TEA FORTUITOUS

It is estimated that over 158 million people in the US drinktea every day, the Tea Association of the USA tells us. Who knew tea had itsown association, and how do they count all those people? One thing we do knowfor sure is that drinking tea, be it hot or cold, has many health benefits.There have been many studies about antioxidants in tea and the resultingbenefits to your health, including weight loss, cancer prevention and reductionof cardiovascular risks.

Polyphenols, natural compounds in tea, along with thecaffeine content, increases energy expenditure and fat oxidation, which resultsin weight loss. Studies show thatregular tea drinkers have lower body mass indexes (BMIs) compared with non-teadrinkers. Drinking tea has also been shown to burn around 100 calories during a24-hour period.

Research has also found that the polyphenols in green teamay help to stop the progression of gastrointestinal, lung, breast and skincancer.  Another study has shown thatblack tea reduces blood pressure in patients with hypertension and alsoneutralizes negative effects of high-fat meals on arterial blood flow and bloodpressure.

Another less known benefit of the polyphenols in green tea isrelated to the increase in bone quality and strength, particularly osteoporosis.Tea drinking in one study was associated with a 30% reduced risk of hipfractures.

It’s also been shown that the amino acids and caffeine intea provide psychological benefits, increasing the potential of the teadrinker’s attention, mood and performance enhancement. The only beverage more consumed than tea inthe world is just plain water. Adding tea to the water gives you a universalsuper-drink.