The Truth about Tea

Most Coffee and hot tea drinkers tend to enjoy the beverage no matter how hot and toasty it gets outside.  However, if you are like me and you cannot bear to drink something hot when you are sweating through the summer, then you too might have just started drinking warm drinks again.  I have mentioned the benefits of tea in passing in many blogs, however I have spent a great deal more time learning about the benefits of tea.  No, not just because I decided to research tea, but because I have decided that my love of Diet Coke had to end and what better way to do it than to replace it with something that is really good for me.  I wanted to stop putting so much of all of the DC chemicals into my body, and I was hoping to set a better example for my kids (since I of course do not want them drinking it).  So, for the past months I have been making a pitcher of flavored green tea about every other day and that has made the process much easier.  Now that the weather has finally gotten cooler, I treated myself to a Keurig single-serve coffee machine and I have fallen in love with it. As with any other habit change, it is best to start slowly so that you can actually sustain the change.  I went from 2 or 3 Diet Cokes a day to 1, and now am working to get rid of that one.  If you are trying to get rid of a less than desirable habit like Diet Coke, regular soda, or maybe even a calorie-laden coffee drink, check out these benefits of tea and you might find that it is the motivation you need to kick the habit.

Tea leaves come from the Camellia sinensis plant.  They contain antioxidants that counter free radicals, which can damage cells.  Antioxidants may reduce or help prevent some of the damage.  The difference between the three main varieties of tea (green, black, and oolong) is the process used to make them.  Black tea is exposed to air, or fermented, which darkens the leaves and gives them flavor.  Green tea (my favorite) is made by heating or quickly steaming the leaves.  Oolong tea leaves are partially fermented.

Some studies show that drinking tea may help curb a few heart disease risk factors, including body weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol absorption.  However, the FDA denied a petition filed by a green tea maker that wanted to put heart-health claims on its product's label, ruling that there was not credible scientific evidence to support the claims.

There is some evidence that green tea may help control glucose (or blood sugar) levels, however, that has not been widely tested in people.  More research is needed to learn how much green tea would be needed and whether green tea also helps curb body weight and body fat.

Herbal teas are not made from the Camellia sinensis plant and are not really teas at all.  Herbal teas are an infusion of leaves, roots, bark, seeds, or flowers from other types of plants.  Common herbal teas include chamomile and mint.  They are not associated with the potential health benefits of green, black, or oolong tea.

You get the antioxidants from freshly brewed tea; those compounds are reduced in instant tea, decaffeinated tea, and bottled tea.  Researchers have not determined how many cups of freshly brewed green tea are recommended each day, but people in Asia typically drink at least three cups daily.  Fresh brewing is the way to get the most antioxidants from your tea, so knowing how long to steep the tea is an important part of the process.  Three to five minutes is the recommended amount of time for maximizing the benefits.

Ice tea often contains low to negligible amounts of catechins compared with the high concentrations found in a cup of hot tea, because adding water to brewed tea dilutes the concentration.  However, iced tea and hot tea could contain approximately the same level of antioxidants if, when preparing iced tea, you use 50% more tea than when preparing a similar amount of hot tea to allow for dilution.  About 85% of the tea drunk in the U.S. is iced tea.

Blended teas are made from teas of different origins, combined to achieve a certain flavor.  For example, English Breakfast tea traditionally was a blend of China Keemums tea, but the blend now includes Ceylon and India teas as well.

Little is known about the effects of green tea on children because the research on green tea has been done on adults.

Green tea contains caffeine, so pregnant women or those who are breastfeeding should not drink more than one or two servings of green tea per day, according to the American Dietetic Association.  People with irregular heartbeats or anxiety disorders also should be cautious about how much caffeine they get, from green tea or other sources.

A Swiss study found that drinking black tea with a meal reduced iron absorption by 79% to 94% when compared with drinking water.  People with an iron deficiency might consider drinking tea only between meals.

I hope this has peeked your interest to give tea a try.  Go browse the teas in your local market, you will be amazed at all of the different flavors and varieties you can buy.  I am in search of more tea varieties for the Keurig, so if you have any sources please let me know.

Resource:  WebMD

WHAT'S FOR DINNER?
Last night we had what felt to me like a very traditional "Sunday dinner".  If was not anything too fancy, but it all felt like what you might have grown up enjoying - but maybe just a little healthier...  We enjoyed a herb roasted chicken, baked sweet potatoes with salt, pepper, and cinnamon, and my favorite part - fresh brussel sprouts roasted in the oven.  I did not realize that I had not made them in such a long time, but my kids and Greg had never tried them.  Here is a very quick and easy way to enjoy this beautiful vegetable on a weeknight or even with your upcoming Thanksgiving feast.  They are in season now, so get them while you can...

Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Servings:  4

1 lb. fresh brussel sprouts, bottom trimmed and cut in half through stem
a good balsamic vinaigrette (I like Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  On a baking sheet, place halved brussel sprouts and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.  Toss brussel sprouts gently and make sure that they are all cut side down.  Place pan in the oven and roast for about 15 minutes, until tender.  Using tongs or a spatula, toss the brussel sprouts at least one time during roasting so they do not get too dark on cut side.  Serve immediately.

Here's to fresh, fast, and fantastic food!