A Toast to the Boston Tea Party

On this night in 1773, a group of colonists triggered the American Revolution when they dumped 90,000 pounds of tea into Boston Harbor.

Today, more than half of Americans still drink tea on any given day, according to the Tea Association of the USA. It’s a good habit, because tea has proven health benefits.

Black and green teas contain flavonoids that prevent oxidation of LDL (low-density lipoprotein or “bad cholesterol”), according to the journal Food and Nutrition. These flavonoids also reduce blood clotting and improve blood flow within the heart. Studies have reported that drinking black tea is associated with fewer heart attacks, reduced cholesterol and lower blood pressure. Teas also contain polyphenols, which may play a role in preventing colorectal cancer. (A direct link between tea consumption and reduction in other cancers has not been proven, says the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Know Your Tea

Made from leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, tea comes in many varieties—most commonly, black and green, plus oolong, white and others. Leaves that are wilted, bruised, rolled and fully oxidized is black tea, according to the NCI. Green tea comes from unwilted, nonoxidized leaves. Oolong tea is made from wilted, bruised and partially oxidized leaves. White tea is made from young leaves or buds that are minimally oxidized and dried.

Commerically bottled or packaged tea lacks almost all of the drink’s nutrients. Brew your own from tea bags or loose tea to get the benefits. Other hot herbal drinks are good for you but, they’re tisanes or infusions--not tea--because they don’t contain Camellia sinensis leaves.

This post was written by Nancy Copperman, RD, director of public health initiatives in the office of community health at the North Shore-LIJ Health System.

For more North Shore-LIJ Health Blog posts, go to http://blog.northshorelij.com/

Contents of the health blog are the property of North Shore-LIJ Health System and are provided as a health resource for consumers, health care professionals and members of the media. The medical content on the North Shore-LIJ Health Blog is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for consultation with your physician regarding diagnosis, treatment or any other form of specific medical advice. These materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. “North Shore-LIJ Health System,” “North Shore-LIJ,” “northshorelij.com,” “VivoHealth,” their related entities and logos are trademarks of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. Copyright © 2011 North Shore-LIJ Health System. All rights reserved.