A Cup, A Cup, A Cup, A Cup, A Cup

A Cup, A Cup, A Cup, A Cup, A Cup

While coffee is more popular in the U.S., tea is the second most popular drink in the world, behind water. Tea is enjoyed by much of the world’s population. In fact, over 160 million cups of tea are consumed every year in Britain alone.

A cup of hot tea may do more than relax you. Medical research has shown that consumption of this ancient beverage may help prevent a wide range of ailments including arthritis, cancer, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Health Benefits of Tea Consumption
Research suggests that older female tea drinkers are 60 percent less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than those who do not drink tea. Sipping on a cup of hot tea may be a safeguard against cancer. Studies have linked the consumption of tea to a reduction in risk for both stomach and esophageal cancer. Green tea extracts have also been found to inhibit the growth of cancer cells in the bladder.

Tea also helps regulate high blood pressure. Drinking half a cup of green or black tea per day can reduce a person's risk of high blood pressure by almost 50%. Researchers have also found that people who drink about a cup and a half of tea per day are almost 40% less likely to suffer a heart attack compared to tea abstainers.

Drinking tea has been shown to strengthen the immune system, which is especially important during the cold and flu season. A clinical trial study conducted by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School found that drinking five cups of black tea a day for two to four weeks can boost the body’s immune defense system by four times.[1]

For those suffering from a cold or sore throat, a hot toddy is a welcome treat. Hot toddies can be made with tea in order to take advantage of its medicinal properties.

Hot Tea Toddy

Ingredients
1 tea bag (Recommended: The Republic of Tea Honey Ginseng Green Tea)
2 tablespoons of brandy or Scotch
1 tablespoon honey
Boiling water
1 slice lemon
1 cinnamon stick (optional)

Directions
In a coffee mug, place the tea bag, brandy, and honey. Add enough boiling water to fill the mug. Add the cinnamon and lemon, and steep for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bag and cinnamon stick.

Although green, oolong and black teas are better known, white, red and chai tea are rapidly gaining popularity.

White Tea
Though green tea has gotten a lot of press for its healthful properties, white tea may be even healthier because it is the least-processed form of tea. White tea has more antioxidants than any other kind of tea, including green tea, and it also has less caffeine than black and green tea.

Red Tea
Red tea has all the benefits of green tea, but is completely caffeine-free so you can enjoy unlimited cups without worrying about staying up all night. Red tea has anti-spasmodic properties that help to relieve digestive problems like nausea, vomiting, heartburn and stomach ulcers.

Chai
Chai, my personal favorite, is an ancient beverage with origins in India, Nepal and Tibet. A traditional chai is a blend of spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns that are brewed with black tea and finished with milk and honey.

In honor of National Hot Tea Month and with 3,000 varieties to choose from, I encourage you to select and enjoy a healthy, relaxing cup of tea!

[1] Kamath AB, Wang L, Das H, Li L, Reinhold VN, Bukowski JF. Antigens in tea-beverage prime human Vgamma 2Vdelta 2 T cells in vitro and in vivo for memory and nonmemory antibacterial cytokine responses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 May 13;100(10):6009-14. Epub 2003 Apr 28.