When to drink your herbal tea

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Don’t wait for symptoms to develop, drink allergy relieving herbs daily to prevent the onset of allergies. In addition to allergy relieving benefits, these herbal teas will provide other nutritional benefits that compliment a healthy lifestyle.

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Detoxifying Herbs

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Nettle Leaf

packed with vitamins, iron and minerals and is as much at home in the kitchen as spinach. Nettle is traditionally a blood cleanser, spring tonic and mild diuretic. Nettle also possesses antiviral properties and is sometimes used to counter kidney and urinary tract infections.

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Dandelions

not only common lawn weeds, but they’re also widely-used medicinal plants. Dandelion leaves are used for their diuretic, laxative and liver-supportive effects, as well as to detoxify the gallbladder and liver.

Plantain is found to be extremely effective against kidney and bladder problems. An infusion of plantain has a diuretic effect and is known to soothe the bladder. Plantain also possesses blood cleansing properties.

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Alfalfa Leaf

A source of certain nutrients including vitamins A, B complex, C, E and K, as well as calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, chlorophyll and many trace minerals. Alfalfa is a used as a blood and liver purifier of chemicals and heavy metals, and to detoxify the urinary tract.

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Red Clover

has a diuretic effect and is traditionally used for its cleansing effect on the blood and liver. Red clover is a source of many nutrients including calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, vitamin C, and a high concentration of isoflavones.

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Peppermint

Peppermint calms the muscles of the stomach and improves the flow of bile, which the body uses to digest fats. As a result, food passes through the stomach more quickly. Peppermint relaxes the muscles that allow painful digestive gas to pass.

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Peppermint and its main active agent, menthol, are effective decongestants. Because menthol thins mucus, it is also a good expectorant, meaning that it helps loosen phlegm and breaks up coughs. It is soothing and calming for sore throats (pharyngitis) and dry coughs as well.

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Orange Peel

Hesperidin is an antioxidant found in oranges and there are very high levels of it in the peel. Hesperidin helps protect the heart by lowering blood pressure and regulating cholesterol levels. Orange peel will help to reduce chronic inflammation in the body, which can help with many different health conditions like heart disease, arthritis, and cancer.

 

Red Raspberry Leaf: Everyday Tea

While desired by expecting mothers for its health benefits, red raspberry leaf is also beneficial as an everyday tea. Red raspberry leaf is full of essential minerals and vitamins like magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin C, E, A and B complex. It also contains easily assimilated calcium and iron.

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Red Raspberry Leaf: A Traditional Pregnancy Tea

Rich in iron, this herb has helped tone the uterus, increase milk production, decrease nausea, and ease labor pains. Medical studies have shown that red raspberry leaf can be consumed safely during pregnancy and can decrease the length of labor and decrease the number of interventions used such as artificial rupture of membranes (AROM), assisted delivery, and cesarean delivery. Red raspberry leaf also seems to help prevent pregnancies from pre-or post-term gestation (delivering too early or too late).

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Ginger

Ginger is a natural antihistamine, so it relieves allergy problems in the sinus. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, which can provide relief to any aches accompanying a bout of allergies. In addition, ginger is traditionally consumed for relief of digestive disorders and to calm the stomach.

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Ginger Health Benefits

Ginger is commonly used to treat various types stomach ailments, including motion sickness, morning sickness, colic, upset stomach, gas, diarrhea, nausea caused by cancer treatment, nausea and vomiting after surgery, as well as loss of appetite. Other uses include pain relief from arthritis or muscle soreness, menstrual pain, upper respiratory tract infections, cough, and bronchitis. Ginger is also sometimes used for chest pain, low back pain, and stomach pain.

 

Ginger and Morning Sickness

Ginger is commonly used to treat various types stomach ailments, including motion sickness, morning sickness, colic, upset stomach, gas, diarrhea, nausea caused by cancer treatment, nausea and vomiting after surgery, as well as loss of appetite. Other uses include pain relief from arthritis or muscle soreness, menstrual pain, upper respiratory tract infections, cough, and bronchitis. Ginger is also sometimes used for chest pain, low back pain, and stomach pain.

