Health Benefits of Tea: The Tea Council's Research

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the health benefits of tea, exploring various types of tea, personal preferences, and anecdotal experiences related to tea consumption. Participants share their thoughts on different tea varieties, their flavors, and potential health impacts, while also touching on related beverages like coffee.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express strong positive feelings about tea, highlighting its taste and health benefits.
  • Others mention specific tea varieties they enjoy, such as white tea, jasmine, oolong, and fruit teas, while noting the high cost of premium brands like Teavana.
  • One participant shares a personal anecdote about converting a family member to tea drinking.
  • Concerns are raised about the staining effects of certain teas on teeth.
  • Some participants discuss the benefits of drinking tea over coffee, including reduced junk food consumption.
  • There are mentions of growing tea-related plants like bee-balm and mint, with insights into their cultivation and benefits.
  • One participant contrasts their experience with tea in Hong Kong versus the US, noting a greater variety and quality available in Hong Kong.
  • A side discussion about coffee's health benefits is introduced, suggesting it may lower the risk of certain diseases.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share a love for tea and its benefits, but there are varying opinions on specific types, costs, and personal experiences with tea versus coffee. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the overall health impacts and preferences for different beverages.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express uncertainty about the health claims associated with tea and coffee, and there are no definitive conclusions drawn about the comparative benefits of these beverages.

George Jones
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There is no doubt in my mind that tea is a gift to humanity from nature! What is great about it is you it tastes great hot or cold, comes in so many varieties that is sure to please the pickiest, and of course the health benefits are a bonus! My favorites are white tea, jasmine, and oolong. For a quick cup of tea, I drink Stash brands, but for real indulgence Teavana has the best selection by far. I was able to convert my husband into a tea drinker recently, once you start, you won't stop.
 
I love fruit teas. Problem is they still stain your teeth. Teavana is wonderful, but super super expensive.
 
Greg Bernhardt said:
I love fruit teas. Problem is they still stain your teeth. Teavana is wonderful, but super super expensive.

Teavana is expensive, but I have found since I drink more tea, I drink less coffee and eat less junk food o:)
 
Greg Bernhardt said:
I love fruit teas. Problem is they still stain your teeth. Teavana is wonderful, but super super expensive.
Kerrie said:
Teavana is expensive, but I have found since I drink more tea, I drink less coffee and eat less junk food o:)

up to a certain point you definitely get what you pay for though, at least if you make it kung-fu style (imho). high-quality teas can be steeped more times than lower-quality teas, and less leaves are needed to make good tea also, so a good tea session can cost as little as $0.50-$1.00 worth of leaves. but if people buy tea online without trying it first I think they're crazy. there's only so much you can tell just by looking at the leaves.
 
I have never been very fond of tea. I enjoy peach iced tea but that is really just tea doctored up with lots of juice and sugar. When I worked at the coffee house I drank Tea Republic's ginger peach tea when I was sick. I dosed it heavily with honey and lemon.
 
I love tea. A favorite from when I was in my teens was sarsaparilla tea. I would buy the root from the chemist shop at a place called Westbury Square, in Houston, TX. Astronuc will remember that.

I think one of my favorite comfort teas is vervaine.
 
The gardeners here can grow some bee-balm. The leaves make a very comforting tea. Have you paid big bucks for bergamot tea-bags? Plant some bee-balm (which spreads like crazy) and buy a tea-ball to steep the leaves. My wife and I have split and replanted (again!) our bee-balm (we have red and purple varieties) as we expand some flower-beds on the front lawn. Don't put bee-balm in your vegetable garden or you'll regret it. Very aggressive spreaders.

BTW, minty plants like bee-balm are wonderful container-plants and are easy to grow on patios and balconies. Even better, they are really tough perennials! Plus, they attract nectar-feeding critters like butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds that can dress up your home with their presence. Some bees are drawn to the blooms, but are physiologically unable to exploit the nectar and pollen, but they'll still show up. That's not a bad thing when you have vegetables that need pollinating. Big buzz-pollinating bumblebees aren't going to get any benefit from the bee-balm, but you'll get a big benefit when they turn their attentions to your winter squash and cucumber blossoms.
 
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  • #10
I enjoy green tea very much, often to the surprise of other people. I haven't had much opportunity to try other teas, but everything takes time.
 
  • #11
BTW, Chocolate Mint is wonderful and it spreads like crazy. It hugs the ground, unlike other bushier mints, but it claims territory like Atilla! Most mints make really pleasurable teas, and they are caffeine-free so you can have a cup just before bed-time and sack out.
 
  • #12
MMmmmmmm...

I live in Hong Kong so I get good access to a variety of Chinese teas. Pu-er is a really good tea. Nice and earthy for the cooked ones but I cannot get myself to spend the money for a well aged uncooked pu-er. But the tea here is much better in terms of variety and quality that I could find in the US which was mainly strong black teas from India.
 
  • #13
Not to forget about coffee...

Want a drug that could lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and colon cancer? That could lift your mood and treat headaches? That could lower your risk of cavities?

If it sounds too good to be true, think again.

Coffee, the much maligned but undoubtedly beloved beverage, just made headlines for possibly cutting the risk of the latest disease epidemic, type 2 diabetes. And the real news seems to be that the more you drink, the better.

...Is it the caffeine? The oodles of antioxidants in coffee beans, some of which become especially potent during the roasting process? Even other mysterious properties that warrant this intensive study?

Actually, yes...
http://men.webmd.com/features/coffee-new-health-food
 
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  • #14
[PLAIN]http://kettle.slaggle.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/tea_earl_grey_picard_small.jpg
 
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  • #15
Cyrus said:
[PLAIN]http://kettle.slaggle.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/tea_earl_grey_picard_small.jpg[/QUOTE]

Nice :cool:
 
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