The Nutritional Chemistry of Tea
I’ve recently written about why supplements are physically harmful and nutritionally poor. After all, they’re chemicals, not natural substances the body can actually use. So let’s examine something that’s not only a nutritional powerhouse, but also tastes great - namely tea!
I prefer organic loose leaf tea, made by steeping tea leaves directly in hot water, rather than using tea bags. This method allows for a more concentrated extraction of the tea's flavors and compounds, including a rich content of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, which can offer various health benefits. It really is amazing what’s contained in this wonderful beverage.
Here's a detailed look at why loose leaf tea is so nutritionally beneficial:
Antioxidants: Loose leaf tea, especially green tea, is rich in antioxidants like polyphenols. These antioxidants combat free radicals in the body, potentially preventing cell damage and aging. Polyphenols are found in varying concentrations in green, black, and oolong teas, with green teas being the least processed and containing the highest amounts.
L-Theanine: Another key compound found in many teas. This compound is known for its calming effects, which can contribute to relaxation and stress reduction. It's also associated with improved sleep quality and cognitive function.
Vitamins: Vitamin C, carotene, thiamine (vitamin B1), vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, folic acid.
Minerals: Manganese, potassium, flouride (natural), copper, iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium, sodium.
Health Benefits Across Varieties: The health benefits of loose leaf tea can vary significantly depending on the type of tea. For instance:
Black Tea: Similar to green tea, black tea contains flavonoids that are good for health, helping prevent strokes and heart disease.
Green Tea: Beneficial for overall health, including cancer prevention, heart disease prevention, lowering blood pressure, anti-inflammatory effects, weight loss, and lowering cholesterol levels and more.
Herbal teas can offer sleep improvement, immune system support, and inflammation relief.
White tea is beneficial for cholesterol management, reproductive health, weight loss, and brain health.
Pu-Erh tea is noted for its benefits in blood pressure management, stress relief, weight loss, and digestion.
Oolong tea is beneficial for diabetes management, inflammation reduction, weight loss, and brain health.
Peppermint Tea: Beneficial for fighting colds, relaxing sore throat muscles, relieving nasal congestion, and reducing fevers.
Chamomile Tea: Contains apigenin, an antioxidant compound that reduces anxiety and promotes sleep. It acts as a mild tranquilizer.
Ginger Tea: Known for its digestive benefits, ginger tea can help combat nausea and speed up the digestive process, easing stomach distress.
Caffeine - Contains small amounts of caffeine that increases both alertness levels and attention spans.
Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG): An antioxidant found in green tea, EGCG is thought to make people feel calmer and improve memory and attention.
These compounds collectively contribute to the health benefits of loose leaf tea.
OK, so now that you understand how nutritionally powerful this beverage is, let’s look at putting teas together. In Canada, I shop at OMFoods for my teas, but you literally only have to punch in “organic, loose leaf tea online store” to come up with dozens of options in your province or state. I did a quick search for a US company and came up with TeaSource , offering a wide selection of organic teas.
Brewing Your Tea
If you have not brewed teas before, it’s a wonderful experience. I’ll go through the steps I take. After ordering, your tea will come in a bag like this one, in various sizes.
I then store my tea in an easy access container and is in a “no light and cool” space.
Next, I use a fairly deep basket steeper, filling it either with a pre-mixed tea or a combination of teas I put together. With tea, to get more nutrients, put in a good amount. Tea bags contain insufficient tea and can be unhealthy due to being bleached.
Now add some organic honey for taste, if desired. The honey itself has many nutrients and wonderful effects on health that mainstream media ignores.
Then add water, steep for 5 minutes, strain and enjoy one of the best tasting and nutritional gifts you can give your body!
Storage of Teas
Loose leaf teas generally stay good for anywhere from 12 months to 24 months, depending on tea type, storage conditions, and packaging. The "Best Before" date indicates the timeframe within which the tea maintains its optimal flavor and aroma.
Use proper storage techniques to maintaining quality, flavor, and aroma of your tea. Ideal storage containers are airtight, opaque, and non-porous, such as tins or ceramic jars with tight seals, keeping light, air, and moisture at bay. Also keep your tea cool, not near heat.
Signs of tea past its prime include a loss of aroma, faded color, and off flavors. If the aroma is weak or absent, the color has faded, or the flavor seems off, it might be time to replace your tea. But this doesn’t mean the tea goes bad in the sense that it becomes unsafe to consume.
If you’re interested in how to put teas together safely, then here is a group of books I use and enjoy. You can get them from Amazon.
I hope you enjoyed this post. All my articles are free to the public. I want to educate people in the most thorough, but also most unbiased and free way possible.
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