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Chamomile

High in calcium and magnesium, chamomile also helps with sleeplessness and inflammation of joints. Chamomile is an herb that comes from a flowering plant from the daisy family. The active ingredient in chamomile essential oil is known as bisabolol, which has a number of anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties.

 

​Hibiscus

Hibiscus tea is a natural source of vitamin C. It delivers a variety of beneficial organic acids, which include tartaric, citric and maleic acids. It also has the active flavonoids cyanidin and delphinidin, which gives the tea its red color. Every 100 g of hibiscus contains approximately 49 calories — 0.1 g of fat, 12.3 g of carbohydrates, 14 mg of vitamin C, 57 mg of iron and 1.7 mg of calcium. It is also rich in beta-carotene, about 300 mg per cup and 57 mg of iron.

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Health Benefits of Chamomile

Chamomile is an herb that comes from a flowering plant from the daisy family. The active ingredient in chamomile essential oil is known as bisabolol, which has a number of anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties.

One of the compounds present in the chamomile is called apigenin which is thought to promote mild sedation. Chamomile helps in reducing nervous activity in the evenings, allowing you to fall asleep with more ease.

Chamomile has been found to contain fairly strong antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory constituents. It has been found to be effective in treating stomach and intestinal cramps.

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Cinnamon

Cinnamon is obtained from the inner bark of several trees from the genus Cinnamomum. Help keep your arteries healthy, manage blood sugar levels, and lower cholesterol. Also possesses powerful antiviral properties

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Rose Hips, A Natural Tonic

Rose hips contain vitamins C, E, and K, calcium, citric acid, iron, niacin, phosphorus, tannin, vitamin A, B1, B2, and P. As a natural stimulant it gently allows movement of the bowels, as diuretic rose hips cleanse the urinary system, as a pectoral hips are a remedy for pulmonary and other lung diseases, and as a tonic the rose hips strengthen organs.

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Rose hips benefit skin, the immune system, as well as the bladder. Studies have shown that rose hips can help prevent the development of kidney stones and prevent diarrhea. Additional studies have proven rose hips are helpful to the circulatory system, respiratory system, the thymus gland and as a blood cleanser.

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Organic Purple Tulsi

Holy basil is prized for its healing properties. It is originally from India and is used in Ayurvedic medicine as an “adaptogen” to counter life’s stresses. It is considered a sacred plant by the Hindus and is often planted around Hindu shrines. The Hindu name for holy basil, Tulsi, means “the incomparable one.” Medicine is made from the leaves, stems, and seeds.

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Holy basil is used for the common cold, influenza (“the flu”), H1N1 (swine) flu, diabetes, asthma, bronchitis, earache, headache, stomach upset, heart disease, fever, viral hepatitis, malaria, stress, and tuberculosis. It is also used for mercury poisoning, to promote longevity, as a mosquito repellent, and to counteract snake and scorpion bites.

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There are three varieties of tulsi: Rama Tulsi (Green Leaf Tulsi), Krishna Tulsi ( Shyama Tulsi or Purple Leaf Tulsi), and Vana Tulsi (or Wild Leaf Tulsi). Of the three varieties, Purple Tulsi is considered the most beneficial.

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Yerba Mate

Yerba Mate is an herbal shrub or tree that’s found in places such as Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Yerba Mate stimulates the adrenal glands to produce corticosteroids. This helps suppress overactive immune system responses to allergens, suppress inflammation, and creates more oxygen flow by opening the respiratory passages. It is important to note that Yerba Mate contains caffeine, which may keep people awake at night if consumed too late in the day.

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Yerba maté: Health Benefits

Yerba maté (also known simply as maté) is a tea made from the dried leaves of Ilex paraguariensis, an evergreen shrub in the holly family that grows in Central and South America. Maté (pronounced MAH-tay) is most abundant in Paraguay, where it has been the centuries-old drink of the Guarani Indians as well as a traditional treatment for everything from fatigue to appetite control to a weakened immune system.

