http://www.care2.com/greenliving/heal-yourself-with-iced-tea.html
Heal Yourself With Iced Tea
Adapted from Tea Bliss by Theresa Cheung (Conari Press, 2007).
The evidence for the healing power of tea is overwhelming. The humble cuppa tea contains a wealth of nutrients which have been found to help boost the body’s defenses against serious illness, keeping us healthy and even young. Here is a guide to the scientifically proved health benefits of some of the most popular teas:
Black Tea: Protects Against Heart Disease
Packed with antioxidant polyphenols to destroy harmful free radicals and boost your body’s resistance to infection, black tea also has about half the caffeine of fresh coffee.
Earl Grey: Good Digestive Aid
The bergamot oil with which Earl Grey is flavored comes from a type of orange that is thought to help digestion because it stimulates production of stomach enzymes, helping to break down food.
Green Tea: Immune Boosting
Because green tea is rolled and dried rather than fermented, like black tea is, it retains more nutrients and has a higher antioxidant immune-boosting, anti-aging effect. Research has found that green tea can help prevent a whole range of diseases, including diabetes and cancer of the stomach, prostate, and lungs. It can also help reduce cholesterol levels and appears to give more effective protection against Alzheimer’s than black tea.
Pu-erh Tea: Energizing
Pu-erh tea is thought to help lower cholesterol, blood sugar, clear the mind, and aid digestion.
Redbush Tea: Great for Skin
Made from a South African tea bush, redbush, or rooibos, is one of the healthiest teas around. It is the only naturally caffeine-free black tea. It is richer in antioxidants than black tea, can help promote healthy skin and ease eczema, and can help prevent diseases including cancer. It has also been used to calm the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and reduce muscle cramps, and it has anti-inflammatory properties.
White Tea: Reducing Cancer Risk
Whereas black tea is made from tea leaves, white tea is made from only the buds of the tea bush. This gives it even greater health benefits than green tea. It tastes like a slightly milder version of black tea and can be drunk with or without milk.
Herbal Teas: Healing and Soothing
Herbal teas have a wide range of health benefits. Mint tea, for example, stimulates production of digestive juices and can ease the discomfort of irritable bowel syndrome and aid digestion. Clean-tasting chamomile tea can help soothe the nerves and relax the muscles, so is a good nighttime drink. Elderflower tea is said to help alleviate symptoms of allergies and is often recommended to people with hay fever. Herbal teas are caffeine free. Peppermint tea aids digestion; studies have shown that it has an antispasmodic effect on the digestive system. Ginger tea beats nausea, and raspberry leaf tea is great for late pregnancy and menstrual irregularity.
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46 comments
add your comment »I'm not sure why iced tea would be under a healthy living column UNLESS you're talking about herbal or caffeine free tea. If you're not, then it's no better for you than coffee, in fact, it's WORSE for you than coffee because the caffeine is higher in tea.
Yes, it all TASTES good, but don't forget to read the labels. Caffeine is a stimulant, and that's not good for your heart. If you put sugar in it, it's bad for people who lean towards diabities. If it's sun tea, be very careful that you're bringing it to boiling so the impurities are desolved, and make sure you're not using plastic in that heat either.
Just trying to present BOTH sides to drinking iced tea. It is a much better thirst quencher than a lot of summer drinks, but it's still not the "perfect" drink by far.
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why is this inappropriate?
i like ice tea, and i will try this. sounds good
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why is this inappropriate?
I'm already a big consumer of iced tea, but I had hardly a clue it could be considered 'medicinal' - only adds to its appeal!(-:
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
i LOVE green tea. drink it all day long -- in addition to LOTS of water. china green tips is my favourite, at the moment.
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why is this inappropriate?
Black tea has only 25% (not 50%)of caffiene per cup compared to coffee.Mild caffiene intake is beneficial for the heart.
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why is this inappropriate?
Dear Pris D.,
The tea that you are asking about is called genmaicha. It's a blend of sencha and roasted, puffed brown rice (which gaves it that delicious "popcorn" aroma). It's by far my favourite tea! It's easy to find in any tea shop, but here's a link for a reliable, high- quality online tea store: www.hibiki-an.com.
I hope this information to be of help.
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
Nothing tastes like a good cuppa.I drink lots of tea every day it's a great relaxer and a very enjoyable drink.I have a selection of teas in my cupboard.My favourite though is the chinese blend.Ah well i'm off to put the kettle on.
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why is this inappropriate?
Years ago I had this wonderful green tea in this Japanese restaurant in sedona that smelled like popcorn, anyone know what it's called?
Mysticpris
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why is this inappropriate?
I like all sort of tea especially a cup of hot tea. It will lighten your day and make you more energetic...
Well, I love the smell of green tea and pu-erh on the other hand is my favorite taste.
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why is this inappropriate?
Raspberry leaf tea is great for late pregnancy, but it's very important not to use raspberry leaves until the last two months of pregnancy because of their stimulating effect on the uterus (starts labour).
Mint tea and Peppermint tea are very good for digestion, but i read you're not to use them when you have heartburn (acid reflux), because it can loosen the stomach sphincter (when you're in an vertical position, the acid can climb up).
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why is this inappropriate?
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