Tea is one of the most popular drinks in the world, and its history can be traced back thousands of years. The earliest mention of tea drinking originated in China around 2737 BC. Legend has it that a few leaves of the Chinese tea plant fell into the hot water cup of Emperor Shennong. He was pleasantly surprised by the wonderful taste and medicinal properties of this drink, so tea was born.
Later, other ingredients such as ginger, orange and mint were added, and different styles of preparations appeared to produce dark tea from white to green to black. What followed was the globalization of tea, as it became popular in Tibet, Japan, Europe, India, Russia and North America. Today, tea is still very popular and has been extensively researched and is believed to have many health benefits.
Tea contains antioxidants called flavonoids, which are found in plant foods. Tea contains a specific flavonoid called polyphenols, which is one of the most effective antioxidants. Antioxidants help eliminate destructive compounds called free radicals in the body. Free radicals can damage our proteins, DNA and lipids, thereby overloading our cells. Alcohol, smoking, and pollution all contribute to increased free radical levels.
"Usually, the body can deal with free radicals, but if there are too many free radicals, the body cannot keep up. Due to the high content of flavonoids, green tea may be beneficial for heart health, which may reduce oxidative damage to cells," UCHealth Said Jenifer Bowman, a cardiac nutritionist. "Tea can also protect the heart by suppressing blood clots, relaxing blood vessels and improving cholesterol levels," Bowman said.
The health benefits of drinking different teas may be slightly different. Black tea usually contains the highest caffeine content, which can reduce the risk of stroke, while white tea has been shown to have the most powerful anti-cancer properties. Green tea usually contains the highest concentration of polyphenols, which may interfere with the growth of certain cancers, reduce the risk of neurological diseases (such as Alzheimer's disease), reduce the risk of stroke, and improve cholesterol.
"Compared with other varieties of tea, green tea also has a higher vitamin K content. Some drugs require low to moderate vitamin K intake to avoid adverse interactions," Bowman said. Therefore, if you are taking such drugs, be sure to discuss with your doctor which tea is best for you.
Another health benefit of drinking tea (any type of tea) is that it contains no calories, sodium, sugar, and fat. This makes it a great drink for those who are concerned about weight or trying to lose weight.
Except for herbal tea, all teas are made from the same plant camellia. Therefore, it is difficult to determine how much caffeine is in tea, because it depends on factors such as growth conditions, processing methods, and brewing methods. However, the caffeine content of tea is usually lower than that of coffee, and the caffeine content of each cup of coffee is about 100 mg.
"For those who are trying to reduce their caffeine intake, tea may be a good choice. Compared to coffee, tea will provide better hydration because coffee is higher in caffeine and has a dehydrating effect. Coffee also contains antioxidants, polyphenolic flavonoids, similar to those in tea," Bowman said.
There are many different teas on the market and most of them are good, but it is recommended to avoid bottled tea with sugar.
"I do not encourage my patients to choose sugar-sweetened bottled tea drinks. Many of these products have the same sugar content as soda, which may be a source of extra calories," Bowman said.
Storing the tea in an airtight container at room temperature away from sunlight will help maintain the flavor of the dry tea. Most teas sold in packaging are suitable for storage. As for preparation, green tea can be steeped in cold water for the highest antioxidant retention, but it can also be steeped in hot water for about 5 minutes, such as white tea and black tea.
The possibilities of tea are not limited to drinking tea. Tea can also be used as a cooking liquid instead of water to add flavor and antioxidants to your meals.
"Instead of boiled rice, pasta or other dry foods in white water, tea can be used to prepare these foods to enhance the flavor. Tea can also be used as a marinade or to make sauces or condiments," Bowman said.
Stir-fried vegetables with green tea
Add oil to a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add chili, lemon zest and tea leaves, sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broccoli and zucchini and sauté for 2 minutes. Add tea and bell peppers. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Make 4 servings. Nutrition per ½ cup: 92 calories, 3 grams of protein, 6 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 25 milligrams of sodium, 3 grams of fiber
Marinade: Combine teriyaki sauce, vinegar and pepper in a medium bowl. Dissolve the cornstarch in the vinegar mixture, then add the garlic, orange peel, and shallots. Add the chicken to the marinade, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove the chicken from the marinade and save the marinade. Preheat the grill. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 8-10 minutes. Turn and brush with reserved marinade. Bake for another 8-10 minutes, or until tender and no longer pink in the center.
Sauce: Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Serve with chicken as a dipping sauce. Make 4 servings. Nutrition per serving: 215 calories, 35 g protein, 6.5 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 166 mg sodium
Recipe provided by Green Tea Cooking, provided by Ying Chang Compestine
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