Black Tea Is Good For You! By: Valerie B. Lull

We have known for a long time that tea-drinking cultures have better longevity

. But until recently, we didn't really know why. Modern science and research have been able to track some of the health benefits of tea. Many people think that green tea is better than black tea, but that's not necessarily true. Although green tea does have more catechins and antioxidants overall, black tea has unique qualities and properties that make it medicinal in its own right.

Black tea is full of antioxidants and flavonoids (a flavonoid is a compound found in plants that helps to maintain the overall health of the plant. These compounds are also beneficial to human health). Additionally, black tea has theaflavins and thearubigens. These compounds are not found in green tea, and there is evidence linking them to reduction of harmful cholesterol. In 1990, a Dutch study followed 805 men aged 65-84 for five years. The study showed a link between high flavonoid intake and a lower risk of death from heart disease. The flavonoids in black tea have a protective effect on the heart.

Similarly, a Dutch study conducted over 15 years found that those who drank 4.7 cups of tea of more per day had a 69 in the tea-drinking group.

Researchers at Rutgers University have isolated a powerful compound in black tea known as TF-2, which destroyed colorectal cancer cells in research studies, while healthy cells remained unaffected. The same compound suppresses the Cox-2 gene that triggers inflammation. Long-term inflammation is suspected to be the underlying cause of many chronic illnesses, as well as obvious inflammatory diseases such as arthritis. Tea has also been tested as an effective antiviral agent - the old wives' wisdom that prescribes tea for colds and other common illnesses has a scientific basis behind it. Milton Schiffenbauer of Pace University has found that both black and green tea deactivate viruses, including herpes. A key to better day-to-day health may lie in simply disinfecting your mouth by drinking tea.

Other common uses for tea include soothing sunburn by adding a quart of strong black tea to a lukewarm bath; or putting cold, wet teabags on burns.

But what if you don't want to focus on all this science, and you want to drink black tea just because you like it?

Well, even that has health benefits. The psychological and emotional rewards of a soothing pot of tea are well-documented in literature. "When tea becomes ritual, it takes its place at the heart of our ability to see greatness in small things," wrote Muriel Barbery. And Henry James famously observed: "There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea." Kakuko Okakura said, "Teaism is a cult founded on the adoration of the beautiful among the sordid facts of everyday existence."

Especially in our increasingly busy world, where people are disconnected from one another, the British, Japanese, and Chinese tea rituals take on an even greater significance. Focusing on the process of brewing and sharing a pot of tea allows you to slow down, relax, and redirect your attention to what is most important in life: the experience of small, perfect moments. I have many pleasant memories of putting the kettle on the wood stove and spending the afternoon playing games with my mother and drinking black tea. That was in the days before I even knew that green tea existed. Would I have enjoyed these afternoons more if I had known that tea was good for me? Probably not, but as an adult, I cherish the appreciation of tea that was instilled in me at a young age.

Whether you prefer a quick cup brewed from a teabag, or a leisurely looseleaf pot sipped from fine china, black tea refreshes the soul and strengthens the body. You can learn more about the benefits of tea in my book, Ten Healthy Teas, available at http://www.outskirtspress.com/tenhealthyteas

by: Self-Publishing Articles

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