Tea, fire of life – as the Chinese call it, and they drink tea for more than 4,500 years. Every second around the world are drinking 24,000 cups of tea, which rightly has the reputation of beverage that promotes health and gives cheerfulness.
1. Green Tea
Only 5-minute sipping of it expanded by 4% arteries flowing. The most important antioxidant in green tea known as ECGC, dissolves plaques gained in the brain, the main causes of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Green tea has anti-cancer properties, strengthens the immune system, fights with blood poisoning. But to be optimal the effect, we need to know some subtleties.
First you should not drink it clean but with a slice of lemon in the glass. Why? Eighty percent of catechins in green tea are destroyed when finding itself in an acidic environment, such as the stomach. With the addition of lemon there is increase in the acidity of tea before getting into our body, from which the absorption of catechins increase fivefold. For maximum release of catechins the tea needs to brew for eight minutes.
Green tea has a super champion in its ranks. This is a “matcha” – green tea whose leaves are pulverized. It has five times stronger effect than the standard green tea.
2.Black tea
Its qualities coast overlooked because of the shiny halo around its cousin – the green. However, it has antioxidant complexes other than those in green tea- ie. theaflavins and tearubins that in its impact are identical with catechins in green tea.
Three cups of black tea a day reduces the risk of heart disease by 11%, and four cups are lowering the risk of heart attack by 69%. Even only one cup per day decrease by 30% the level of cortisol – the stress hormone. There is still an argue, however, that if you pour milk in it will reduce its useful properties.
3.White tea
If black is a rough old tea leaves and dried outdoors leaves, white is made from the freshest and completely unprocessed leaves and buds of the tea bush. This makes it almost transparent in color, and one of the most valuable varieties.
White tea is not as popular as green, but it is believed to contain even more antioxidants than green and has a mild flavor. Another plus compared to the green is that it is more effective in the fight against viruses.
4.Hibiscus
Once the potion hibiscus was a drink of the pharaohs, and today it is still used on wedding toasts in Egypt and Sudan. Hibiscus tea has a bright red color and slightly tart fruit flavor that you will love.
Cup of hibiscus tea every two weeks lowers blood pressure by about 6% because acting as vasodilator. Hibiscus lowers bad cholesterol by nearly 5%. It is best to boil for 4-6 minutes and drink chilled.
5.Menta
Measuring the amount of antioxidants in it showed that it contains most of all medical herbs. Packet of mint provides 128 mg vital heart polyphenols. Peppermint has well known antispasmodic effect, ie alleviates the abrupt contraction of the smooth musculature of the stomach (such effect has and camomile), but has recently been found that it reduces the risk of breast cancer.
Best results are obtained if the mint brew for 10 minutes in sandwiching container to prevent evaporation of valuable essential oils in the leaves. Fresh mint leaves are with more valuable qualities than dried.
6. Rooibos
In next years are expected boom of studies proving how useful this type of tea is. Its leaves come from the kind of South African bush. Potion Rooibos is a clear liquid with a sweet deep red color. In South Africa, traditionally with this tea are treated all diseases.
Previous studies on rooibos show that there are reasonable foundations to believe that it is able to prevent the occurrence of cancer of the skin, liver, esophagus and colon. Moreover Rooibos strengthens immunity and tones the skin, relieves itching and certain skin problems such as eczema, rashes and acne. Therefore, it can be applied externally.
7. Yerba Mate
Traditional drink of South America with very bitter taste. Traditionally it is drink of collective gourd. But in contrast, strengthens the immune system and reduces the risk of DNA damage. Its popularity in the Southern Hemisphere is due to its strong tonic character. In contrast, however, rooibos yerba mate contains caffeine and sold in packets its amount is such as in green tea.