How Many Cups of Tea Should I Drink Each Day?

Anyone who has become interested in regular tea drinking will know that there are many different health benefits to be had from regular tea consumption. We’ve all heard about the plethora of antioxidants. We’ve heard about how certain varieties can possibly help with cancer prevention, high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack. The question that remains is, how much is too much? How many cups of tea should I drink each day to maximize the health benefits?

There is great debate over whether or not drinking tea has a hydrating or dehydrating effect on the body. Logic would tell us that since most varieties contain caffeine, it would cause dehydration. However, there are some studies that state the exact opposite, telling us that the caffeine amounts are insignificant and it actually hydrates our bodies.

There is also the question of sweetening your tea, and milk or no milk. Real, true tea connoisseurs will tell you that you are drinking tea and should only use hot water and tea leaves. The leaves themselves provide the flavor, and sweetening is unnecessary. I don’t even want to tell you what a real connoisseur will say about adding milk.

That being said, there are obviously many who do sweeten their tea or add milk. If you are one, you have to count those substances going into your body when you decide the optimum number of cups to drink per day. Drinking ten cups with two teaspoons of sugar in each one isn’t going to enhance your health in the long run.

So, it seems that as with most things in life, moderation is the key. Three to five cups of good, loose leaf tea everyday should provide a host of health benefits while avoiding any possible negative effects. Be sure to choose high quality products, watch your sugar consumption, and enjoy!…

Tea Bags – To Squeeze Or Not to Squeeze – That is the Question!

Recently, I stopped for breakfast at one of my favorite restaurants. As I was waiting for my meal to arrive, an elderly couple caught my attention. They too were waiting for their food to be served. He was reading the morning paper and enjoying a pot of coffee. She was dunking a tea bag up and down in her cup. When she was done, she wrapped the tea bag around a spoon and to my utter dismay, squeezed every last drop of liquid out of it. As I sat watching her, I wondered how many people have really experienced a great cup of tea?

I could write pages about how this woman took a so-so cup of tea and turned it into a bitter brew. The discussion could include the quality of tea bags, the way the they are stored, the water temperature that her cup of tea was made with, or even why you should never dunk your tea bag when brewing a cup of tea, but I want to focus on what happened when she wrung it dry.

It is so very tempting to squeeze a tea bag. First of all, who wants it leaking all over the place? Where do you put a drippy tea bag after you are done with it? Plus, with the economy today, should we not squeeze every last drop out instead of wasting it? Makes sense, but can being neat and frugal ruin a cup of tea?

When you squeeze out that last bit of liquid from your tea packet you release tannins and oils that make the tea bitter. Also, if you squeeze too hard, you run the risk of breaking the bag and releasing all of the fannings into your drink.

The best way to handle that sopping wet tea bag is to gently press the excess liquid and then discard it in a slightly soggy state. This way you will end up with a less bitter liquid and a more drinkable cup of tea.

Now, if you insist on squeezing tea bags I have good news for you. Start drinking herbal teas and squeeze away. Herbal teas contain bits of herbs, flowers, dried fruits, and other assorted plant material so actually squeezing an herbal tea packet releases the potency of its contents.…

An Overview of Herbal Teas and Their Potential Health Benefits

Herbal tea, otherwise known as ptisan or tisane, is a herbal solution that doesn’t come from tea bush leaves. These are usually made by pouring boiling water over dried or fresh flowers, seeds, roots or leaves. Once soaked, these are left to steep for a few minutes.

Herbal tea drinking has existed even before Chinese and Indian tea became popular. The earliest reference to drinking herbal drinks can be seen in the Bible, in the book of Genesis. For over a thousand years people have taken a delight to drinking herbal tea, with some even using the infusion to flavor some common dishes due to its caffeine-free features.

In modern civilization, the first recorded usage of herb beverages came from a Sumerian tribe residing by the Euphrates river. Their herbal drinks were made from Tibet thyme and anise. Egyptian artifacts also revealed papyrus hieroglyphics depicting Egyptians drinking their herbal drinks, which are usually made with garlic an onion.

Herbal teas contain different varieties of vitamins and minerals, depending on the herb used to make them. Because they are made not only from the leaves of a plant, but also roots, flowers and seeds, this kind of tea contains substantial amounts of dietary fiber as well, which aids in good digestion.

While it does not treat any illnesses, drinking herbal tea has been known to cleanse the stomach and decrease stress due to its fragrant smell. Also, since these are made from non-toxic plants and therefore natural, drinking herbal Franchise infusions does not pose any harmful side-effects to the body and is in fact used by many cultures to purify the soul and the body from toxins.…