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Tea Overview
Tea is an ancient, refreshing, calorie-free drink that was originally
discovered in China by accident. It is now the number two most commonly drank
beverage in the world though, second only to water. Tea has amazing health and
wellness benefits built into it naturally, and many researchers and scientists
have made some amazing discoveries in recent years.
Over the past thirty years or so, numerous scientific research studies done in
a variety of different parts of the world - with thousands of both human and
animal subjects - are showing results which suggest that tea can:
- help reduce obesity and body fat
- reduce LDL, or "bad" cholesterol levels
- improve the body's circulation and blood vessel health
- improve bone density
- fight and prevent a variety of cancers
- boost the body's immune system and resistance to diseases, possibly even HIV
- reduce the risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular related diseases
and health problems
- relieve, reduce, or prevent inflammatory problems such as rheumatoid
arthritis
- prevent kidney stones
- improve teeth strength and health
- fight and prevent oral diseases
- reduce stress hormone levels
- increase the lifespan of people who have had a heart attack
When most people hear talk of the health benefits of tea, they're usually
hearing about green tea. What many don't know however, is that regular black
tea has many health properties of it's own too.
In fact, there are three types of tea which come from a tea tree: Green Tea,
Black Tea, and Oolong Tea. All three of these come from the same plant, which
is known as a Camellia sinensis. The main difference in the three types
though, is how they're processed. Green tea is processed the least, thus it
retains more of it's natural health benefits. Black tea and Oolong also carry
many health benefits though, so they should not be overlooked as part of your
daily health regimen.
Tea contains natural compounds known as favonoids, which have high antioxidant
properties. Antioxidants are needed in our body to help neutralize damage
created from free radicals which damage and degrade various parts of our body
over time. The damage from free radicals is what causes premature aging,
wrinkles, and most chronic health problems and diseases.
While many important health benefits of tea have already been discovered,
research is still ongoing to discover more, and to solidify previous research
findings. Not everyone agrees with all discoveries made so far, however. As
you'll see in future sections of this series, some researchers feel you need
just a cup or two of tea a day while others feel you should drink five or more
cups of tea each day to reap the full health benefits and rewards. Each study
was conducted for different purposes though, so it's quite possible that each
researchers conclusions are logical based on the purpose of the specific
studies they were doing.
The bottom line though, is that if you don't drink tea regularly yet, by the
time you finish reading this special series, you may find yourself converted!
Health Benefits of Tea
- Most people have heard at least a little bit of the excitement about the
health benefits of green tea...
Types of Tea - The healthy types of tea come from the same plant, or tree, known as the
Camellia sinensis.
Tea and Cancer - The part of tea that makes it so great for a variety of health issues is
thought to be the flavonoids, because these are believed to fight damage from
free radicals...
Tea and Weight Loss
- Not only does tea help keep your body healthier, there is also evidence
that green tea specifically can help with obesity problems...
Tea and The Immune System
- When your body's natural immune system is weak, it leaves you open to
become sick more often...
Tea and Your Heart - Many of the studies and research surrounding the health benefits of tea
have focused quite a bit on the effects tea has on your heart and circulatory
system...
Tea and Your Circulatory System
- Another critical area of your body that needs health care and attention
is the circulatory system and blood vessels...
Tea and Oral Health
- The mouth is where a lot of bacteria and germs live constantly. In fact,
millions of germs live there throughout the day...
Herbal Teas
- Herbal Tea is another very popular and effective health and wellness
vice for thousands of people today...
Brewed Tea vs. Instant Tea
- It may be hard to imagine, but some people believe tea comes in a powder
form and you simply mix it with water...
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