With almost everything, even fruit, you are told to exercise moderation. You don’t want to overdo any one item as that will only negate the benefits and create new adverse effects. So you measure out serving sizes. You keep within the recommended daily limits, and you teach yourself restriction. You learn to say no when faced with a second cookie, another helping or a final drink. And for the most part, this is good. But, as with anything, there are exceptions to the rule, and tea is one of them. For when it comes to tea, “no” should never be the answer. In fact, “Yes, yes, yes!” is the only appropriate response.Why?Well, it turns out that the more tea a woman drinks the less plaque she has in her carotid arteries. A study of more than 3,000 women found that 44 percent of non-tea drinkers and 42.5 percent of moderate tea drinkers (one to two cups a day) had plaque in their carotid arteries while only 33.7 percent of those who drank three or more cups a day did. The results held true even when other risk factors were accounted for, and there was no differentiation between types of tea – they weren’t all drinking white or black or green or red; they were just drinking. So . . .If you are a woman looking for a way to prevent stroke, for that is what plaque in the carotid arteries causes, this may be it. With a few cups a day, you’ll keep your carotid clear. You’ll avoid a future that could have, in the worst cases, held paralysis, vision and memory loss, speech impairment or behavioral changes. You’ll keep a condition that changes life in immeasurable ways at bay, and you’ll never have to say no again . . . to tea at least.

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	Choice Organic Teas Oolong Tea Tea Organic - 16 Tea Bags
	Choice Organic Teas Chai Oraganic - 2.1 oz.
	Celestial Seasonings Vanilla Hazelnut Dessert Tea Caffeine Free - 20 Tea Bags
	The Republic Of Tea Botswana Blossom - 36 Tea Bags

My friends and I often meet at a local coffee shop, delighting in the café’s overstuffed chairs, cozy ambience and unique clientele. When we order, we all ask for the same thing: a large tea. As we wander away from the counter, we joke about our similarity, but the truth is by the time we finish preparing our drinks, there is nothing similar about them.

I add a splash of milk, my one friend, a packet of sugar and the third, gallons and pounds of each. None of us can even think to sip if the tea is not just as we individually desire. The same is true for all tea drinkers. I’ve yet to meet one who does not add a splash, squeeze, dash or drop of some substance to their brew or to find a plain-tea drinker who is not vehemently opposed to any of the above. We are all additive junkies, aware that each type alters the taste ever so slightly. But what we may not know is that the additives also alter the tea’s health.

Combining any food with another will affect how it is absorbed by the body. With tea, the change occurs in the amount of catechins, or disease-fighting antioxidants, present after digestion.  Drunk plain, only 20 percent of green tea’s catechins remain. However, when citrus juice, particularly lemon, is added the amount multiples by five. The same (although to a varying degree) holds true for vitamin C. Milk also benefits, although by how much is unclear, especially since previous studies have suggested otherwise.  What is known is that, in terms of tea, rice milk is better than soy and soy better than dairy. Continue Reading >>

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	Yogi Tea Green Tea Lemon Ginger Organic - 16 Tea Bags
	NOW Foods Green Tea–Lemon–Organic, Non-GE - 30 Tea Bags
	The Republic Of Tea Ginger Lemon Grass Fair Trade Certified - 50 Tea Bags

Tea’s ability to nurture the body is well known. For years, we have been told that it helps fight heart disease, cancer and weight gain; it strengthens our immune system and improves our oral health and skin.   It offers physical benefits very few other beverages can, and for that reason, we have embraced it.  We have made it the second most popular beverage in the world, drinking all kinds – black, white, green and oolong – savoring it in various forms – iced, hot, caffeinated and decaffeinated – and transforming it from grandma’s drink to everyone’s. We don’t need any more reasons to brew a cup, yet researchers can’t seem to stop themselves. Once again, they are telling us that tea can improve our health but, this time, mentally rather than physically. Continue Reading >>

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	Long Life Organic White Tea - 20 Tea Bags
	Prince of Peace Organic Jasmine Green Tea - 100 Tea Bags
	Yogi Tea Black Chai Organic - 16 Tea Bags