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Yerba Mate has grown in popularity for its weight loss benefits, cholesterol reduction, and its ability to improve focus and mental clarity. One of the biggest health benefits of yerba mate is that it is a side-effect free stimulant. Although it has a small amount of caffeine, it also has xanthines, theobromine and theophylline, which are stimulants. The ingredients stimulate myocardial tissue (heart tissue) while relaxing smooth muscle tissue. It contains 20 vitamins and minerals — including magnesium, potassium and manganese — 15 amino acids and some say, has 90% more antioxidants than green tea.

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Yerbe Mate contains Vitamins: A, C, E, B1, B2, Niacin (B3), B5, B Complex. Minerals: Calcium, Manganese, Iron, Selenium, Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Zinc. Additional Compounds: Carotene, Fatty Acids, Chlorophyll, Flavonols, Polyphenols, Inositol, Trace Minerals, Antioxidants, Tannins, Pantothenic Acid and 15 Amino Acids

Other purported benefits include: Boosts immunity, Brain stimulant, Anti-fatigue, Detoxifies blood, Reverses aging, Appetite control, Fights insomnia, Weight loss aid, Cleans colon, Combats allergies, Relieves stress, Diuretic

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Yerba Mate: History

Mate was first consumed by the indigenous Guaraní and also spread in the Tupí people that lived in southern Brazil and Paraguay, and became widespread with the European colonization. In the Spanish colony of Paraguay in the late 16th century, both Spanish settlers and indigenous Guaranís, who had, to some extent, before the Spanish arrival, consumed it. Mate consumption spread in the 17th century to the River Plate and from there to Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru. This widespread consumption turned it into Paraguay’s main commodity above other wares, such as tobacco, and Indian labor was used to harvest wild stands.

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In the mid 17th century, Jesuits managed to domesticate the plant and establish plantations in their Indian reductions in Misiones, Argentina, sparking severe competition with the Paraguayan harvesters of wild stands. After their expulsion in the 1770s, their plantations fell into decay, as did their domestication secrets. The industry continued to be of prime importance for the Paraguayan economy after independence, but development in benefit of the Paraguayan state halted after the War of the Triple Alliance (1864–1870) that devastated the country both economically and demographically. Some regions with mate plantations in Paraguay became Argentinean territory.

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Brazil then became the largest producer of mate. In Brazilian and Argentine projects in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the plant was domesticated once again, opening the way for plantation systems. When Brazilian entrepreneurs turned their attention to coffee in the 1930s, Argentina, which had long been the prime consumer, took over as the largest producer, resurrecting the economy in Misiones Province, where the Jesuits had once had most of their plantations. For years, the status of largest producer shifted between Brazil and Argentina. Now, Brazil is the largest producer, with 53%, followed by Argentina, 37% and Paraguay, 10%.

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Spearmint and Your Health

The essential oil responsible for gibing spearmint it’s signature flavor is menthol. Other important chemical components of spearmint are α-pinene, β-pinene, carvone, cineole, linalool, limonene, myrcene and caryophyllene. These compounds in mint help relieve fatigue and stress.

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Spearmint is rich in vitamin A (provides 4054 IU or 135% of RDA), beta-carotene, vitamin C, folates (26% of RDA), vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), riboflavin and thiamin. Spearmint also contains minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, iron (148% of RDA), and magnesium.

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An infusion of spearmint is an excellent remedy for minor ailments such as headaches, nervous strain, fatigue and stress, as well as for respiratory problems such as asthma and bronchitis. It is used for digestive problems, including nausea, flatulence and hiccups as it relaxes the stomach muscles.

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Lemon Myrtle Health Benefits

Lemon myrtle is a flowering plant native to the subtropical rainforests of southeast Queensland, Australia. Lemon myrtle’s botanical name is Backhousia citriodora and its common names include lemon scented ironwood, sweet verbena tree, lemon scented myrtle, sweet verbena myrtle, lemon scented backhousia and lemon scented verbena.

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The key ingredient in lemon myrtle is the high concentration of citral in its leaves. Citral comprises 90-98% of the essential oils in lemon myrtle, as opposed to less than 10% in lemons and limes.

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Citral possesses anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. It is non-acidic, and high in anti-oxidants. Traditionally, lemon myrtle has been used to treat muscle cramps and spasms, rheumatism, headaches and fevers.

