 Nature's Natural
Beverage - Sip Your Way to Health
By Sharon Gray of Tranquil Moments Do you know why
green tea is so much healthier than other teas? Have you heard about
“White” tea - the rarest variety of teas, or the herbal tea known as
“Rooibos”?
A 3,000 year-old tradition is becoming more and more popular in the
Western hemisphere. Why? From its discovery, green tea has been renowned for its medicinal
properties. While green tea is not classified as a medicine, it does contain substances
that are as effective. It is ranked as a leading health-giving substance in traditional
Chinese medicine.
The leaf of the Camellia sinensis plant, a shrub native to southern
China is what brings us the long tradition of a fine cup of green tea. The tea
plant’s origins lie in the mountain area bordered by China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand,
and India. The tea leaf contains ingredients such as polyphenols - these are powerful
antioxidants that fight against free radicals in the prevention of cell damage causing
aging and life threatening diseases. Research now states that green tea contains
antioxidants and traces of vitamins and minerals. Green tea is also rich in Vitamin C. Two
cups contain the equivalent amount present in a glass of orange juice. Both polyphenols
and Vitamin C, which are present in both green and white teas, help to increase the white
blood count, therefore increasing immunity to colds and diseases.
All tea is processed from the same tea plant. It starts with the
steaming process used to produce the green tea, which maintains more of its beneficial
nutrients. Steaming and scalding the tea leaves for several minutes, followed by rolling
and drying, produces green tea. To produce black teas, on the other hand, the tea leaves
are fermented and then dried by roasting. It is believed that this process may oxidize the
polyphenols, rendering them less potent. A third type of tea, known as oolong, goes
through the same process as black tea, but it is only oxidized for approximately half the
time.
A study from the University of North Carolina concluded that people who
drink three cups of tea a day reduce their risk of heart attack by 11%. Tea can reduce
cholesterol levels, can have a preventative effect on the development of tooth decay, can
enhance the immune system and may even lower the incidence of cancer. According to Oregon
State University researchers, white tea may have the strongest potential of all teas for
fighting cancer.
White tea, among the rarest and most expensive varieties of tea, is produced almost
exclusively in China. It belongs to the same species as other tea plants, but has a higher
proportion of buds to leaves. The buds are covered by silvery hairs, which give the plant
a whitish appearance.
White tea is picked early and the tea leaves and white colored buds are
slightly steamed and then mostly sun dried. The tea, as it sounds, looks white and
produces a pale liquid when steeped in water. “Many of the more potent tea
polyphenols become oxidized or destroyed as green tea is further processed into oolong and
black teas,” says Roderick H. Dashwood, Ph.D., a biochemist at Oregon State
University’s Linus Pauling Institute and principal investigator of the study. Dr.
Dashwood concluded, “Our theory was that white tea might have equivalent or higher
levels of these polyphenols than green tea, and thus be more beneficial.”
To date, the only negative side effective reported from drinking tea is
insomnia due to the fact that it contains caffeine.
What about herbal teas? Ancient cultures have been practicing the art
of blending herbs to make teas or infusions since the dawn of time. History claims the
first tea bag was actually a homemade herbal potion, stitched together by a warrior
looking to disinfect a fresh wound. Herbal teas contain no true tea leaves. Herbal and
medicinal teas are made from blending ingredients from flowers, berries, peels, seeds,
leaves and roots of many different plants and spices. These blends generally contain no
caffeine. It is little wonder that they are being used more regularly to soothe and heal
many ailments that affect people today.
The herbal plant, Aspalathus Lineraris, comes from a wild plant of the
legume family, which grew on the slopes of the Cederberg Mountains in Cape Town. South
Africans believed this red bush, “Rooibos” (pronounced roy-boss), to have
tremendous healing powers and became known as the “Miracle Tea”.
Rooibos tea contains no colors, no additives or preservatives, making
this a 100% natural beverage. According to studies conducted in South Africa and Japan,
Rooibos has been shown to aid in health problems such as insomnia, irritability,
headaches, nervous tension and hypertension. Studies also show that this tea relieves
antispasmodic agents, which can relieve stomach cramping and colic in infants. It has also
been used to treat allergies such as hay fever, asthma and eczema very effectively.
Rooibos is an excellent beverage for active people, including children.
It is an all day drink, which can be used as a pick-me-up in the morning, a great
thirst-quencher during the day, and at night it helps you to relax and sleep well.
Each day more and more benefits are being discovered from tea. Sip mint
tea to sooth an upset stomach, enjoy a cup of chamomile before bed for a good night’s
sleep, and a strong robust cup of black tea to kick start your day. Whether you have a cup
of tea to relax or revive, the research continues. Go ahead…Sip your way to health
with nature’s natural beverage.
Sharon Gray is the owner of Tranquil Moments. Her company
is a “Home Tea Party” business where she supplies herbal, rooibos, green, black
& white tea. For further information or to book a party, call 403.988.4970 or contact
Sharon by email at tranquilmoments@shaw.ca
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