| Taste the difference! |
Good to know your cup of tea
By Charles Stuart Platkin
By Charles Stuart Platkin
Tea is the most-consumed beverage worldwide next to water. And according to the
Tea Association, Americans consumed well more than 50 billion servings of tea in
2004, or more than 2.25 billion gallons. About 87 percent was black tea, 12.5 percent
green tea and the rest was oolong tea. Whether you're a regular tea drinker or just
starting out, here's what you need to know about tea.
Is it true that tea has more antioxidants than almost any whole fruit or
vegetable?
Yes ... sort of. While it's hard to make a general comparison, a rough estimate
suggests that two servings of tea equal one serving of your average
antioxidant-packed veggie. Tea ranks among plants with the highest total flavonoid
content. "The idea started from research completed by Dr. Ron Prior of the USDA
where he compared tea to many fruits and vegetables and found it to be higher in
antioxidant components," says Joe Simrany, president of the Tea Association of the
USA Inc.
Do different teas come from different plants?
Tea, by definition, is a leaf from the Camellia sinensis bush, says James A. Kinsinger
of the Hain Celestial Group Inc. Only white tea comes from a different part of the plant
than the others, while green, black and oolong are made from the upper leaves. To
achieve a variety of tastes, the tea leaves are exposed to air, a process called
fermentation. When fermentation is completely arrested, the tea stays "green" or
yellowish brown. When fermentation time is long, the leaves darken and become
"black" tea. Somewhere in between, "oolong" tea is created.
Are herbal teas really teas?
Hot-water infusions made from herbs are also called "teas," but they are technically
not teas because they are not from the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal teas were
originally brewed for medicinal purposes.
Does tea have more caffeine than coffee?
No. A 6-ounce cup of tea usually contains 25 milligrams to 60 milligrams of caffeine,
less than the typical 100 milligrams in 6 ounces of coffee.
Is green tea the healthiest of all teas?
"Individual compounds in green tea have been tested in more detail than individual
compounds in black tea, and there have been more studies on a wide variety of health
issues with green tea ... most with very positive results," says Kinsinger. Studies on
black tea also have shown very positive results. White tea is the least studied, but it
probably has more of the catechin antioxidants than either green or black tea. "So
there is no clear winner, as all tea is beneficial."
A preliminary study at Oregon State University indicated that white tea may actually
have more antioxidant power than green. And a separate study at the Chinese
University of Hong Kong suggests that black tea has the same level of antioxidants as
green tea.
Do you need to drink 10 cups a day to benefit?
"Most scientists have based their studies on 'normal' amounts of tea, three or four
cups, but some scientists think that five or more cups a day are necessary," reports
Simrany.
Does iced tea have the same benefits as hot tea?
Yes. If brewed, iced tea (85 percent of tea consumed in America) has the same
amount of antioxidants, catechins and flavonoids as hot tea. However, instant iced tea
contains negligible amounts of catechins.
Will adding lemon, sugar or milk eliminate health benefits?
No. Sugar, sweeteners, milk and lemon do not appear to have any effect on the
antioxidant levels of tea.
Do green-tea supplements provide the same health benefits as tea?
"No one knows if green-tea supplements have the same health benefits as drinking tea
itself," says Simrany. "Most scientists recommend consuming whole foods over
supplements because of the possibility that other components within the foods are
causing the positive outcome."
Does tea help you burn calories?
There's a slim chance. A few preliminary studies suggest green tea may burn extra
calories and oxidize fat, perhaps specifically due to the compound epigallocatechin
gallate (EGCG). One study found that green-tea extract increases metabolism and
fat-burning at a rate of almost 80 calories per day. Another recent study appearing in
the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrated that tea containing 690
milligrams of catechins significantly reduced body fat after 12 weeks.
What else does tea offer besides antioxidants?
The health benefits of drinking black or green tea include possible reduced risk for
coronary heart disease, as well as for gastric, breast, bladder, colon, rectal,
esophageal and skin cancers. Tea and tea flavonoids have also been shown to help
strengthen the body's immune system, protect teeth by inhibiting plaque bacteria and
potentially fight free radicals produced during strenuous exercise.
And just recently, a study reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that
women who consume two or more cups of tea daily may lower their risk of ovarian
cancer by 46 percent.
What about the health benefits of herbal teas?
"Since the compounds in herbal tea are different, the health benefits are different.
Many herbal ingredients have high levels of antioxidants. But these are different
antioxidants, which react with different parts of the body," says Kinsinger. Chamomile
purportedly helps calm the stomach. Peppermint may be a digestive aid, which is why
restaurants often provide mints after a meal, but drinking peppermint tea will have the
same effect. However, there is little or no evidence for these effects other than
anecdotal.