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Lemongrass: Health Benefits

Lemongrass has many compounds, minerals and vitamins that are known to have anti-oxidant and disease preventing properties.

The primary chemical component in lemongrass is citral which has strong anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties. Lemongrass inhibits microbial and bacterial growth in the body, helping to prevent and cure bacterial infections in the colon, stomach, urinary tract and respiratory system.

Its leaves and stems are high in folic acid and essential vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and thiamin (vitamin B-1). Lemongrass also contains many anti-oxidant minerals and vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, zinc, calcium, iron, manganese, copper, and magnesium.

Lemongrass can act as a diuretic and is highly effective in flushing toxins and waste out of the body; improving the function of many different organs including the liver, spleen and kidneys.

Lemongrass is used as a calmative agent; to help them deal with anxiety and nervousness. People who suffer Insomnia report its ability to help them rest and sleep deeply.

 

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm, named for its lemon scent, is a member of the mint family and is considered a “calming” herb. It has many medicinal qualities including being used to fight colds, settle sore stomachs, ease headaches, lower blood pressure and ease menstrual and respiratory problems. It has also been found that Lemon Balm has helped decrease stress and agitation in patients with Alzheimer disease and dementia.

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Blackcurrant Superfruit

Blackcurrant has extraordinarily high vitamin C content (302% of the Daily Value per 100 g, table), good levels of potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B5, and a broad range of other essential nutrients

Blackcurrants have significantly high amounts of phenolic flavonoid phytochemicals called anthocyanins. Scientific studies have shown that consumption of blackcurrants have potential health effects against cancer, aging, inflammation, and neurological diseases.

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Hibiscus and Your Health

Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Member species are often noted for their showy flowers and are commonly known simply as hibiscus, or less widely known as rosemallow. The genus includes both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, as well as woody shrubs and small trees. The generic name is derived from the Greek word ἱβίσκος (hibískos), which was the name Pedanius Dioscorides (ca. 40–90) gave to Althaea officinalis.

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Hibiscus tea is a natural source of vitamin C. It delivers a variety of beneficial organic acids, which include tartaric, citric and maleic acids. It also has the active flavonoids cyanidin and delphinidin, which gives the tea its red color. Every 100 g of hibiscus contains approximately 49 calories — 0.1 g of fat, 12.3 g of carbohydrates, 14 mg of vitamin C, 57 mg of iron and 1.7 mg of calcium. It is also rich in beta-carotene, about 300 mg per cup and 57 mg of iron.

 

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Elderberry and the Flu

Elderberries contain flavonoids, which has been found to reduce swelling, fight inflammation, and boost the immune system. Studies have found that elderberry eases flu symptoms like fever, headache, sore throat, fatigue, cough, and body ache. The benefits seem to be greatest when started within 24 to 48 hours after the symptoms begin. One study found that elderberry could cut the duration of flu symptoms by more than 50%.

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Health Benefits of Licorice

Licorice root (also liquorice root) is the root and underground stems of an herbaceous perennial plant Glycyrrhiza glabra. Greek, Egyptians, Chinese and other Asian nations have been using Licorice root for flavouring, confectionery applications and medicinal purposes for centuries. It is also known as sweet root and Gan Zao in Chinese.

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Licorice Root contains a number of healthy compounds such as flavonoids, volatile oils, plant sterols, coumarins, glycosides, asparagine, chalcones, glycyrrhizic acid and anethole. Licorice Root is known for its antiviral, antibacterial, antiinflammatory, antispasmodic, antioxidant, antidepressant, demulcent and expectorant activity.

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A key compound in Licorice Root, glycyrrhizic acid, may raise blood pressure levels when used in large quantities on regular basis.

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Cranberry: Health Benefits

Cranberries are loaded with unique antioxidants and other phytonutrients that may protect against heart disease, cancer and variety of other diseases. Cranberries have also been shown to prevent or reduce urinary tract infections. The proanthocyanidins (PACS) in cranberries prevent the adhesion of certain bacteria, including E. coli to the urinary tract wall. The anti-adhesion properties of the cranberry may also inhibit the bacteria associated with gum disease and stomach ulcers.

