101 Foods That Could Save Your Life

Did you know … tea that comes in the form of tea bags may be healthier than loose varieties? The tea in tea bags tends to be ground finer, providing more surface area to extract more health-promoting polyphenols (antioxidants) when submerged in hot water.

“Tea” can refer to any number of beverages including herbals like mint or chamomile. But true tea is made from the leaves, stems and buds of the Camellia sinensis plant. Whether your preference is black, green, white or oolong, all varieties come from the exact same bush—Camellia sinensis. The difference between the teas is in how they are processed. “Green tea” is made from leaves that are dried right after harvesting, and the leaves used to make black tea are fermented after harvesting. Oolong tea leaves are fermented for a short time. White tea leaves do not undergo any oxidation and are shielded from the sun and are not allowed to produce any chlorophyll.

Camellia sinensis is thought to have originated in the northern part of China some 5,000 years ago. From there, tea made its way through north-east India to south-west China. Tea was brought to Japan from China around 805. Russia was introduced to tea in 1618 after a Ming emperor of China offered it as a gift to Czar Michael I. Tea was then introduced to England, where it was a sign of status and wealth, in 1650. Tea was brought to North America by the colonists, and in 1904 iced tea was introduced at the St Louis World’s Fair and has been a popular drink ever since.

The main tea growers throughout the world are India, China, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Turkey, Taiwan, Japan, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Tea is a good source of flavonoids called catechins, which are important antioxidants that can help prevent certain types of diseases. The major catechins, found mostly in green tea, include: epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG) and epicatechin (EC). EGCG is the most abundant and widely studied tea polyphenol, and EGCG and ECG have the highest radical-scavenging activity. Caffeine levels tend to be higher in tea bag forms (the finer grind releases more caffeine) but typically range between 20 and 90 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce cup compared with brewed coffee’s 60 to 120 milligrams.

Ancient medical texts in China and Japan discuss tea’s medicinal qualities, which include stimulant properties, curing blotchiness, quenching thirst, aiding indigestion, curing beriberi, preventing fatigue and improving urinary and brain function.

CANCER PREVENTION: Polyphenols in tea are important antioxidants that help prevent certain types of cancer, such as oral, skin, digestive, ovarian and lung.

HEART HEALTH: Though several studies suggest that the consumption of both green and black teas may help in reducing the risk of heart disease by improving endothelial function (keeping the lining of the arteries open to allow more blood flow), lowering blood pressure, reducing total cholesterol and preventing LDL cholesterol from turning into a more harmful form, the Food and Drug Administration has not yet granted a functional food claim for green or black tea. That may be just a matter of time as further extensive research may provide good reason to drink tea literally to your heart’s content.

OBESITY: There have been a handful of studies, mostly conducted in Japan, that have shown promising results in reducing body fat when green tea or green tea catechins were consumed. However, the amount of catechins used in these studies would be equivalent to more than ten cups of green tea per day! Green tea may be a useful tool for achieving a healthy weight, but it is certainly not the entire solution.

OSTEOPOROSIS: Though too much caffeine is a concern for bone health, a study found that older women who drank tea had greater bone density than those who didn’t.

BOOSTS INSULIN ACTIVITY: A study conducted by researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that black, green and oolong teas increased insulin activity by about fifteen-fold in tests using fat cells obtained from rats.

• All varieties of Camellia sinensis come in either loose or tea bag forms.

• Out of all the forms of tea, instant tea has the least amount of catechins.

• Bottled teas start off with low levels of flavonoids, and tend to lose potency over time.

• Decaffeinated tea is a good option, though it has about 10 per cent fewer phytochemicals than tea with caffeine.

• Store tea in a cool, dark cabinet in an air- and moisture-tight container such as a glass jar.

• Green and white teas are best brewed at a lower temperature (around 80°F/27°C). If the water is too hot the tea leaves will burn, leaving a bitter taste.

• Black teas should be brewed at a higher temperature, around 100°F/38°C.

• Black tea should not be allowed to steep for less than thirty seconds or more than about five minutes for the best flavour. Eighty per cent of catechins are released by the five-minute mark.

• Honey, lemon, sugar or jams may be added to tea for additional sweetness and flavour.

• Milk in your tea? The protein component in milk called casein may reduce the absorption of catechins.

Honey-Apricot Tea Biscotti

Adapted from www.Lipton.com

Servings: 36 biscotti • Prep and baking time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

This recipe contains five powerhouse foods.

INGREDIENTS:

6floz/175ml light soy milk

4 tea bags Lipton Honey & Lemon Flavored Black Tea bags

9oz/275g whole-wheat flour

4oz/110g plain flour

10oz/275g sugar

¾ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 egg yolks

2oz/50g whole almonds, lightly toasted

2oz/50g coarsely chopped dried apricots

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. In small saucepan, bring milk to the boiling point. Remove from heat and add Lipton Honey & Lemon Flavoured Black Tea bags; cover and brew 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and squeeze; cool. In large bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. With electric mixer, beat in tea mixture and egg yolks to form a dough. Stir in almonds and apricots. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, then knead lightly. Divide in half. On greased and floured baking sheet, with floured hands, shape dough into two 12 × 2-inch logs. Bake 35 minutes or until pale golden. Remove from oven; let cool 10 minutes. With serrated knife, cut on the diagonal into ¾-inch-wide slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes or until crisp and golden, turning once. Cool completely on wire rack.

BREAK IT DOWN …

Calories: 80; Total fat: 1g; Saturated fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 10mg; Sodium: 70mg; Total carbs: 16g; Fibre: 1g; Sugar: 8g; Protein: 2g.