Tea - Powerful Antioxidant

Tea has been treasured through the ages for its mellow taste, delicate aroma and amazing health benefits. Around the world tea has become an integral part of many cultures, from English Breakfast and Darjeeling in the English speaking countries to Sencha and Matcha in East Asia. Now tea has become fashionable all over again, attracting health conscious consumers seeking a more natural and healthy lifestyle. And for good reason: Tea is loaded with powerful phenolic antioxidants that can, as part of a well-balanced diet, help promote wellness. Exciting research indicates that tea even has the potential to speed metabolism and promote weight loss.

There are dozens of varieties of tea, all made from leaves of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis. Most teas fall into one of three general classifications:

Green tea is made from relatively young leaves that are dried without fermentation.

Black tea is made from mature leaves that are moistened and aged, to promote fermentation.

Oolong tea is only partially fermented. Chinese oolong is aged longer than Formosan oolong.

We usually like to brew tea leaves for at least 3 minutes, in order to transfer the maximum level of beneficial phytonutrients from the leaf to the beverage.

To reduce the caffeine found in tea, either use naturally decaffeinated tea leaves or make your own decaf.

First brew the tea for 30 seconds and discard the water. Then add more hot water and brew the tea for 3 to 5 minutes to extract the polyphenols.

Brew your tea in a small amount of boiling hot water. Add spices such as cinnamon to sweeten the flavor and enhance the aroma.

When the weather turns warm, making homemade iced tea is a snap. When the tea is chilled you will have a delightful all-natural iced tea to enjoy with zero calories.