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| Tea Plants - articlemostwanted.com |
articlemostwanted - Camellia sinensis or Tea is second only to water as the world’s most popular beverage. Using the dried leaves of Camellia sinensis to brew a steaming, soothing drink is an activity that has been going on for thousands of years. Tea’s species name, sinensis,
is a reference to China, where both this bushy shrub and tea culture
got their start. Precisely when that occurred, however, is unclear, as
tea’s historical origins are intertwined with considerable legend and
myth. According to one of those legends, the fabled Chinese emperor Shen
Nong took the first sip of tea by chance in 2737 B.C.
when dried leaves of the tea bush accidentally fell into a pot of
boiling water, tinting it a light brown and transforming it into a
refreshing drink. By the 4th century Chinese texts consistently
mentioned tea in their pages, and within several hundred years it had
become the national drink. Tea spread from China to Japan in the 12th
century. The Dutch East India Company took the first tea to Europe in
the early 1600s. Tea drinking soon became firmly entrenched in England
and its North American colonies, where struggles over tea’s taxation and
control of its trade helped ignite the American Revolution.
Therapeutic Uses
Heart health Cholesterol
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant
Weight loss
Cancer prevention
There are numerous health benefits
to drinking tea. Even though black and green tea come from the same
plant, much of the current press revolves around green tea, mainly
because it contains more of the polyphenol compounds credited with many
medicinal benefits. Polyphenols are strongly antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory and are thought to combat atherosclerosis, to increase
HDL, or good, cholesterol, and to thin the blood slightly. Some
research has shown a decrease in risk of stroke or heart attack in
people who drink 5 or more cups of green tea daily.
Tea also contains small amounts of caffeine and
theophylline, compounds with a stimulating effect. The combined effect
of these and polyphenols may help people to lose weight by shifting
metabolism and burning fat. One study in 240 overweight people in Japan
showed that a green tea extract lowered body weight and fat mass over a
3-month period.
Green tea also is thought to be beneficial in cancer
prevention. Those who regularly drink green tea may have lower rates of
some cancers, such as breast or colorectal cancer.
How to Use
Infusion: Steep 1 teaspoon tea leaves in a
cup of hot water (steeping time depends partly on desired strength).
For weight loss, weight-loss maintenance, and cancer and heart attack
prevention, 4 to 6 cups daily may be necessary. Decaffeinated products
are an option and provide most medicinal benefits; however, caffeine and
theophylline are part of how tea helps with weight loss. Adding milk to
tea may decrease the absorption of polyphenols; the most medicinally
effective cup of tea is made with just water and tea leaf, perhaps with a
bit of sweetener to taste.
Capsules: Capsules of dried tea leaves standardized to polyphenol content are available; generally, dosage is 500 mg once or twice daily.
Precautions
There are few problems with tea. Some people feel
restless and anxious as a result of the caffeine. Green tea extracts
have been associated with a few reports of liver toxicity.
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