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Apple: Health Benefits

Apples are rich in polyphenols. Apples help decrease the oxidation of cell membrane fats, which leads to improved cardiovascular health. Apples’ strong antioxidant benefits are also related to their ability to lower risk of asthma in numerous studies, and their ability to lower risk of lung cancer.

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Blackberry Leaf: Health Benefits

Blackberry leaf is approved in Germany for treating mild inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat. This makes it beneficial for relieving sore throat, mouth sores and gum inflammation.

Blackberry leaf has been found to be an effective treatment for diarrhea.

A laboratory study published in the July 2009 issue of the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents evaluated the effects of Rubus ulmifolius, or elmleaf blackberry, on Helicobacter pylori bacteria, using leaves and isolated polyphenols. H. pylori is a common cause of gastrointestinal ulcers and stomach inflammation. The leaf extract and all of the polyphenols had antibacterial effects against H. pylori.

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Raspberry: Health Benefits

Raspberries are rich in phytonutrients, which provide many antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. The phytonutrients in raspberries help lower our risk of chronic diseases that are associated with chronic oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. These chronic diseases include obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. These same antioxidants have anti-cancer properties as well.

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Pu-Erh Health Benefits

Pu-erh has traditionally been served in China after heavy meals in order to “cut the grease.” Recent scientific research has verified this traditional practice. Two antioxidant compounds in pu-erh: theabrownin and gallic acid activate enzymes in our body responsible for fat metabolism. These antioxidants shrink fat tissue and help the body keep fat off weeks after ingestion. The caffeine in pu-erh helps speed metabolism, making the body more efficient at digesting a meal.

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A study at China`s Kunming Medical College involving 55 patients found that consuming pu-erh tea 3 times a day lowered cholesterol levels by 64%; nearly as much as cholesterol medication.

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Pu-Erh History

Pu-erh is named after its trading center, Pu-erh county in southern Yunnan. Over 2000 years ago, tea trading routes sprang up from Pu-erh County. These routes were known as “Cha Ma Gu Dao”, or “Old Tea Horse Road.” Tea would travel by horse in compressed form on long journeys to inland of China, Tibet, Vietnam, Burma, Thailand.

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During these journeys, tea would be exposed to moisture, and would ferment as naturally occurring microorganisms flourished. As a result, tea was found to improve in quality by the end of its long journey. The connection was made, and the process of fermenting tea was cultivated.

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Now pu-erh tea is fermented in a controlled environment. The temperature and humidity is controlled, and even the strains of microorganisms that are cultivated on the leaf are chosen.

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Oolong: Weight loss Tea

In China, oolong tea has traditionally been used for weight loss. To validate this practice, Physiologist Dr. William Rumpler, of the US Agriculture Research Services’ Diet and Human Laboratory, investigated oolong tea’s weight loss benefits. The study measured how tea influences energy expenditure (EE) and included 12 male volunteers who were given 4 separate beverage formulas over three consecutive days. The beverage formulas consisted of; 1) full strength oolong tea, 2) caffeinated water with caffeine equal to full strength oolong tea, 3) half strength oolong tea and 4) non caffeinated water.

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The participants 24 hour EE was measured and resulted in;

• EE levels of about 3% higher when they drank either the full strength oolong tea or the caffeinated water versus the non caffeinated water.

• Participants burned an average of 67 more calories per day when drinking the full strength oolong tea.

• Participants increased fat oxidation (fat burning) by 12% after consuming the full strength oolong tea versus the caffeinated water.

• This data confirms that a component other than caffeine is responsible for promoting the preferential use of fat as an energy source.

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A 2003 Japanese study compared the benefits of oolong tea and green tea on weight reduction. The study found that drinking oolong tea resulted in greater energy expenditure than green tea.

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When identifying why oolong performed better, they found that although green tea had higher caffeine and EGCG content, the concentration of polymerized polyphenols was significantly higher in oolong tea.

