For centuries, tea has been seen in many cultures as not just a warm beverage but a medicine with distinct healing powers. Physicians and learned men would prescribe different kinds of teas for different ailments. And while that practice may seem so different in our own modern culture, the truth is that there are proven health benefits to tea.
Getting out the maximum healing powers of tea can sometimes be a little tricky. For example, green tea is known for its array of antioxidants that are healthful for your body. Studies have shown a real connection between drinking green tea and lowering your risk of cancer. When you digest green tea, though, you can lose some of those antioxidants. The secret is to counteract this loss by adding citrus juice. The vitamin C acts as a buffer. So adding lemon juice (the more the better) to a cup of green tea reaps a lot of health benefits!
Lowering your cancer risk isn’t the only healing benefit of tea. Scientists have shown that drinking tea regularly may also keep your heart healthy, boost your immune system, sharpen your ability to concentrate, keep your bones strong and even prevent cavities! That is a lot of a handful of leaves, isn’t it?
There is a difference between “real tea” made from the Camellia sinenis shrub (a tree native to Southeast Asia) and herbal tea. Herbal tea can have health benefits too, but at the moment I am talking about the former. Different kinds of tea are harvested from that same tree: black, green, oolong and white tea. It is all in the timing of when the leaves are picked and how they are processed.
Green tea seems to have slightly more antioxidants but, no matter which variety you choose, you will be getting health benefits from drinking tea. How much tea should you drink to unlock the healing powers of tea? Experts suggest at least two cups of tea a day.
For information about how to brew tea and store tea, check the Food Blog.