As much as I enjoy my one cup of coffee most mornings, I love tea. With so many flavors, you can enjoy them either hot and cold. In the cooler months, I drink it hot and often.
The origins and history of tea date back almost 5,000 years, and more than 3,000 different variations exist. The most widely consumed beverage in the world has both a historical and cultural importance, as well as implications for good health.
The history of tea may have started with Chinese herbalist, Shen Nung, who happened upon infusing leaves in boiling water as some had fallen from a tree into his heating pot. He noted a pleasurable taste and started experimenting with steaming, drying, and roasting leaves for longer term preservation in both black and green teas. As trade grew between China and other countries, tea quickly became the drink of choice, outpacing wine, liquor, and coffee.
Venturing to the tea aisle in stores reveals many choices, everything from a proper Earl Grey to organic herbal options that help relieve various symptoms. Tea combinations are as varied as lemon and ginger to aid in digestion, chamomile with lavender to relax, or eucalyptus as a sinus soother. Lately, I have enjoyed mullein tea, made from a flowering plant, to alleviate a recent bout of respiratory ailment, and it shortened the duration as well as minimized cold-like symptoms.
Numerous science-based studies have shown that a variety of teas may boost an individual’s immune system, fight inflammation, and even ward off heart disease and cancer. White teas are the least processed and are high in antioxidants.
With the recent uptick in respiratory illnesses, consider tea as part of your treatment. Warm herbal teas can be soothing for sore throats, relieve sinus congestion, and battle headaches. As you peruse the varieties, you will see labels such as “Throat Coat,” “Breathe Easy,” and “Sleepy Time.” They are conveniently packed in tea bags, or sachets, but there are also loose teas available to be used with tea balls or reusable spice bags.
You may have herbs in your cabinet with which you can make tea. Dried parsley can be steeped as a tea and is helpful for kidney function. It has a mild grassy taste.
Plus, I believe every female should be drinking raspberry leaf tea, due to its benefits for reproductive health. It is one of my daily favorites. Additionally, there are detox teas, teas for weight loss, and teas for just relaxing.
If you have a preference for the black and green teas, recently published nutrition guidelines laud the two varieties. Just two cups daily may help improve blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar due to the flavan-3-ols in the steeped tea. Flavan-3-ols are a subgroup of flavonoids that help reduce cardiometabolic diseases such as hypertension.
Incorporating tea into our diets is an easy investment in our health and could minimize various symptoms as well as the duration of an illness.