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These findings show that it’s the polymerized polyphenols, highest in oolong tea, that link tea to burning fat, not just the caffeine or just the combination of caffeine and EGCGs. Furthermore, the rest of the compounds compared in the teas were similar or equal to one another with no marked differences, reinforcing the results.

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History of Ceylon Tea

In 1824 a tea plant was brought to Ceylon by the British from China and was planted in the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya for non-commercial purposes. Further experimental tea plants were brought from Assam and Calcutta in India to Peradeniya in 1839 through the East India Company and over the years that followed. In 1839 the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce was also established followed by the Planters’ Association of Ceylon in 1854. In 1867, James Taylor marked the birth of the tea industry in Ceylon by starting a tea plantation in Loolecondera estate in Kandy in 1867. He began the tea plantation on an estate of just 19 acres (76,890 m2). In 1872 he started a fully equipped tea factory in the same Loolecondera estate and that year the first sale of Loolecondra tea was made in Kandy. In 1873, the first shipment of Ceylon tea, a consignment of some 23 lb (10 kg), arrived in London.

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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle remarked on the establishment of the tea plantations, “…the tea fields of Ceylon are as true a monument to courage as is the lion at Waterloo”.

Soon enough plantations surrounding Loolecondera such as Hope, Rookwood and Mooloya situated to the east and Le Vallon and Stellenberg to the south began transforming into tea plantations and were amongst the first tea estates to be established on the island.

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Tea production in Ceylon increased dramatically in the 1880s and by 1888 the area under cultivation exceeded that of coffee, growing to nearly 400,000 acres (1,619 km2) in 1899. By the 1960s the total tea production and exports exceeded 200,000 metric tons (220,462 short tons) and 200,000 hectares (772 sq mi), and by 1965 Sri Lanka became the world’s largest tea exporter for the first time.

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By 1996, Sri Lanka’s tea production had exceeded 250,000 metric tons (275,578 short tons), growing to over 300,000 metric tons (330,693 short tons) by the year 2000.

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Green Tea

Health Benefits of Green Tea

 

Did you know that drinking green tea can help fight cancer and heart disease, lower cholesterol, burn fat, help prevent diabetes and stroke, improve memory, minimize the effects of Alzheimer’s, and help reduce inflammation? It’s hard to imagine one beverage can be attributed to so many health benefits, but the science is there. So grab yourself a nice cup of green tea and read about the health benefits:

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Fight Cancer with Green Tea

According to a wide range of studies (the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Columbia University Medical Center, University of California Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, etc..), regular consumption of green tea results in a lower risk of many cancers. These cancers range from throat, stomach, colon, pancreatic, lung, skin, and breast cancer.

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These studies identify the polyphenols in green tea as the cancer fighting agent. More specifically, one compound—epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) appears to inhibit cancer cell growth and also trigger apoptosis, also known as programmed cell death.

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Heart Disease, Cholesterol and Green Tea

Heart health is important for a long and healthy life. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Green tea helps promote a healthy cardiovascular system in a variety of ways.

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According to a study in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation , drinking green tea rapidly improves the health of the delicate cells lining the blood vessels and helps lower the risk of heart disease.

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A 2011 study found that green tea significantly lowered LDL or “bad” cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Another 2011 study found that people who drank the most green tea had a 28% lower risk of coronary artery disease than those who drank the least green tea.

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Prevent stroke with Green Tea

The formation of abnormal blood clots (thrombosis) is the leading cause of heart attack and stroke, and green tea has been shown to inhibit abnormal blood clot formation as effectively as aspirin.

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Hypertension and Green Tea

A major cause of hypertension (high blood pressure) is an enzyme secreted by the kidneys called angiotension- converting enzyme (ACE). Many hypertension drugs act as ACE inhibitors. Green tea is a natural ACE inhibitor, and several medical studies show lowered blood pressure in animals and humans given green tea extracts.

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Lose Weight Drinking Green Tea

Green tea helps burn fat by increasing metabolic rate. A recent U.S. study of overweight men found that, with no other changes to their diet or exercise regimes, drinking green tea three times a day burned up 200 extra calories a day. The green tea drinkers also found that their energy levels were greatly increased.

