Books and banter by W.H.Manke

As promised in the earlier post, below is the briefest of summaries of the second little book in the set I purchased recently and that speaks of the health benefits found in tea.  The last book in the set informs of the healing power of nuts.  I’ll write a short summary of it in a future post.

In recent years tea has gained in popularity again as a healthy drink.  Long ago Chinese people had believed that tea  was a remedy for many things from headaches to melancholy.  In the past decade studies showed that tea contains three ingredients that pack healing power.  These are flavonoids, fluoride and caffeine.  The greatest benefits come from flavonoids.  Certain kinds of tea pack more flavonoid punch than vegetables and fruit, and the beauty is they have few, if any calories.  The downside is that some teas may react with medication a person is taking.  A word with the doctor should clear up what to do about drinking tea.

There are many types of flavonoids.  One called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which is found in green tea is believed to be very high in antioxidant.  Black tea, research shows, has the most fluoride which strengthens teeth and bones.  However, it is important not to exceed the healthy amounts of fluoride.  Here again it is a good idea to consult your doctor.  Black tea contains the most caffeine.  It is a stimulant, increases heart rate, and boosts metabolism which helps burn fat aiding in weight loss.  While recent studies have shown caffeine to have health benefits it does react with some medication and can become problematic.

In short, recent studies suggest that certain kinds of tea may have health benefits.  Among the benefits are heart health, help in preventing several cancers and control of diabetes.  Like with the post on dark chocolate’s benefits this post is only to help quench your thirst.  You can find more on the healing power of tea in this little book called “The Healing Power of Tea, ” written by Rebecca D. Williams and published by Publication International, Ltd.