals. The caffeine content differs by the type of tea; green tea(8-36 milligrams) contains less than Oolong(12-55 milligrams), which has less than black tea925-110 milligrams0. By comparison, a cup of coffee has 100 to 160 milligrams, while a can of diet Coke has 46 milligrams of caffeine. heavy tea drinkers can experience withdrawal headaches if they suddenly discotinue thir intake.
Two medical complications of tea drinking have recently been reported. in one, a 61-year-old woman developed a low potassium blood level leading to irregularities in her heart rate after drinking two to three liters of Oolong tea per day. In another case, a man on blood thinners began drinking up to a gallon of green tea on a daily basis and had a significant change in his blood tests; attributed to the high dose of Vitamin K he was receiving as a result of the tea. These are both extreme examples but highlight that even though something is derived from natural sources it can cause problems if used inappropriately. Used in a balanced way , this ancient beverage can be health-promoting ally.
Latin name:Camellia sinensis, Thea sinensis
Sanskrit name: Chai
Other than water, tea is consumed by more people than any other beverage on earth. Tea has been a part of the human diet for close to 5000 years, since its discovery by the legendary Chinese emperor,Shen Nong. The story goes that he stopped with his entourage for refreshment, and while his cook was boiling water, the leaves of nearby bush blew in to the water, resulting in the first infusion of what we now call tea.
This invigorating herb from China spread to Japan and India, then across Europe and Russia. Arriving in the New World in the late 17th. century , tea became the symbol of the struggle between independence minded colonists and their British oppressors, sparking the revolution that birthed the United States. Tea has always had the tendency to arouse passions.
Although prized for its astringent taste and refreshing energy boost, tea has also been long valued for its medicinal properties. It has been used to settle the digestive system, treat infections, soothe pain and overcome fatigue. Recent scientific studies have documented tea's health promoting effects conditions ranging from dental cavities to cancer.
The Science of Tea
One cup of tea has the antioxidant activity of ten glasses of apple juice or three glasses of orange juice. A group from the National Institute of Nutrition in Italy found that the antioxidant capacity of green tea is six times more potent than black tea. Interestingly, when human subjects took their tea with milk, the antioxidant effect of both the green tea and black tea varieties was reduced.
Laboratory studies on tea or tea components have shown potential benefits in the suppression of cancer growth. In mice given carcinogenic chemicals, tea improved their immune cell's ability to identify and eliminate potentially malignant cells. I n laboratory cultures of tumor cells, green tea extracts showed potent inhibition of cancer cell growth. Both green and black tea has been found to inhibit DNA reproduction and promote the demise of tumor cells.
Studies looking at the relationship between tea drinkers and cancer in people have generally suggested a protective effect from tea. Japanese women who regularly drank tea before developing breast cancer had significantly reduced recurrences and improved outcomes. The incidence of prostate cancer in Chinese men is the lowest in the world and correlates with their tea intake, suggested that green tea may confer some protection against the common malignancy in men. The risk of colon cancer may be slightly reduced in green tea drinkers, while the risk of lung cancer may be slightly elevated in black tea drinkers who also smoke. Overall, the polyphenols present in green tea seem to have a cancer protecting effect, although it is not clear how long and how much one has to drink to gain the benefit . Tea has also been associated with a reduction in coronary heart diseases. Animal studies have shown that tea has a mild cholesterol lowering effect, although this has been harder to demonstrate in people. Studies from around the world have suggested that tea drinkers have lower blood pressure, fewer coronary heart attacks and live longer. Not every report has confirmed this advantage, raising the possibility that people who take their tea with milk do not derive the same benefit as those who take their tea alone.
Other therapeutic effects of tea have been reported including the prevention of dental dental cavities, accelerated weight loss in in dieters, and reduced digestive symptoms in inflammatory bowel disease. Tea has known antibacterial properties, which is greatest in green tea and less in black. this may in part explain its traditional use in the treatment of infectious dysentery. In addition to providing refreshment, this ancient hrebal brew has many potential therapeutic benefits.
How to use
High quality green , Oolong and black teas are readily available from specialty grocers, coffee shops and Asian food stores. Although five to six cups a day are often consumed in China and Japan, one or tho cups of green tea will provide a hefty dose of polyphenols without charging you up with caffeine. Use one cup of boiling water per one teaspoon of loose tea and steep for five minutes before sipping slowly. You can make iced green tea by placing two teaspoons per cup of cold water and brewing the mixture in an a closed jar placed in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Powdered green tea tablets and capsules are available in doses equivalent to up to ten cups of tea, but we prefer the more natural infusion.
Ayurveda and Tea
Tea carries the bitter and astringent tastes and has a cooling influence on the physiology. It is balancing to Pitta and Kapha but can be aggravating to Vata. Precautions
Adverse reactions to tea are exceedingly rare. Due to its caffeine content, it can produce nervousness and insomnia in sensitive individuals. The caffeine content differs by the type of tea; green tea(8-36 milligrams) contains less than Oolong(12-55 milligrams), which has less than black tea925-110 milligrams0. By comparison, a cup of coffee has 100 to 160 milligrams, while a can of diet Coke has 46 milligrams of caffeine. heavy tea drinkers can experience withdrawal headaches if they suddenly discotinue thir intake.
Two medical complications of tea drinking have recently been reported. in one, a 61-year-old woman developed a low potassium blood level leading to irregularities in her heart rate after drinking two to three liters of Oolong tea per day. In another case, a man on blood thinners began drinking up to a gallon of green tea on a daily basis and had a significant change in his blood tests; attributed to the high dose of Vitamin K he was receiving as a result of the tea. These are both extreme examples but highlight that even though something is derived from natural sources it can cause problems if used inappropriately. Used in a balanced way , this ancient beverage can be health-promoting ally.
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