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Protect against Diabetes with Green Tea

Green tea can help protect against diabetes by inhibiting amylase, an enzyme that breaks starch down into simple sugars, which are then absorbed in the bloodstream. Green tea polyphenols inhibit amylase, thus lowering blood sugar levels. High blood levels of glucose and insulin predispose people to diabetes.

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Arthritis and Green Tea

A recent study found that antioxidants in green tea may prevent or reduce the severity of symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Antioxidants in the tea inhibit the Cox-2 gene that triggers inflammation, working in much the same way as anti-inflammatory drugs.

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Alzheimer’s and Green Tea

Alzheimer’s is caused when plaques, or misshapen clusters of proteins, interfere with the neurons of the brain. Researchers at the University of Michigan discovered that the EGCG in green tea prevented the aggregation of this plaque and even helped the plaque break down. EGCG has also been found to prevent against other forms of dementia.

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Green tea and Immunity

Gargling with green tea boosts immunity to influenza and flu, according to a study in Japan.

Research at Harvard University also indicated that green tea chemicals stimulated gammadelta T-cells, which bolster immunity against bacteria and viruses.

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Black Tea

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What is black tea?

Black tea is a type of tea that is more oxidized than oolong, green and white teas. All four types are made from leaves of the shrub (or small tree) Camellia sinensis. Black tea is generally stronger in flavor than the less oxidized teas. Two principal varieties of the species are used – the small-leaved Chinese variety plant (C. sinensis subsp. sinensis), which is known for its complex and sometimes delicate flavor, and the large-leaved Assamese plant (C. sinensis subsp. assamica), which is known for its robust flavor.

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Why is black tea good for you?

While green and white tea receive a lot of attention for their health benefits, black tea has its own unique properties. The beneficial polyphenols in green and white tea are converted into another type of polyphenol during oxidation: theaflavins and thearubigens. These black tea specific antioxidants have been linked with a reduced risk of stroke, a decrease in cardiovascular problems, and a reduced risk of diabetes.

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Black tea promotes cardiovascular health

In 2001, Boston University found in a study that both short-term as well as long-term drinking of black tea actually reverses something called endothelial vasomotor dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease. This is a dysfunction which basically serves as a predictor for even more serious coronary events. The conclusions in the study backed up a previously held link between black tea and its propensity to lower cardiovascular problems.

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Black tea reduces the risk of stroke

A long-term study by the Netherlands National Institute of Public Health and the Environment linked regular consumption of black tea with reduced risk of stroke. Researchers looked at the health benefits of foods that are high in flavonoids. While some of the flavonoids were obtained from fruits and vegetables, seventy percent came from black tea. The study looked at 552 men over a 15 year period.

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Researchers concluded that the flavonoids in black tea helped reduce the production of LDL – the “bad” cholesterol that can lead to stroke and heart attacks. Furthermore, men who drank over four cups of black tea per day had a significantly lower risk of stroke than men who drank only two to three cups per day.

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Another study of 3,000 adults in Saudi Arabia produced similar findings. Researchers found that regular consumption of black tea can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by fifty percent.

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Black tea reduces the risk of diabetes

Black tea contains a substance that mimics type 2 diabetes drugs Precose and Glyset. Black tea contains more of the substance, a polysaccharide compound, than either green or oolong tea, according to Haixia Chen and colleagues of Tianjin University, China. Their findings were reported in the Journal of Food and Science.

Make sure your tea is organic

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White Tea

White Tea: Prevent Cancer, Arthritis, and Fight Aging

Researchers from Kingston University teamed up with Neal’s Yard Remedies to test the health properties of 21 plant and herb extracts. They discovered all of the plants tested had some potential benefits, but were intrigued to find white tea considerably outperformed all of them.

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Professor Declan Naughton, from the School of Life Sciences at Kingston University in South West London, said the research showed white tea had anti-ageing potential and high levels of anti-oxidants which could prevent cancer and heart disease. “We’ve carried out tests to identify plant extracts that protected the structural proteins of the skin, specifically elastin and collagen,” he explained. “Elastin supports the body’s natural elasticity which helps lungs, arteries, ligaments and skin to function. It also helps body tissue to repair when you suffer wounds and stops skin from sagging.” Collagen is a protein found in connective tissues in the body and is important for skin, strength and elasticity, he added.

