“I
think tea in general has helped me focus on the
important things
in life because it forces me to stop a little
and let life soak in.”
Bill H. from Michigan
Many
Americans are putting down the double-espresso
mocha latte and exploring the extraordinary world
of tea. Asian cultures realized its value centuries
ago, and U.S. consumers are now finally catching
on. Tea is being rediscovered as the miracle drink
that others have revered for years.
As
the healthiest beverage in the world after water,
tea offers numerous benefits that can significantly
contribute to a change in your lifestyle and consciousness,
resulting in a healthier way of life. This affects
the way you eat and the foods you consume. People
who drink four to six cups of tea a day are unlikely
to continue consuming foods high in fat and calories.
How
does drinking tea, especially green
tea, contribute to a change in lifestyle,
awareness and diet? The answer is surprisingly
simple. It just does—at least for most of
us. There is nothing you have to do or think about.
Within 30 days or so of starting a green tea regimen
of four to six cups a day, you’ll start
to experience a change in attitude and behavior,
based on the empowering belief that we’re
all the source of all our own answers.
At
first, you’ll notice a subtle change. Instead
of reaching for that candy bar or dish of ice
cream that you’re accustomed to eating after
dinner, you’ll find that you’re consciously
taking a smaller portion or eliminating it altogether.
You’ll begin to notice when you go out to
a restaurant that your choices will be more in
alignment with foods that will optimize your health.
 |
| Jasmine
Pearls |
On
a more scientific note, here’s some simple
math. A 16-ounce Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino
without whipped cream has about 280 calories—or
430 with whip. A cup of tea has none or, if you
must have a teaspoon of sugar, about 15 calories.
The high calorie count in coffee chain drinks
stems from them being loaded with sugar. Drink
one, your blood sugar will spike and later crash,
resulting in such low levels that you crave either
more sugar or other equally empty calories. You’ll
reach for highly refined carbs, fatty and/or sugary
snacks or simply vast amounts of food to replenish
your low energy. Tea does not cause such ups and
downs.
As
to tea’s healthful aspects, its polyphenols
and flavonoids are powerful antioxidants that
have been shown in numerous studies to fight illness
and disease, slow aging and beneficially affect
health. Clinical tests have shown that they destroy
free radicals and have far-reaching positive effects
on the entire body. Free radicals are highly reactive
molecules and fragments of molecules in our bloodstream
that can damage the body at the cellular level,
leaving it susceptible to cancer, heart disease
and other degenerative diseases.
Recent
studies have shown that epigallocatechin gallate
(EGCG), an antioxidant found in tea, is at least
100 more times more effective than vitamin C and
25 times more effective than vitamin E at protecting
cells and DNA from damage believed to be linked
to serious illnesses. It has twice the antioxidant
benefit of resveratrol, found in red wine.
 |
Imperial
Dragonwell |
In
addition, preparing tea is a ceremony
that invites you to slow down and do things more
deliberately. It is the opposite of wolfing down
a quick cheeseburger at a drive-through. It involves
careful preparation and a slower pace. This in
turn may cause you to slow down in life in general,
be more conscious of what you do, how you spend
your time and what you eat.
Appreciation
for superior quality tea is not limited simply
to its delicious taste. You can use your other
senses as well. Smell the tea first to enjoy its
fragrant aroma. Look at its special natural color
and texture. Imagine how the leaves gently unfold
in the hot water as it brews in the teapot. Allow
yourself to relax and slowly sip your first taste.
Let it roll over your tongue. Savor the subtle
scent of its fragrance and taste. Slowly enjoy
each sip. That's what drinking tea is all about.
There
are several advantages to drinking loose-leaf
tea over the tea found in most conventional teabags.
For one, the quality of the tea is unmatched.
Most teabags contain broken leaf pieces, fannings,
and tea dust. Secondly, loose-leaf teas contain
larger quantities of polyphenols, flavonoids,
vitamins, and minerals. Most of all, the taste
of loose-leaf teas is unsurpassed.
To
get you started on your tea-drinking adventures,
we recommend green tea, the golden child of the
tea world. It is the oldest known form of tea
and has taken center stage in most scientific
studies on weight loss and appetite suppression.
Unlike other types of tea, green tea leaves are
only slightly oxidized, a process that changes
the chemical structure of the leaf. If you’re
sensitive to caffeine, there’s good news.
The average cup of green tea contains 30-50 mg
of caffeine, half the amount found in coffee.
However, you can easily decaffeinate your tea
in about 30 seconds. (Read Kick
the Caffeine Habit for more information).
Soon
you’ll be inviting friends to "come
for tea," the traditional invitation of Asian
cultures. You’ll find yourself sharing the
subtleties of your new-found experience after
becoming a tea aficionado. As for the extra pounds?
Don’t worry about them. They’ll begin
to slip away all by themselves. All you have to
do is drink up. 
 Chas
Kroll, Managing Director of Royal
Dynasty Tea, is dedicated to promoting
daily tea consumption to people everywhere
for its health benefits. His company
is an online wholesaler and retailer
of many of the world's finest premium-grade,
loose-leaf teas. He is a tea master,
professionally-trained coach, gifted
intuitive, author, speaker, soft-spoken
motivator, empowering leader-by-example,
self-trained gourmet chef, former restaurateur
and black-belt in Kung Fu. |
|
© Copyright 2004. Royal Dynasty Tea.
All rights reserved.
(Updated:
12/20/06)
