Assorted Tea Trivia

 

Find tea as fascinating as we do

This guide goes beyond the structured stuff and shares fun tea trivia. Why did Obama switch from green tea to herbals? You’ll know in this guide.

• President Obama is a tea fan. To cut down on caffeine, he switched from green tea to herbal infusions before he took office.
• The U.S. is the only nation in the world that consumes more iced tea than hot tea. Cool!
• Tea sets are a popular gift item – instead of betting on one tea, they let the recipient try a variety of teas. Some sets even come with infusers to make brewing the tea easy.
• Many say that, next to water, tea is the most-consumed beverage in the world. Taste Foodzie’s teas to find out why tea reigns supreme!
• There is a renaissance of tea going on in the U.S. right now. Quality and variety are going up, up, up… We’re thrilled to be a part of it!
• Herbal teas have been used around the globe for ages. Ayurvedic traditions include neem leaves, tulsi (“holy basil”) and masala chai tea. Chamomile and mint have been popular in the West as healing herbs since ancient Egypt and ancient Greece.

There are some benefits to tea beyond just how good it tastes.

 

Tea Guide: Benefits Beyond Taste

Ever wonder how tea stacks up in terms of cost or how it influences your health? Learn more in this short guide that’s packed with little tidbits to help you better understand the tea world so you can find the teas on Foodzie you'll enjoy most.

• Some of the world’s most expensive loose-leaf teas are cheaper per cup than box wine. Talk about value!
• Tea was used by ancient Buddhists and Taoists as a meditation aid. Some studies show it increases alertness and focus, while maintaining a sense of calm... Sounds Zen to us!
• Tea has a unique compound called L-theanine that is said to increase focus. The only other known natural source of L-theanine in the world is a rare type of mushroom. We’ll take the tea, thanks!
• Chinese herbalism often prescribes teas as medicines.



Tea Guide: Brewing Basics

Every tea is different. Be sure to check the brewing instructions for the teas you purchase, as well as peruse this guide to become more familiar with brewing tea. This short guide is packed with little tidbits to help you better understand the tea world so you can find the teas on Foodzie you'll enjoy most.

• Generally speaking, one ounce of loose-leaf tea makes about eight cups of tea. Many teas can be reinfused; they will yield more cups per ounce.
• Iced tea is easy to make: Brew normally. Add sweetener if you want it. Chill until cold. Add ice. Serve. Done.
• You can make iced tea in a hurry: Brew double strength (with double the amount of leaves). Add sweetener if you want it. Pour over ice. Add even more ice. Serve.
• Many full-leaf teas can be infused more than once. In China, they say the first infusion is the most fragrant, the second infusion is the most flavorful and the third infusion is the sweetest.
• Pyramid tea bags are incredibly convenient, and they allow for a fuller infusion of flavor than traditional flat tea bags. Convenience + Flavor = Win!



How to Drink Green Tea Without the Side Effects

 02 Oct 2002 --- Teacups and Dried Tea Leaves in Bamboo Container --- Image by Royalty-Free/Corbis

Green tea has a lot of heath benefits, but like most things, it can also have some bad side effects. Follow these simple steps to avoid harming yourself.

1.  Don't drink green tea when it's scalding hot or when it turns cold. The ideal temperature for drinking tea is between 56 to 62 degree Celsius. Drinking tea that's scalding hot is harmful to the digestive system, while cold tea is "damp" and gathers phlegm. Leave freshly brewed tea for a while and you'll notice that its colour darkens and its fragrance fades. Like an apple that turns brown, tea compounds lose their potency through oxidation.

2.  "Never drink tea that has been left overnight", Grandma says. She's right; nutrients like Catechins, Theanine, and vitamins C and B diminish over time. Leave it even longer and bacteria starts to breed.

3.  Don't over-brew your tea. The chemical composition of the brew changes with each infusion. Over-brewed tea not only tastes bitter, it's harmful.

4.  Don't drink tea full-strength. A cup of tea typically contains 2 to 3 grams of leaves or one teabag. Some people can brew as much as 15 grams in an 8 ounce (or 225 millimeters) cup. That's not a good idea. Very strong tea contains concentrated caffeine and polyphenols. Caffeine can cause insomnia, while polyphenols can over-stimulate the production of gastric acids and causes stomach upset.

5.  Don't drink tea with medications or when suffering from fever. Tea can interfere and interact with medications. As a safety precaution, avoid drinking tea for at least 2 hours after taking medications.

6.  Don't mix tea with alcohol. Drinking tea and alcohol together is harmful to the kidney system, causing constipation and problems to sexual organs.

7.  Don't drink too much! The United Kingdom Tea Council recommends drinking not more than 6 cups of tea a day. Drinking too much green tea can cause caffeine intolerance and minerals overdose.

8.  Don't drink tea on empty stomach or with meals. Drinking tea on empty stomach cause "coldness" to enter the lung and stomach system. On the other hand, there are good "Western" reasons why one should avoid drinking tea with meals:

• Tea reduces the absorption of non-heme iron, causing problems to those prone to iron deficiency anemia.
• Tea reduces the absorption of thiamine, or vitamin B. Thiamine deficiency leads to a condition known as 'Beriberi'. Once common to sailors, Beriberi is now relatively rare in the Western world except for alcoholic 

9.  The good thing about drinking tea with meals? Tea blocks the absorption of nutrients. Drinking tea with meals can actually help lose weight, but only if the stomach is happy about it.

edit Tips

• Drinking tea won't get rid of high temperature. As a mild stimulant, tea may further increase the body temperature. The body cools down by sweating - tea tannins actually inhibit this effect.

edit Warnings

• People with special conditions should exercise caution when drinking tea.
• The alkaline nature of tea conflicts with the acids produced by the stomach. Drinking tea around mealtimes can cause indigestion to those with sensitive stomach.

How green tea promote weight loss

Green tea is recommended for the diet aid mainly because of its multifaceted effects on health. The major active component that attributes the properties to the green tea are the polyphenols such as catechin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, gallaogatechin, epigallocatechin, and apigallocatechin gallate (known as EGCG). Even though it have alkaloids such as caffeine, the EGCG is effective to compensate their effect and trigger the metabolism rate. The studies show that EGCG, which is a natural antioxidant, is also an effective thermogenic that can burn off the calories. Using the green tea, energy expenditure and metabolic rate is hiked at a rate of 4%, which will certainly help you for weight loss.

Green tea catechins will also acts as a glucose regulator. It regulates the insulin level in the body and inhibits the sudden rise of insulin in the body after the food, which may initiate the fat conversion. The lowering of the insulin level prevents the sugar level rise and the fat storage, which ultimately prevent the weight gain. And, the influence in blood sugar level has proven some effect in the appetite level, also. The continuous intake of green tea is suspected to decrease the appetite, which naturally contribute to the weight loss.

To add on, if you do not even count any of the above attributes of herbal green tea too, a simple factor will certainly add a cutting edge to green tea. If you are lenient enough to just substitute the usual morning drink, which is rich with calories, with a cup of green tea itself can definitely help you lose weight.

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