How to Get the Most out of Your Tea

To get the most benefits from your cup of tea, researchers at Charité University in Germany say you’d better skip the dairy.

A group of flavonoids in tea called catechins can help arteries contract and expand with each heartbeat.  You heart loves this and will reward you with healthier blood pressure. But milk protein renders them ineffective, says lead researcher Mario Lorenz, PhD.  A heart-healthier alternative: a touch of lemon or honey.  Of course, if you serve it cold enough, it’ll only need a little something special added.  I’m from the south, so tea just isn’t tea unless it’s Sweet Tea - so I have to sweeten mine a little.

The husband - aka Michael - brought home a box of Tazo tea a few nights ago.  It was an Assorted mix of Black and Green Teas and Herbal Infusions.  The Passion tea is out of this world.  I made up a pitcher…and sweetened it, of course…then added ice.  It’s amazing, that’s all.  Just amazing.  The Wild Sweet Orange is great served hot with a little honey.

The Wonders of Green Tea

Japanese researchers found that people who drank at least 5 cups of green tea daily had a whopping 62 percent lower risk of dying from clot-caused strokes.  A 62 percent lower risk gives us all 62 reasons to develop a relationship with Green Tea. 

A few tips from a big Green Tea fan:

• Lipton green tea in pyramid bags contains tea leaves, not powder.  The flavor is much, much better and the antioxidant punch is 80 mg per bag.
• Snapple Green Teas are delicious.  And they’re convenient to have on hand - you can just grab a bottle from the refrigerator when you’re parched.  They have the highest levels of one type of catechins (an antioxidant compound) of any bottled teas on the market.  Thier antioxidant count is 55 mg per 17.5-ounce bottle.  My only gripe is that they don’t come in plastic bottles - I’d love to take them along for tennis or walks, but as accident prome as I am I dare not pack around glass.
• What I WILL try is the Crystal Light Green Tea On The Go packets.  They fit in your pocket or handbag, and you can add one to a bottle of water when the thought of water’s a little boring.  Their antioxidant punch is 40 mg per packet.
• If you’re trying to make the transition from soft drinks to tea - first, find a bottled variety you love.  Before you know it, you won’t miss the soft drinks.  Also, certain restaurants have better tea than others - for example, Arby’s is so good it’s like a special treat just to go through the drive thru for a drink alone.  Sweet tea, of course.  Y’all.