When I tell you to go green, I’m not suggesting you trade in your car for a hybrid or start a compost pile in your backyard (although if you are concerned about the environment, they aren’t bad ideas). Rather, I am, in this instance, recommending a specific tea. Green tea offers a strong, bitter, natural kick of flavor as well as a healthy dose of antioxidants. As the least processed of all teas, it has the most health benefits and can aid in fighting the flu, losing weight and increasing exercise endurance. It has also been proven to protect against cognitive loss, cardiovascular disease and hypertension.  It seems that with every cup of green tea sipped, another benefit is discovered.

Most recently researchers looked at the connection between green tea and skin as well as green tea and cancer. A study conducted at the Medical College of Georgia found that green tea may aid in treating skin conditions, such as psoriasis and dandruff, by slowing the growth of skin cells. When a person has psoriasis, the skin thickens because of rapid skin cell growth. If antioxidants in green tea could stop this (as research suggests it does), the beverage could prove to be a highly effective treatment particularly when considering that it is already known to prevent inflammation for said conditions.  In a separate study, green tea extract was found to increase the body’s production of detoxification enzymes (enzymes beneficial in fighting cancer) in individuals with low or deficient levels.  While these findings are new, they are not the first link between green tea and the disease. The National Cancer Institute reports several studies that support the theory and are continuing to further examine the connection.

Now if all of the health benefits sound great, but you’re not so sure you really want to drink green tea. You’re not alone. The first time I tried green tea, I was desperate. I was at work, craving tea and my usual, tried and true English Breakfast, was nowhere to be found. I opted for the green tea, not willing to switch to coffee. Inadvertently, I created a very strong cup of tea and had a very strong reaction. Ever since, I’ve been weary of the beverage. However, a part of me wants to try again, so I turned to a green-tea drinker for advice. He suggested I ease my way into the drink. Rather than diving right in (as I did), I should try a flavored green tea and work my way up. Eventually, regular, full-force green tea may become the drink I crave. If not, they do make green tea extract. All the power of tea is loaded into a tiny, tasteless capsule. It may not be as fun or as warming as a cup of green tea, but it’ll do.

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	Choice Organic Teas Premium Japanese Green Tea Organic - 16 Tea Bags
	Garden of Life Organic Green Tea- Lemon Flavor - 30 Liquid Tea Packets
	NOW Foods EGCG 400Mg 50Pct Green Tea Extract - 90 VCapsules

Does it work or doesn’t it?  That’s a question asked of many herbal supplements, and often even prescription medication.  So when it comes to fighting off the common cold, which previous myths are actually true…and which are complete fallacy.  Of course, we find there is a definite gray area to get lost in.  The New York Times has recently put Echinacea up for examination, attempting to deduce what the most recent research says about the effectiveness of this supplement.

The study says go for it (not recommended for pregnant women).  The Times refers to research published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases (July), noting that the single study finds that Echinacea can reduce the likelihood of catching the common cold by 58 percent.  It also determines that Echinacea can reduce the duration of the common cold, but is not conclusive on the exact percentage.  In 2005, a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine determined that Echinacea was not effective.  So studies vary, yet are swaying toward believing in the effectiveness, even if at only a small percentage.  The safety of Echinacea was not examined during the most recent study.  Try it out for yourself the next time you feel a cold coming on.  Sometimes the most conclusive answers are achieved through a single person study.

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	Quantum Health Zinc Echinacea Drops Cherry Mint - 20/Drops
	Yogi Tea Cold Season Tea Sampler Breathe Deep, Cold Season, Echinacea Immune Support, Throat Comfort Healing Formula - 16 Tea Bags

From generation to generation, tea lovers are sure to recognize the name brand of Lipton Tea, manufactured by Unilever. Though many consumers may pass by the Lipton in favor of a more environmentally friendly, organic tea, the future may hold a different story. Recent plans were announced by Unilever to promote their own green business practices include purchasing tea grown only by sustainable practices. Under the Unilever Sustainable Agriculture Initiative, the company hopes to have all tea used in Lipton teabags certified by the Rainforest Alliance by 2015. The first certified tea will be purchased from Kericho, Kenya. Rainforest Alliance certification specifies that the individual farm follows sustainable practices, not any particular company. Visit Rainforest Alliance to find out more about certification, and see more about the Unilever values at the company website.

