My Tea Break

Rediscovering Tea around the world

Category Archives: Health benefits


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Health Research: Tea may lower the risk against prostate cancer

U.S News reported recently that Tea  may lower the risk against prostate cancer due to its high concentration of flavanoids.

                                                                                        Source: oolongdragon.com via Tania on Pinterest

This  preliminary research involved 1,900 patients newly diagnosed with prostate cancer. It was found that those whose diets included the highest amount of flavonoids were 25 % less likely to have been diagnosed with the fastest-moving and harshest form of the disease compared to those who had been taking in the fewest flavonoids.

Susan Steck, associate professor at the University of South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health and author of this study says that this study was aimed at comparing men with low agressive disease to high agressive and the impact of flavonoids on reducing the risk of aggressive prostate cancer. The authors identified Green and Black Tea, as well as orange and grapefruit juice, as the prime sources of flavonoids consumed by study participants. Strawberries, onions, cooked greens, kale and broccoli also were popular flavonoid-rich foods.”They may not affect your risk for getting the cancer, but it may mitigate against the kind of cancer you would get” she added.

Susan Steck and her colleagues will discuss their findings at the annual cancer prevention meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, in Anaheim, Calif.

There are also other health studies that show that these particular antioxidants may help reduce cancer risk by fighting inflammation, oxidation, cell death and tumor cell growth.

Happy Tea Break.


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Yogi Tea

Yogi Tea started as part of the practice of Ayurveda, or traditional Indian medicine. The select spices in the brew were intended to be healing ingredients. Typically prepared as a mixture of cardamom seed, ginger, black pepper and cinnamon, this invigorating tonic aids digestion, helps bone strength, soothes tired muscles and purifies the blood.

Although the heavily spiced Ayurvedic yogi Tea has been around for centuries, particularly in India’s northern state of Punjab, it came to America with Yogi Bhajan in the late 1960s. Yogi Bhajan habitually served the aromatic Tea to his students after yoga practice and it became known as “yogi tea”.

                                                      Source: leablog.com via Kundalini Yoga on Pinterest

It’s very simple to make this Tea at home and it fills your house with its wonderful aroma.

Recipe:

  • 8 cups water
  • 6 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 Tbs cardamom seed
  • 2 Tbs whole cloves
  • 2 inches fresh ginger root (sliced)

Put all spices into a pot with water.

Simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and add honey and milk (ideally almond milk) to taste.

Serve hot or cold.

Health benefits:

  • Cinnamon: anti-microbial, anti-clotting, controls blood sugar, boosts brain function, helps warm the body in the onset of cold or flu.
  • Cardamom:antioxidant, aids digestion, improves circulation, stimulates appetite, good source of potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and manganese.
  • Clove: anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, high phytonutrient content including manganese, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin K, dietary fiber, vitamin C, calcium and magnesium
  •  Ginger: aids digestion; decreases arthritic swelling; destroys bacteria and viruses; lowers blood pressure; aids circulation. anti-microbial, anti-clotting, controls blood sugar, boosts brain function, helps warm the body in the onset of cold or flu.

Whether you drink this Tea to end your yoga practice, or just to warm up on a chilly day, yogi Tea offers a host of healthy benefits for your body.

Happy Yogi  Tea Break

Tania


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Olive Leaf Tea

I’ve recently been introduced to Olive Leaf Tea by Sue-Ann, a friend who lives in London and has quite a good selection of Tea and herbal infusions. I was very surprised because we have a culture of producing olives and olive oil in Portugal but I’ve never heard of Olive Leaf Tea before.

This one was bought at the Borough market’s Oliveology stand – greek artisan farmers who share the culinary treasures and gastronomic traditions of Greece.

After some research, I found out that Olive leaf Tea has been used by ancient Egyptians and Greeks as a daily drink to protect against viruses. It is considered very healthy for its detoxifying and healing properties. Olive leaves are exceptionally rich in vitamins A, B, C and E, and will give your body anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal boost. Ideal to boost the immune system.

