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Sit back and enjoy the cuppa
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Tea may have health benefits, so why not drink more of it?
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PERFECT BREW A whole new range of teas, from herbal to flavoured, is now in the market
The world’s inhabitants drink more tea than any other beverage — well, not counting water. And now there’s a growing body of research to suggest that the tea all of those folks are drinking might just have a health benefit or two. T
he folks who grow and market tea are quite happy about both those facts, as you might imagine.
And even though tea can be disarmingly simple — heat water, pour over tea bag, drink — the more a tea drinker scratches the surface of this ubiquitous beverage, the more complex, complicated and mysterious it can become.
The Tea Association of the USA has helped explore and demystify a beverage that crosses so many centuries and cultures.
Real and herbal teas
The first thing tea enthusiasts are quick to point out: All “real” tea — whether it’s labelled white tea, green, oolong or black — comes from the same tea plant, a warm-weather evergreen named Camellia Sinensis. The differences between the different types of tea lie in how the fresh leaves of the plant are processed.
Herbal teas, on the other hand, can be virtually any infusion of leaves, roots, bark, seeds or flowers of other plants. They don’t have to contain any “real” tea — a fact that tea purists find just a tad bit aggravating.
Now, those same purists have to sit and watch as their “real” tea is adulterated with all manner of ingredients, resulting in products such as Pomegranate Lychee Green Tea and Vanilla Caramel Truffle Tea. And yes, there’s even Green Tea Liqueur. Over the last 10 years, ready-to-drink tea has grown nearly tenfold. Approximately 85 percent of tea consumed in America is iced.
Health benefits
Publicity over possible health benefits seems to be driving the tea surge. Research has suggested tea consumption may lower the risk of heart disease and some types of cancers. Tea contains flavonoids, naturally occurring compounds that are believed to have antioxidant properties. And while it does contain a small jolt of caffeine, tea contains no sodium, fat or sugar and is virtually calorie-free.
So sit back, pour yourself a cup (or a tall glass), and enjoy a spot of tea. — NYT
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