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Results showed white tea prevented the activities of the enzymes which breakdown elastin and collagen which can lead to wrinkles that accompany ageing. These enzymes, along with oxidants, are associated with inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

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Professor Naughton said: “These enzymes and oxidants are key components of normal body processes. However, in inflammatory conditions, suppressing the activities of these excess components has been the subject of decades of research. We were surprised to find such high activity for the white tea extracts in all five tests that were conducted.”

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The researchers were blown away by exactly how well the white tea had performed. “We were testing very small amounts far less than you would find in a drink,” Professor Naughton, one of the country’s leading specialists on inflammation, said. “The early indicators are that white tea reduces the risk of inflammation which is characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis and some cancers as well as wrinkles.”

Eight of the other plants and herbs analyzed also helped protect against the breakdown of both elastin and collagen. After white tea, bladderwrack performed well followed by extracts of cleavers, rose, green tea, angelica, anise and pomegranate.

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History of the Pomegranate

Native to the area of modern day Iran (especially Neyriz) and Iraq, the pomegranate has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times. From there it spread to Asian areas such as the Caucasus as well as the Himalayas in Northern India. Today, it is widely cultivated throughout the Mediterranean region of southern Europe, the Middle East, northern Africa and tropical Africa, Indian subcontinent and the drier parts of southeast Asia. Introduced into Latin America and California by Spanish settlers in 1769, pomegranate is also cultivated in parts of California and Arizona.

In the Indian subcontinent’s ancient Ayurveda system of medicine, the pomegranate (Hindi: अनार) has extensively been used as a source of traditional remedies for thousands of years.

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The rind of the fruit and the bark of the pomegranate tree is used as a traditional remedy against diarrhea, dysentery and intestinal parasites. The seeds and juice are considered a tonic for the heart and throat, and classified as a bitter-astringent (pitta or fire) component under the Ayurvedic system, and considered a healthful counterbalance to a diet high in sweet-fatty (kapha or earth) components. The astringent qualities of the flower juice, rind and tree bark are considered valuable for a variety of purposes, such as stopping nose bleeds and gum bleeds, toning skin, (after blending with mustard oil) firming-up sagging breasts and treating hemorrhoids. Pomegranate juice (of specific fruit strains) is also used as eyedrops as it is believed to slow the development of cataracts.

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Cinnamon

Obtained from the inner bark of several trees from the genus Cinnamomum. Help keep your arteries healthy, manage blood sugar levels, and lower cholesterol. Also possesses powerful antiviral properties

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Ginger

Ginger is commonly used to treat various types stomach ailments, including motion sickness, morning sickness, colic, upset stomach, gas, diarrhea, nausea caused by cancer treatment, nausea and vomiting after surgery, as well as loss of appetite. Other uses include pain relief from arthritis or muscle soreness, menstrual pain, upper respiratory tract infections, cough, and bronchitis. Ginger is also sometimes used for chest pain, low back pain, and stomach pain.

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Clove

Cloves are the aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, Syzygium aromaticum. Cloves are native to the Maluku islands in Indonesia and used as a spice in cuisines all over the world.

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Cloves are used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine, Chinese medicine, and western herbalism and dentistry where the essential oil is used as an anodyne (painkiller) for dental emergencies. Cloves are used as a carminative, to increase hydrochloric acid in the stomach and to improve peristalsis. Cloves are also said to be a natural anthelmintic. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy when stimulation and warming are needed, especially for digestive problems. Topical application over the stomach or abdomen are said to warm the digestive tract. Clove oil, applied to a cavity in a decayed tooth, also relieves toothache.

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Cardamom

a perennial plant native to southern India. According to Ayurveda, an ancient healing tradition, cardamom tea has been used after meals to aid digestion for about 5,000 years. Cardamom contains a natural anti-bacterial quality that helps neutralize dental bacteria. After meals, drinking a cup of cardamom tea can be beneficial for treating bad breath and other oral health issues. Cardamom is also a source of many vitamins and minerals.