Tea For Health

 

Antioxidants
Free radicals cause damage to the components of our cells and have been implicated in the slow chain reaction of damage leading to heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants in our diet help to prevent and repair the damage caused by free radical attack. Tea (oolong, green and black) is a rich source of antioxidants called flavaniods. There is a growing body of evidence which confirms that these flavaniods play an important role in protecting us from heart disease by lowering average blood cholesterol and blood pressure, as tea consumption increases. Additionally experts believe flavanoids in tea are responsible for the reduction of oral, lung, colon and other cancers.

 

Vitamins 
Tea contains a number of vitamins considered essential for maintaining health:

 

  • Carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, has antioxidant and protective properties
  • Vitamin B1 and pantothenic acid are necessary for the release of energy from fat and carbohydrate
  • Vitamin C is essential for a healthy immune system
  • Vitamin B6 is involved in the metabolism of proteins

 

Minerals 
Tea is a rich source of various minerals essential for health:

 
  • Manganese - Esential for bone growth and the body's development
  • Flouride - One of the few natural sources, tea has been shown to have a positive effect on preventing tooth decay and gum disease 
  • Potassium - Vital for maintaining a normal heart beat. It enables nerves and muscles to function and regulates fluid levels within the body's cells

 

4 to 5 cups of tea are recommended daily in order to gain maximum benefits

 

Individual Teas & Benefits

 

Rooibos Tea - (Translated as Red Tea from Afrikans) 
With its many positive attributes, Rooibos tea is a great choice of drink for health conscious people. Rooibos tea contains no colors, additives or preservatives, making it a natural beverage. It contains no caffeine. According  to studies conducted Rooibos has been shown to aid in health problems such as insomnia, irritability, headaches, nervous tension, and hypertension. It also releases anti-spasmodic agents, which can relieve stomach cramping and colic in infants. In South Africa Rooibos has been used to treat allergies such as hay fever, asthma and eczema very effectively. Rooibos contains anti-oxidants which can help slow the aging process and boost the immune system.

 

Green Tea 
There are four primary polyphenols in green tea and they are often collectively referred to as catechins.  Powerful antioxidants, catechins have been shown in recent studies to fight viruses, slow aging, and have a beneficial effect on health. Clinical tests have shown that catechins destroy free radicals and have far-reaching positive effects on the entire body. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an antioxidant found in green tea, is at least 100 more times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times more effective than vitamin E at protecting cells and DNA from damage believed to be linked to cancer, heart disease and other serious illnesses. This antioxidant has twice the benefits of resveratrol, found in red wine.

 

White Tea 
Popular for its calming and detoxifying effect on the skin, it is especially potent in that it has three times as many antioxidant polyphenols as green or black tea and has been shown to be 100% more effective in mopping up free radicals that cause skin to sag. In addition it inhibits bacteria and therefore has strong anti-cancer properties.

 

Herbal Tea 
Herbal teas are the leaves, seeds and flowers of one particular herb, harvested and dried into a tea with a fresh, clean taste. Herbal teas are traditionally believed to have properties which can help treat specific medical conditions, particularly those which are stress or digestive-system related.
 
 

 
 


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