 1 Comment, latest by michiel

Are you one of those people that find a favorite product and sticks with it?  Well, so am I.  Trying new, sometimes eclectic products is intriguing, but once I find something I love it’s very hard for me to shake it.  Yogi Peppermint tea is definitely something you will always find in my cabinet.  My love affair with Yogi starts with that little slip of white paper that is attached to the brewing bags string.  It’s like a fortune cookie and nearly every morning I anticipate what daily inspiration will be provided to me.  Each cup of tea seems to be personalized just for you and your day.  Beyond loving that little note, you just can’t beat the soothing affects of peppermint tea.  It helps me start my day in a calming way, and I often love to soothe my daily worries at the end of the day as well.  The label hints that peppermint helps to ease minor stomach discomfort, relieve heartburn, stimulate appetite, ease travel and morning sickness, and soothe common PMS symptoms.  Even without any of these benefits, the calm and relaxing quality and soothing scent are enough to win me over, but PMS relief is definitely an added bonus.  You may think that this sounds like a dainty, womanly tea, but I assure you that if you enjoy peppermint you will be in love no matter what your gender.

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Recent research conducted at Harvard University has linked regular coffee drinking to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, as well as certain types of cancer.  Dr. Rob van Dam of Harvard School of Public Health has stated that coffee, in moderation, can actually aid in preventing colon, liver and rectal cancer.  Over 50 percent of adults in the United States drink coffee on a regular basis, and I imagine that the statistics are growing by the day.  There are coffee shops located on nearly every corner, and a vast majority of working adults can’t even start their day without a cup.  For these people, the proven health benefits must be a godsend, as coffee maintains a certain bad boy stigma for causing adverse health affects. 

Yet, coffee drinkers still aren’t out of the woods.  Dr. Lenore Arab of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA has also presented research relating coffee drinking to increased risk of leukemia and stomach cancer.  Many coffee drinkers will also experience increased nervousness, rapid heartbeat and trembling hands.  Because of these concerns, coffee should be avoided by certain people including pregnant women, people with panic disorders and depression, heart patients and those persons experiencing stomach ulcers.  These conditions pose certain health risks in relation to coffee drinking.  But for those of you who are free of these conditions, until otherwise stated, feel free to enjoy moderate amounts of coffee and experience the numerous benefits.  And I recommend choosing organic.  Protect our delicate eco-system and experience the health benefits of chemical-free coffee, grown under the protective shade trees of the jungle.

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Black, Green, White…and now Red?  Tea takes on another new look, and leaves me more confused then ever over what to put in my cup.  Unlike a majority of Americans, my body doesn’t tolerate the caffeine overload of coffee, so if you’re in the minority, along with me, I’ve got some beautiful news for you!  You really can’t go wrong with tea.  Green tea has always been my favorite choice, high in antioxidants and low in caffeine.  Black and white teas contain higher levels of caffeine, but also hold many health benefits.  But red tea, also known as rooibos, has since appeared on the market, sporting its caffeine free, sweet, fruity flavor for all to know and love.  Realizing that it is an herbal tea rather than a typical leaf tea may deter you, but its health benefits surely won’t.  This red beauty is thought to aid in relieving insomnia, irritability, hypertension, and nervous tension while also providing numerous other health benefits.  So next time you’re shopping for a relaxing liquid tonic, whether in the store or online, I recommend picking up a box of this delicious red tea.  Try it out for yourself.

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	Flora Bija Roobos Chai Organic Healing Teas Caffeine Free - 20 Fresh Sealed Tea Bags
	Tazo African Redbush Caffeine Free - 20 Tea Bags
	African Red Tea Imports Red Tea With African Ginger - Organic - 20 Box