The leaves are handpicked from the olive tree, carefully washed, quickly air-dried and  then left to cure with the absence of sunlight. Once processed, these leaves can stay fresh for up to one year as long as they’re properly sealed and stored away from sunlight. Like any other Tea, the essential oils will eventually vanish leaving the drink with little flavor and benefits.

This infusion has a smooth, mellow and savoury flavour (It doesn’t taste of olives!) and you can also add some lemon or honey to enhance the flavour.

The olive leaves can also be used for cooking – just sprinkle it over a salad or a soup or use it in a marinade or spice rub to season a variety of dishes.

Happy Tea Break.

Tania


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Kukicha Japanese Green Tea

A few months ago I bought this delicious Japanese green Tea – Kukicha- in a shop in Madrid called Bomec - http://www.bomec.es/home.html

Kukicha is a variety of Japanese green Tea. It is quite special as it is made of stems, stalks and twigs of the Camellia Sinensis. Therefore, this Tea is also known as Twig Tea!

Due to this mixture, Kukicha Tea has a very unique and distinctive aroma and flavour. It is light and fresh, mildly nutty and slightly sweet in flavour.

How to prepare the Tea:

  • Water temperature: between 70°C to 80°C (155°F – 180°F). 
  • You can infuse up to four times
  • Infusion times: 1 – 3 minutes

Health Benefits:

  • Low in caffeine, so you can drink it all day long and it is great for those wanting to limit their intake of caffeine.
  • High level of antioxidants, which helps preventing free radicals.
  • Contains proven anti-carcinogens, which aid in preventing and fighting cancer, as well as other diseases.
  • Some studies suggest that it is great for diabetics as helps stabilising blood sugar levels.

Happy Tea Break,

Mariana!


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Tulsi – The Mother Medicine of Nature

Hey everyone,

I received a very interesting gift recently – an herbal Tea called Tulsi Ginger, from The Organic India.

I have to confess I had no idea what Tulsi was, so I did some research. Guess what? I am really impressed with this new finding! Tulsi or the holy basil is considered the “The Queen of Herbs” for its health benefits.

Research shows that Tulsi contributes for:

  • reducing stress,
  • enhancing stamina,
  • boosting the immune system,
  • lowering cholestrol levels and high blood pressure
  • eliminating toxins, as it is full of antioxidants and  other nutrientes,
  • reducing inflammation,
  • preventing gastric ulcers,
  • lowering fevers,
  • improving digestion
–

It is also stated that Tulsi has preventative and curative potential in relation to “many degenerative disorders, such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis and diabetes.”

So, lets start drinking Tulsi!

The combination I have is Tulsi Ginger. It has a strong herbal, spicy smell and a great taste.

There are a lot of other combinations: The Original Tulsi, Tulsi Chai Masala, Tulsi Green Tea, Tulsi Jasmine Green Tea, Tulsi Sweet Rose, Tulsi Mulethi, Tulsi India Breakfast Tea and Tulsi Sweet Lemon Tea. Just pick one!

For more information please visit: http://www.organicindia.co.in/

If you want to research more about Tulsi please visit - http://www.organicindia.co.in/tulsi.php

Thank you Neeraj!

Happy Tea Break, Mariana


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New Year Detox

After Christmas and New Year’s excesses with the non stop eating, drinking and partying we all feel like going on a detox diet. Be aware that just going on a detox during the month of January is not the answer and you don’t have to fast for a month to burn all those calories.

There are a few sensible steps that can help:

1. Exercise 30 min a day

Source: kaitgettingfit.tumblr.com via Lydia on Pinterest

2. Avoid alcoholic drinks

Source: save-on-crafts.com via Shutterbit on Pinterest

3. Avoid fat foods and eat more fruits and vegetables

Source: weightlossresources.co.uk via Tryphania on Pinterest

4. Drink water and Tea to cleanse the body from toxins

Source: garmaonhealth.com via Katie on Pinterest

Tea is an easy and powerful way to get rid of toxins, stimulate the processing of excess fat, stimulate circulation and provide antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

If you need to avoid caffeine you can create a homemade detox infusion by mixing freshly boiled water, 1 teaspoon of maple syrup (you can also use honey as an alternative), freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon, a zest of ginger and a hint of cayenne pepper (don’t go too crazy on the pepper)!

