The Great Warm Up: Fight Aging With Coffee and Tea

Tea

After water, tea is the most consumed beverage in the world. It was introduced in the 10th century BC in China and used for its medicinal properties. Later, Portuguese merchants introduced tea to Europe in the 16th century. I was surprised to learn that it was the British who introduced tea to India. Drinking tea can produce a calming effect, but it also helps improve concentration and cognitive skills. Tea is loaded with healthful FoodTrients.

Boosts endurance – Scientists have found that the antioxidants in green tea increase the body’s ability to burn fat as fuel, which improves muscle performance.

Loaded with antioxidants – Antioxidants destroy free radicals, which damage DNA. Reducing DNA damage helps protect against a number ofcancers, including breast, colon, colorectal, skin, lung, stomach, liver, ovarian and prostate.

In a study, participants who regularly consumed hot tea had lower waist circumference and lower BMI (body mass index) than participants who did not drink tea. Scientists speculate that regular tea drinking lowers the risk of metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of diabetes, artery disease and stroke. This may be partially explained by the fact that sipping a warm drink is satisfying and helps prevent hunger, so one may eat less.

Helps fight diabetes 2 – Studies suggest that compounds in green tea could help those with type 2 diabetesbetter process sugars.

Protects against cognitive deterioration – The polyphenolsin green tea may help maintain the parts of the brain that regulate learning and memory, which may eliminate or slow some of the effects of degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Bone health – There is evidence that green tea can improve bone mineral density and

Other Tea Varieties

Many healthful fruits and herbs are available to brew as ‘tea’, though they are not made from actual tea leaves. Health food stores and Whole Foods carry many of these items.

• Jujube – Sometimes referred to as the Chinese date, the jujube fruit has been part of the Chinese diet for nearly 2,000 years and is often brewed as tea. It’s rich in antioxidants and may help relieve constipation.
• Lemongrass – A long grass-like plant readily found in health food stores and Asian markets, lemongrass can be easily brewed into tea by following my recipe for Honey Lemongrass Tea. Laboratory studies indicate that lemongrass components could prevent growth of cancer cells. For example, a 2009 study found that citral from lemongrass slowed the growth of breast cancer cells in the laboratory. The components of lemongrass might also have a sedative effect, helping to increase sleep.
• Moringa – Also not a real tea, but moringa leaves are from a plant with many great health properties. Moringa contains antioxidants, vitamins and boosts energy levels. Moringa tea can be purchased in health food stores and on Amazon.

A delicious tea that’s especially festive for the holiday season is my recipe for Gingerroot Black Tea from the Age Gracefully Cookbook. The fresh gingerroot in the tea provides protection from inflammation thereby easing arthritis and allergy symptoms. Black tea has many healthful properties including flavonoids, which help strengthen blood vessel walls and improve concentration.

Benefits of coffee - read more at FoodTrients.com

About Grace O:

We all want to be healthy and look and feel young. There are many strategies for healthy living that help prevent disease and slow the aging process, including what we eat and how we prepare our foods. I have a passion for finding natural ingredients that help me feel my best without depriving myself (or my family and friends) of delicious food.

Natural rich-nutrient foods and rejuvenating ingredients found in herbs and spices is a combination I call “FoodTrients”. The Age GRACEfully Cookbook is a collection of enticing FoodTrients recipes beautifully illustrated and incorporate all the delicious ingredients you need to look and feel younger not only on the inside, but also on the outside. Please visit my FoodTrients website.