Dan's Papers - December 7, 2007

With the first snowfall of the winter season behind us, it's just about time for cold season to kick into full force. With this inevitability in mind there's no better occasion to start drinking...tea! Tea is actually the most consumed beverage after water, and comes with great health benefits not least of which is the potential to sooth your throat, clear your head and calm your body.

The health benefits of tea have been touted since its discovery 4,700 years ago by a Chinese emperor who claimed that it was useful for treating everything from exhaustion to bladder ailments.

We now know that tea contains polyphenols, which give it its antioxidant proprieties. Many studies have been conducted, mostly on green tea, looking at its potential health benefits. It has been found that tea can be helpful in treating atherosclerosis, LDL cholesterol, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, liver disease, weight loss, neurodegenerative diseases and even halitosis.

The more processing tea leaves undergo, the darker they will turn. Green tea is simply steamed quickly and is the least processed tea. Black and red teas are partially dried, crushed and fermented. The way the tea is processed has a huge impact on its potential benefits. The most health benefits seem to be found in green tea, which is rich in a polyphenol called EGCG. EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant that helps inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

Further, there are increasing links being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the so called French Paradox. In short, researchers have been puzzled for years by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have lower incidences of heart disease than Americans. It turns out that the effects of a fatty diet and smoking can be moderated by the consumption of red wine, which contains a polyphenol called resveratrol. In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is so low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.

However, an important note to keep in mind is that black, green and red teas derive their leaves from a warm-weather evergreen tree known as Camellia sinensis, whose leaves contain polyphenols. Herbal teas are not derived from this tree's leaves so they don't have the particular health-promoting properties associated with polyphenols. In fact, most herbal teas in the market are not teas at all. They are only infusions made with herbs, flowers, roots, spices or other parts of some plants. The proper term for this type of beverage is tisane. Nevertheless, although tisane does not contain the same properties as other teas, it can have many benefits including relaxing and calming effects.

Bottled tea drinks are another area to look out for. This market has exploded in recent years and while they can be refreshing on a hot day, studies indicate that bottled tea drinks aren't a substitute for brewed tea, as they contain a significantly lower amount of polyphenols. Bottled teas also tend to be high in sugar and thus are often likened to nothing more than diluted sugar water.

Nonetheless, there is one major area of concern in regards to brewed teas - they contain caffeine. Drinking tea can therefore result in harmful side-effects such as an increased likelihood of certain sleep disorders. Unfortunately, decaffeinated teas have reduced amounts of polyphenols, which in turn may entail reduced health benefits. According to the American Dietetic Association, a cup of tea contains an average of 40mg of caffeine, compared to 85mg found in a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Given this, it is probably ideal to drink no more than four or five cups of tea per day.

On a final note, with Christmas just around the corner, there is an amazing tea shop called T Salon located in the Chelsea Market in New York City. The knowledgeable staff can help you pick from over 200 loose teas, which they can then beautifully package along with some accessories in a gift box. They also have a zen lounge in the back that serves up amazing Sunday brunch!