Tea Association, Americans consumed well more than 50 billion servings of tea in
2004, or more than 2.25 billion gallons. About 87 percent was black tea, 12.5 percent
green tea and the rest was oolong tea. Whether you're a regular tea drinker or just
starting out, here's what you need to know about tea.
Is it true that tea has more antioxidants than almost any whole fruit or
vegetable?
Yes ... sort of. While it's hard to make a general comparison, a rough estimate
suggests that two servings of tea equal one serving of your average
antioxidant-packed veggie. Tea ranks among plants with the highest total flavonoid
content. "The idea started from research completed by Dr. Ron Prior of the USDA
where he compared tea to many fruits and vegetables and found it to be higher in
antioxidant components," says Joe Simrany, president of the Tea Association of the
USA Inc.
Do different teas come from different plants?
Tea, by definition, is a leaf from the Camellia sinensis bush, says James A. Kinsinger
of the Hain Celestial Group Inc. Only white tea comes from a different part of the plant
than the others, while green, black and oolong are made from the upper leaves. To
achieve a variety of tastes, the tea leaves are exposed to air, a process called
fermentation. When fermentation is completely arrested, the tea stays "green" or
yellowish brown. When fermentation time is long, the leaves darken and become
"black" tea. Somewhere in between, "oolong" tea is created.
Are herbal teas really teas?
Hot-water infusions made from herbs are also called "teas," but they are technically
not teas because they are not from the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal teas were
originally brewed for medicinal purposes.
Does tea have more caffeine than coffee?
No. A 6-ounce cup of tea usually contains 25 milligrams to 60 milligrams of caffeine,
less than the typical 100 milligrams in 6 ounces of coffee.
Is green tea the healthiest of all teas?
"Individual compounds in green tea have been tested in more detail than individual
compounds in black tea, and there have been more studies on a wide variety of health
issues with green tea ... most with very positive results," says Kinsinger. Studies on
black tea also have shown very positive results. White tea is the least studied, but it
probably has more of the catechin antioxidants than either green or black tea. "So
there is no clear winner, as all tea is beneficial."
A preliminary study at Oregon State University indicated that white tea may actually
have more antioxidant power than green. And a separate study at the Chinese
University of Hong Kong suggests that black tea has the same level of antioxidants as
green tea.
Do you need to drink 10 cups a day to benefit?
"Most scientists have based their studies on 'normal' amounts of tea, three or four
cups, but some scientists think that five or more cups a day are necessary," reports
Simrany.
Does iced tea have the same benefits as hot tea?
Yes. If brewed, iced tea (85 percent of tea consumed in America) has the same
amount of antioxidants, catechins and flavonoids as hot tea. However, instant iced tea
contains negligible amounts of catechins.
Will adding lemon, sugar or milk eliminate health benefits?
No. Sugar, sweeteners, milk and lemon do not appear to have any effect on the
antioxidant levels of tea.
Do green-tea supplements provide the same health benefits as tea?
"No one knows if green-tea supplements have the same health benefits as drinking tea
itself," says Simrany. "Most scientists recommend consuming whole foods over
supplements because of the possibility that other components within the foods are
causing the positive outcome."
Does tea help you burn calories?
There's a slim chance. A few preliminary studies suggest green tea may burn extra
calories and oxidize fat, perhaps specifically due to the compound epigallocatechin
gallate (EGCG). One study found that green-tea extract increases metabolism and
fat-burning at a rate of almost 80 calories per day. Another recent study appearing in
the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrated that tea containing 690
milligrams of catechins significantly reduced body fat after 12 weeks.
What else does tea offer besides antioxidants?
The health benefits of drinking black or green tea include possible reduced risk for
coronary heart disease, as well as for gastric, breast, bladder, colon, rectal,
esophageal and skin cancers. Tea and tea flavonoids have also been shown to help
strengthen the body's immune system, protect teeth by inhibiting plaque bacteria and
potentially fight free radicals produced during strenuous exercise.
And just recently, a study reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that
women who consume two or more cups of tea daily may lower their risk of ovarian
cancer by 46 percent.
What about the health benefits of herbal teas?
"Since the compounds in herbal tea are different, the health benefits are different.
Many herbal ingredients have high levels of antioxidants. But these are different
antioxidants, which react with different parts of the body," says Kinsinger. Chamomile
purportedly helps calm the stomach. Peppermint may be a digestive aid, which is why
restaurants often provide mints after a meal, but drinking peppermint tea will have the
same effect. However, there is little or no evidence for these effects other than
anecdotal.
Green Tea | Oolong Tea | Black Tea | White Tea | Herbal Tea
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