General benefits of drinking tea

Saves arteries
Drinking black tea helps prevent deadly clogging of arteries and reverses poor arterial functioning that can trigger heart attacks and strokes, two major new studies have found. In a large 10-year study in the Netherlands, men who consumed the amount of antioxidants called "catechins" found in three cups of black tea were 50% less likely to die of ischemic heart disease, caused by narrowed clogged arteries, than were men who consumed only the catechins in half a cup of tea.

Inhibits cancer growth
Tea has long been tied to a lower risk of stomach, colon and breast cancer, although the connection is not proven. Now lab studies find that tea chemicals actually may stop cancer growth. Rutgers University researchers showed that a compound in black tea called TF-2 caused colorectal cancer cells to "commit suicide"; normal cells were unaffected.  

Tames inflammation
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University gave arthritis-prone mice either green tea or water. The human equivalent of four cups of green tea daily halved the mice's risk of developing arthritis. Also intriguing: TF-2, the newly discovered anti-cancer compound in black tea, suppresses the Cox-2 gene that triggers inflammation, says research at Rutgers. That's the same way the drugs Vioxx and Celebrex work. Also, in a UCLA study of 600 Chinese men and women, drinking green tea halved the risk of chronic stomach inflammation, which can lead to cancer.

Wipes out viruses.
Previous tests prove tea can neutralize germs, including some that cause diarrhea, pneumonia, cystitis and skin infections. Research by  Pace University finds that black and green tea deactivates viruses, including herpes.  A Japanese study showed that gargling with black tea boosted immunity to influenza. Recent at Harvard indicated that tea chemicals stimulated gamma-delta T-cells that bolster immunity against bacteria and viruses.

Burns calories
Most surprising, green tea's antioxidant EGCG stimulates the body to burn calories, notably fat. In a Swiss study, a daily dose of 270mg EGCG (the amount in 2 to 3 cups of green tea) caused men to burn 4% more energy - about 80 extra calories a day. Green tea did not increase heart rate, and the calorie burning was not due to caffeine.

Canadian researchers block cavities in mice by replacing their water with tea. Indian eye researchers have retarded cataracts in rats by feeding the animals tea extract. Israeli scientists block Parkinson's-like brain damage in mice by giving them green tea extract or pure EGCG. W

For the best benefit
Drink both black and green tea, the regular kind sold in bags or leaves in grocery stores. Their antioxidants are equal. But green tea boasts special-acting EGCG. Bottled tea and instant tea have few antioxidants, research shows.

Herbal teas do not have the same health properties as real tea (Camellia sinensis). Tea with caffeine has slightly more antioxidant activity.

Steep tea leaves or bags in hot water 3 to 5 minutes to thoroughly release antioxidants. Adding milk to tea does not block absorption of antioxidants.

General benefits of drinking tea

Drinking tea could keep your arteries healthy

Human population studies have found that people who regularly consume three or more cups of black tea per day have a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke.

Clinical studies suggest that the risk reduction associated with tea consumption may be due to improvement in some risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including blood vessel function, platelet function and a reduction in oxidative damage.

Drinking black tea helps prevent deadly clogging of arteries and reverses poor arterial functioning that can trigger heart attacks and strokes, major new studies have found.

Tea catechins were reported to reduce arteriosclerosis (a major factor in ischemic cerebrovascular disease) by mitigating reactive oxygen species induced oxidation of low-density lipoprotein which is directly related to its free oxygen radical scavenging ability (Kakuda, Biol Pharm Bull. 2002 Dec;25(12):1513-8).

In a large 10-year study in the Netherlands, men who consumed the amount of antioxidants called "catechins" found in three cups of black tea were 50% less likely to die of ischemic heart disease, caused by narrowed clogged arteries, than were men who consumed only the catechins in half a cup of tea.

In another recent test, Joseph Vita, M.D., of the Boston University School of Medicine, had heart patients drink either plain water or four cups of black tea daily. In a month, impaired blood vessel functioning (a risk factor for heart attack and strokes) improved about 50% in the tea drinkers.

Anthocyanidins help to strengthen capillaries and joints, enhance vision and prevent atherosclerosis, cancer and arterial hypertension. Phenolic acid attributes astringent, cholagogic and anti-inflammatory properties to tea.
Drinking tea could keep your arteries healthy

The Origins of Tea Drinking

Today tea is widely regarded as the nation's favourite drink. After all, a nice cup of tea will fix just about anything. But just who was it that came up with the idea of infusing the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to make the refreshing brew we all know and love? It is widely known that tea originated in China and there are plenty of legends about its discovery, but the truth is that no one is entirely sure of who created the first ever cuppa.

According to one popular Chinese legend it was Emperor Shen Nong, the inventor of agriculture and Chinese medicine, who is accredited with the discovery of tea drinking in around 2737BC. As he was drinking a bowl of boiled water, a few leaves from a nearby tree blew into his cup and changed the colour of his drink. Intrigued by the lovely aroma, the Emperor took a sip and was so impressed by its flavour and restorative properties that tea soon became a staple part of his diet. In fact it is said that he used tea as an antidote to the sometimes poisonous herbs and medicinal plants that he tested on himself. See, a cup of tea really does fix everything.

Another more gruesome legend claims that it was the Indian Buddhist Monk, Bodhidharma, who discovered tea when he travelled to China to visit a Shaolin Monastery. The monk was refused entry to the temple and as a mark of protest he moved into a nearby cave where he vowed to stare at the wall for the next nine years. Seven years into his wall gazing he, unsurprisingly, started to dose off. Bodhidharma was so angry with himself that he cut off his own eyelids to stop it happening again. Two tea plants grew where his eyelids landed on the ground, providing a much more pleasant way for Buddhists to stay alert and awake during their meditations.

By around 300AD the medicinal properties of tea were being widely talked and even written about. Tea drinking and its rituals spread throughout the East with the Buddhist faith and the most famous book about tea, The Ch'a Ching (The Classic of Tea) was written by a man called Lu Yu in the 8th century. The book described in detail everything there was to know about the beverage, from the best tea growing regions, to how to make the perfect cuppa. According to Lu Yu it took twenty-four different implements to brew the ultimate cup of tea. By writing this definitive manual on tea, Lu Yu became a celebrity in his lifetime - tea cultivators even prayed to his statue! This book elevated the art of tea to a spiritual and enlightened ceremony that perfectly complemented the Taoist faith and made tea drinking an essential part of everyday life.

However tea came about and whoever made the first cup, its health giving properties and ability to nourish the body and inspire the mind have been known for many centuries. Now tea is drunk in even the most remote parts of the world. Packed full of antioxidants and as refreshing as ever, it is no surprise that a nice cup of tea is the world's favourite drink.
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Rachel_Mc/840428 
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5672632