Source: kimberlysnyder.net via Brenda on Pinterest

Happy Detox Tea Break.

Tania


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Green Tea may help trim bad cholesterol

A recent U.S study* shows that green Tea may help trim bad cholesterol.

The research, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, pooled the results of 20 clinical trials that involved a total of 1,415 adults and shows that green Tea trimmed 5 to 6 points more from people’s total cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol levels than other treatments.

Source: oldermommystillyummy.blogspot.com via Monica on Pinterest

The trials tested green Tea in a cup or capsules containing green Tea compounds. Green Tea in a cup was more consistently effective than capsules, though the benefits overall were fairly small, noted senior researcher Olivia Phung, an assistant professor of pharmacy at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California.

Olivia Phung also suggests that if someone is already taking medicine for their cholesterol they should stick with it but adding green Tea to the diet could further improve the cholesterol results.

There are other questions too, including what dose of green tea catechins is ideal, but the researchers were unable to test for a “dose-response” effect, which would have shown whether the cholesterol benefits increase as the catechin dose goes up.

Source: delightfulmomstuff.blogspot.com via Jenica on Pinterest

Despite the positive health benefits, Green Tea should always be taken in moderation as it contains caffeine.

Happy Tea Break.

Tania

 *(Source: Reporting from New York by Amy Norton at Reuters Health; editing by Elaine Lies and Idayu Suparto)


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Tea and Reiki

Did you know that according to the American Medical Association, stress is a factor in more than 75 percent of illnesses?

Life is difficult, as M. Scott Peck wrote on his great book “The Road less travelled”.  Life can be quite stressful with the increasing career and family demands, economic uncertainty and other factors. There are times when we feel down, lost and alone. We forget to take care of ourselves and to ensure our well being. Finding a way to balance our life can be challenging, although I feel that it is our duty to ensure we have the right tools that allow us to relax and feel good about ourselves.

In order to be happy and relax people pursue activities like cooking, sports, travelling, reading, going to the cinema, meditation, massages or even art. The way I escape stress is by taking time for Tea and by doing Reiki.  These two instruments have been very useful in ensuring I keep an equilibrium in my life.

Reiki means Universal Life Energy, an energy which is all around us. Reiki is a natural healing process that gently balances life energies bringing health and well-being to our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual state.

For me Reiki and Tea are a great (and a natural) combination, as both allow me to stop and connect to my mind, my body and my spirit. Both allow me to feel calm and relaxed. Both allow me to feel more balanced. I feel that I have been very lucky to have found these two great tools, which contribute to my happiness.

Different people have different ways of relaxing and feeling balanced. The important thing is that you find out what is right for you.

Happy Tea break,

Mariana!


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Morning Lemon Infusion

I’ve always heard many people saying they drink a lemon infusion (with real lemon) first thing in the morning. A friend of mine recently did a 3-day detox and the first rule is to start each day with a glass of warm water and a slice/wedge of lemon.

Source: spoki.lv via Sumia on Pinterest

I tried doing it this morning and it is tasty and refreshing but wanted to know the health benefits.

Due to its very low sugar content and high alkaline mineral content, the lemon raises the alkalising effect of the water and release enzymes that help to kick start the metabolism. One would think that lemon is acidic but once digested it has an alkalising effect in the body .

Main benefits:

    • Cleanses and stimulates the liver and kidneys that releases toxins
    • Contains calcium, magnesium and potassium
    • Helps treating infections
    • Provides vitamin C and can relief cold and flu symptoms
    • Can relieve asthma
    • Cleans your skin
    • Prepares your body for digestion

By starting our day with lemon water we are literally revitalising our body and digestive system to clean out toxins and kickstart our day in an energised and refreshed way.

If you are worried about the effect of citrus on your tooth you can drink your lemon water through a straw.

Happy Tea Break.

Tania

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