Enjoying warm tea has become increasingly popular in the United States, and it has been consumed throughout the world for centuries. The medicinal benefits have been noted as far back as almost 5000 years ago in China, and it is a staple in the diets of billions of people. To help those who might be less tea savvy, we will look at how to make tea and the how and why of including it in a healthy diet.
The Properties of Tea
The medicinal qualities of tea are not extreme and will not result in drastic changes on their own. That said, tea has been shown to combat cancer, reduce cholesterol, and promote weight loss. The active ingredients in tea include caffeine, flavonoids, a number of vitamins, amino acids, catechin, and more. On top of the medicinal content, drinking warm tea tends to produce feelings of relaxation and comfort in many who enjoy the beverage.
How to Prepare Tea
The art of making tea is a subject that could be discussed in length, but here we will discuss brewing a cup of tea using a commonly available tea bag. First, heat some water to boiling. If brewing a tea other than black, puer, or tisane, then you should let the water cool by roughly 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the tea bag into your cup, and pour the water onto it. Let the tea brew two to three minutes for most teas, and then remove the bag from the water. If you wish to add sugar, do it at this point so it dissolves properly in the tea. After the sugar has been added, you can add milk if the tea calls for it. Preparation does vary slightly for the various types of tea, so for the best results it is necessary look further into the specific type you are brewing.
Tea As Part of a Healthy Diet
Incorporating tea into your diet can be done simply. It does not take an extremely long time to prepare tea, and it can accompany meals at any time of the day. By substituting tea for options like soft drinks or other beverages with high sugar content, you can gain the beneficial properties of tea while reducing carbohydrate and carbonation intake. If you generally take your tea with a high amount of sugar, it can serve as a healthier alternative if you can handle drinking a less sweetened tea.
Extreme Tea Diets
There are people who will purport the benefits of doing a variation of a cleansing, liquid diet using tea. These are done in a similar fashion to the normal liquid diets, wherein the person abstains from food mostly or completely while consuming tea and other low calorie nutrients for a period of two days to a week. Liquid diets have the potential to cause harm, but the prevalence of these diets means ignoring their presence is unwise. If you do find yourself interested in such a diet, then it is highly recommended that you consult with a trusted medical professional.
Tea Time
Tea is a relatively inexpensive, easily prepared, medically beneficial, and quite tasty beverage. There are more variations of tea than the average person will find the time to sample. If you are looking to spruce up your diet, then incorporating tea into it can be a good place to start.
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