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 Drinking
tea not only provides an
intoxicating sensory and
flavorful taste experience,
but helps promote good
health. Since ancient times,
the Chinese and others in
the East have valued tea’s
medicinal properties and
praised its many health
benefits. In China and
Japan, tea drinking is a
daily ritual – people
dedicate themselves to
preserving their health and
well being by consuming tea
throughout the day.
Today, scientific research
and modern medicine affirm
that tea, whether Black,
Green, White or Pu-erh, may
provide an impressive list
of health benefits. We
encourage you to learn more
about the potential health
benefits of tea and hope
that you, too, like many
others before you will get
infused!
General Health Benefits
of Tea
Antioxidant Properties
of Tea: Tea contains an
abundant source of natural
plant-derived antioxidant
compounds called
polyphenols. Included within
the broad antioxidant
polyphenol class are
flavonoids and catechins. At
15% of the weight by dry
leaf, tea boasts one of the
highest total flavonoid
contents of all plants. For
many years, tea flavonoids
have been thought to provide
protective antioxidant
action against harmful free
radicals that can damage
DNA, cell membranes and
other cell components. Most
plants including fruits and
vegetables contain natural
antioxidants that help
combat these free radicals.
Tea’s Role in Preventing
Cancer and Heart Disease
It’s believed that free
radicals can cause heart
disease, some kinds of
cancer and increase the risk
of strokes. Recent research
has shown the following:
▪ Drinking tea with its high
antioxidant levels may help
protect the body from cancer
by combating dangerous free
radical activity and
inhibiting uncontrolled cell
growth
▪ Anti-oxidants may have
curative properties that
inhibit the development of
heart disease and reduce the
risk of stroke and heart
attack
▪ Tea flavonoids may
increase coronary flow and
promote healthy blood vessel
functionality
▪ Consuming tea lowers
cholesterol levels.
Tea’s Role in Naturally
Combating Anxiety and Stress
L-theanine, a unique
amino acid, accounts for
over 50% of the free amino
acids in tea leaves and less
than 2% of the total weight
of dry leaf in both black
and green teas. Studies show
that L-theanine may promote
relaxation and calm by
influencing particular
chemicals in the brain.
Japanese researchers
discovered that L-theanine
is derivative of glutamic
acid, a neurotransmitter
located in the brain. Easily
absorbed by the brain, it
influences chemicals such as
dopamine and serotonin,
which affect mood. Studies
show that the amino acid,
without causing drowsiness,
enhances overall
concentration and focus. The
effect of L-theanine in
combination with caffeine
may contribute to the
feeling of increased energy
and overall calm that many
tea drinkers experience.
Tea and the Immune System
Research performed at
Harvard University and the
Bringham and Women’s
Hospital indicates that
drinking tea helps
strengthen the immune
system. Tea contains an
amino acid substance,
L-theanine, as discussed
above that also aids the
immune system in combating
and naturally resisting
infection, bacteria and
viruses.
Tea and Weight Management
Some preliminary
research shows that drinking
Green tea may help decrease
body weight and speed up
insulin activity.
Tea’s Role in Oral Health
Tea may have oral health
benefits. Tea flavonoids may
help reduce plaque, which
lowers the chance of cavity
and gum disease, and the
fluoride (extracted from the
soil) in tea may aid in
protecting against tooth
decay by supporting healthy
tooth enamel.
Tea and Bone Health
Research indicates that
tea flavonoids may
strengthen bones and prevent
osteoporosis.
Tea and Hydration
Drinking tea positively
contributes towards your
daily fluid intake. It is a
misnomer that tea should be
avoided altogether as a
fluid replacement due to
caffeine’s diuretic
properties. Studies show
that tea fails to have a
diuretic effect due to
caffeine unless the amount
of tea drunk during one
sitting contains more than
250-300mg of caffeine,
equivalent to between 5 and
6 cups of tea.
The Nutritional Value of
Tea
In addition to valuable
antioxidant properties and
enhancing overall fluid
intake, tea contains many
vitamins, minerals and amino
acids that include the
following:
▪ Vitamins: C, K, B12, B6
and E
▪ Minerals: Trace amounts of
potassium, manganese,
magnesium, calcium ; Tea
provides 70% of our daily
fluoride intake
▪ Amino Acids: Tea is
provides a strong source of
amino acids including
L-theanine. See above for
further details.
Comparing Black, Oolong,
Green and White Tea Health
Benefits
Black, oolong, green and
white tea all originate from
the same plant, the Camellia
sinensis. However, the final
product differs in style,
taste and caffeine content
due to differences in
processing.
▪ With black tea, freshly
picked leaves are withered,
rolled into shape and then
left for at least a day to
oxidize or ferment until
they turn black. At the
desired level of
fermentation, the leaves are
fired or hot air dried and
then graded for quality and
size
▪ Green teas are not
fermented or fully oxidized
like black teas, but instead
steamed or pan fired.
Freshly plucked leaves are
steamed then rolled. A
gentle heating or firing
afterwards allow the leaves
to dry, preserving their
fresh "green"
characteristics
▪ Oolong teas are
semi-fermented, somewhere
between black and green teas
▪ White teas are made from
tender buds that are simply
picked then steamed or
air-dried.
All these teas contain an
abundant source of natural
plant-derived antioxidant
compounds called
polyphenols. Included within
the broad antioxidant
polyphenol class are
flavonoids. These compounds
are found in tea leaves and
may provide protective
antioxidant action against
harmful free radicals.
Research shows that these
free radicals cause heart
disease, some kinds of
cancer and increase the risk
of strokes.
Antioxidant Content
While green and black
teas contain similar amounts
of flavonoids, their
chemical makeup differs.
Green tea boasts more
catechins, a type of simple
flavonoids, and black tea,
due to the oxidation
process, have more complex
flavonoids called
theaflavins and
thearubigins. Oolong tea
contains a flavonoid profile
between that of black and
green tea. Despite the
effect of the oxidation
process on the kinds of
flavonoids in black, oolong
and green teas, overall
antioxidant activity and
levels remain similar. |
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