To Your Health: Make time for tea

By Gillian Slade on May 28, 2018.

Perhaps it can be attributed to the glorious wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex last weekend, all this talk about British traditions.

The tradition of afternoon tea is entrenched in Britain, regardless of where you are on the economic or class scale. It can be celebrated with a wide circle of friends, your family, or be a private affair.

The British have always told us tea has the power to banish headaches, relieve stress, reduce shock and facilitate good conversation not to mention the pleasure of just sitting down for a good “cuppa.”

Researchers in the U.S. say it’s the second-most consumed beverage in the world, the first being water. Recognition of the health benefits of tea has grown considerably.

In just the last five years there have been more than 5,500 scientific studies on tea.

The compound in tea appears to impact virtually every cell in the human body in a positive way. The studies have shown that just a cup of clear — either green, black, or white — tea a day can significantly promote good health, including heart health, maintaining healthy blood pressure, and reduce the risk of stroke and heart attacks.

One study in Italy indicated there are properties in black tea able to reduce blood pressure.

If you thought there wasn’t a drink you could really enjoy that would also promote weight loss, think again. Apparently tea can. Tea may help to counter the effect on blood vessels that high-fat foods inflict.

There are other studies showing advantages in maintaining bone health, reduction of inflammation, and even mental acuity.

For those of us who consider making tea a cherished ritual, there is a specific way to brew a pot of tea to maximize the pleasure.

The “Brown Betty” china teapot should be prewarmed.

Pour cold water into your kettle because it has more oxygen than hot water. It is best to use filtered water.

When the water has reached a rolling boil, pour it onto fresh tea leaves.

Put a tea cozy over the tea pot to keep it warm and let it “steep” for five minutes.

The addition of sugar and milk is a personal choice, including whether it should go in first or after the tea.

To get the maximum pleasure it should be sipped from a china cup.

Here’s to a good cup of tea and to your health.

Gillian Slade is a News reporter. To comment on this and other editorials, go to https://www.medicinehatnews.com/opinions, email her at gslade@medicinehatnews.com or call her at 403-528-8635.

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