A cup of tea to your health!

All true teas — white, green, oolong and black — stem from the same plant, Camelia sinensis.

by Joanne Henning Tedesco —

Tea has long been described in leading medical journals as an antidote to heart disease, cancer, obesity and arthritis. It also is known to boost immunity, battle viruses, aid in detoxification, lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol and normalize blood sugar.

All true teas — white, green, oolong and black — stem from the same plant, Camelia sinensis.

Green tea — Containing chemicals called polyphenols, which are antioxidants, green tea has been found to speed up metabolism, thereby increasing calorie and fat burning. Other health applications for green tea include treatment of headaches, body aches, digestive problems and depression.

Black tea — Studies have shown black tea to retard tumor growth; reduce the chances of clogged arteries, stroke and heart attack; prevent bacterial and viral infections, and fight cavities.

White tea — With a higher percentage of buds and leaves than either green or black tea, white tea is grown almost exclusively in China and undergoes less processing than other kinds of tea. It also contains more polyphenols than either green or black tea and thus is thought to have greater cancer-fighting properties.

Joanne Henning Tedesco is editor of AzNetNews.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 24, Number 6, December 2005/January 2006.