There is no Code of Tea Brewing (save for Douglas Adams' guide to EnglishTea Brewing), but there are indeed general guidelines which are worth knowing even if you choose to modify or ignore them. While we try to follow most guidelines, we know what we like, and if that means changing things a bit we see no harm therein. Before it was one of the world’s most popular beverages, tea was considered a herbal remedy that helped digestion, cleared the skin and reduced a fever. How much of this folklore has proven to be true? Tea was medicine before it became a beverage. In ancient China people would add herbs, and even onions, to tea to enhance its natural healthful properties before purist Lu Yu made it popular to savour tea without enhancement. Asian societies believed tea increased wakefulness and aided digestion, which is why they would have it with or after food. It also contributed to a person’s vitality, hence the Japanese proverb, “If man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty.” When tea first appeared in the West, buyers would visit an apothecary rather than a tea shop to purchase tealeaves as it was considered a herbal tonic. Apothecarists sold tea to address skin ailments, stomach complaints, sleepiness and memory loss, among other things. While tea isn’t some magical remedy, it actually does possess a number of health-giving properties. Here we sort the myths from the truth. Black tea is rarely mentioned in the context of teas health benefits. Surprisingly, it packs quite a few and there is research to corroborate it. Rich in antioxidants, black tea has been found to improve oral health, boost weight loss and even bring down stress levels. Also, being an oxidized tea, it is known for having anti-inflammatory, antioxidant properties that help control levels of bad cholesterol in the body, improve bone density, mitigate cardiovascular ailments and promote wellness. The characteristic quality about black tea is the fact that it is an oxidized tea. And tea flavonoids found in oxidized tea are known to be rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin E. These flavonoids have strong protective qualities and inhibit the oxidation of bad cholesterol. Additionally, black tea contains rich amounts of antioxidants which are capable of countering ‘free radicals’ in the body, reducing the risk of cardiovascular ailments by more than 50 percent. Oolong teas claim to fame came with the realization that it has zero calories. So, it found a natural fit in weight loss programs and low calorie wellness diets. Organic oolong tea is packed with alkaloids including caffeine and this can boost mental and physical energy, increase serotonin production, and counter free radicals. Regular consumption of oolong tea allows the body to burn more calories and metabolize greater amounts of energy. Diet tea or dieter’s tea is a tea infused with herbs. They are often used for detoxification and the internal cleansing of the body. Listed below are some teas, popularly known as Diet teas or even Weight loss tea, along with the benefits that they provide.
Tannins are present in naturally occurring substances and organic matter, including leaves and wood. It is used in the tanning of leather, hence the name. Tannins in tea, give the beverage its astringency. Teas with high levels of tannins have a bitter taste accompanied by strong astringency, seen especially in green and black tea. The tannins found in tea are thearubigins, most prominently theaflavins. When the anti-oxidising agents such as catechin in the tea become oxidised, theaflavins are produced. Tannins in tea are responsible for the antioxidant activities of black and other dark teas. They have both positive and negative effects on the body. The positive health benefits of tannin come from its anti- carcinogenic and anti-mutagenic properties, mostly due to its anti-oxidising nature. Tannins also remove harmful microbes from the body, and fight against harmful bacteria, viruses and fungi. By speeding up blood clotting, tannins also have a healing effect on cuts and wounds. Other beneficial properties of tannins include stabilizing blood pressure. Tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world. It is also one of the healthiest, playing a role in the treatment of several ailments such as gastric, stress and blood pressure. Diabetes is another such disease that can be controlled by the consumption of tea.
Oolong Tea is a category of tea that includes a broad range of tea types. You can generally divide Tea into three main categories: Green, Oolong, and Black. The level of oxidation of the tea is what determines these three categories. Green Tea is unoxidized, Oolong Tea is partially oxidized, and Black Tea is fully oxidized. Almost all tea is made from the leaves of the tea plant Camellia sinensis, though there may be variations in specific variety of plant used.
Given the many styles and varieties of oolong tea available today, it helps to keep in a mind few tips that can help you choose the best oolong tea and buy oolong tea online or at a store without much hesitation.
One of the most popularly consumed beverages in the world, tea is not just the most loved drink, but also considered one of the healthiest! With lower caffeine content than coffee, it was already in the running for the better health drink. But it’s the presence of significant antioxidant levels, that has sealed tea’s reputation for health. To understand antioxidants, we must first get acquainted with free radicals.
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September 2020
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