Artful Afternoon Brewing Guide

According to a study published in Journal of Food Science, black tea has the potential of managing the development of diabetes. Chinese scientists, examining the polysaccharide levels of different tea varieties, found that polysaccharides in black tea had the most glucose-inhibiting properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate that may benefit people with diabetes because they help retard absorption of glucose. Black tea polysaccharides are also shown to have the highest scavenging effect on free radicals, which are involved in the onset of diseases such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.

A study shows that adults who consumed three or more cups of green tea per day had a lower risk of death due to cardiovascular disease. The study, conducted by the Tohoku University School of Public Policy in Japan, followed 40,530 Japanese adults, ages 40 to 79 years, with no history of stroke, coronary heart disease or cancer at baseline beginning in 1994. The study followed all participants for up to 11 years for death from all causes and for up to 7 years for death from a specific cause. Participants who consumed 5 or more cups of tea per day had a 16 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 26 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease than participants who consumed less than 1 cup of tea per day.

Scientists have confirmed that the healthful substances found in green tea — renowned for their powerful antioxidant and disease-fighting properties — do penetrate into tissues of the eye. Their new report, the first documenting how the lens, retina, and other eye tissues absorb these substances, raises the possibility that green tea may protect against glaucoma and other eye diseases.

According to Wikipedia, the potential effects of tea on health have been touted for infusions made from the plant Camellia sinensis for more than 4700 years. A wide range of potential benefits include: Anti-cancer properties, increases in metabolic rates, possible anti-diabetes effects, boosts in mental alertness, boosts in immune system functions, decreases in chances of cognitive impairment, lowering of stress hormone levels...

Scientists found that tea-making can reduce stress levels by up to a quarter. The findings reveal that even a single cup of tea can significantly reduce anxiety levels after suffering a stressful experience. Moreover, psychologists discovered that the act of putting the kettle on also helped by tapping into a collective conscious and symbolism. The study showed a 25% increase in anxiety for those that did not receive tea immediately after the stress-inducing test, whereas those who were given tea actually demonstrated a four per cent reduction in stress.

“Tea may improve the ability to concentrate because of a substance found almost exclusively in several types of the beverage, according to research presented at a conference highlighting ties between tea and good health. Theanine, an amino acid present in black, green and oolong teas, actively alters the attention networks of the brain to improve both calmness and alertness, according to John Foxe, a neuroscience professor at City College of the City University of New York.”