About Tea and its health benefits
Tasty
Like fine wines, there are many different tea’s
that offer a multitude of complex aroma’s and
flavours. Part of the fun of trying the tea’s is
that you never know what the exact taste will be.
Different types of tea do have specific types of
taste though. For instance, the grassy taste of the
green tea’s, the more fruity flavours from oolong
tea’s and the smokey black tea’s all offer very
different experiences.
Although there are many tea’s to choose from, we
have selected a menu of tea’s that we feel gives a
good selection across these different types.
The best way to truly appreciate the differences are
to try them, so we hope that you have the opportunity
to try the range.
Healthy
There has been many discussions and observations
concerning the health benefits of drinking tea over
the last couple of centuries. One of the obvious
advantages to tea in the past was that it used
boiled water which prevented the spread of water-bourne
diseases and is one of the reasons that tea became
so popular in the first place.
In the last 100 years, more research has been
undertaken and the properties of tea described in
more detail. It is now known that tea contains
molecules such as caffeine, phenolics and vitamins
which all have been shown to have health or
lifestyle benefits. For instance, tea has long been
known to provide a slower release of caffeine
compared to other sources, such as coffee, and has
historically become a drink that helped to clear the
mind, allow re-cooperation and provide well-being.
This is what lead to the popular ‘tea-break’ that
became so popular throughout Britain.
Benefits
Although tea is a
naturally occurring phenomenon, there have been many
observations around its health benefits, including*:
- Improves Digestion
- Improves alertness / acts as stimulant
- Improves memory
- Controls bleeding
- Treats Ulcers
- Provides antibacterial activities
- Lowers cholesterol
- Reduces blood pressure
- Reduces glucose levels
- Control of obesity & diabetes
* It is important to
always talk with a doctor for appropriate
treatments. This information is based upon
scientific and historical accounts and should be
treated as such!
Disease prevention
Some diseases and conditions thought to be
affected or prevented by tea include*:
- Anaemia
- Angina
- Asthma
- Atherosclerosis
- Cancer Prevention & Inhibition
- Dental cavities
- Depression
- Gout
- Hepatitis
- Hypertension
- Hyperthyroidism
- Indigestion
- Leukaemia
- Liver damage
- Sickness & Diarrhoea
Further reading
Stagg et al. 1975 (26). The Nutritional &
Therapeutic Value of Tea. J. Sci, Food & Agr.
MacFarlane & MacFarlane. 2003. The Empire of Tea.
