A hot research focus
Repeatedly in scientific researches all over the world, contents in tea have been found to possess potent effects against various health issues. EGCG, one of the most studied of the group of tea polyphenols that is called tea catechins, is still being intensively studied for its effect in the prevention and cure of major life threatening diseases such as circulatory problems and cancers.
Recent isolated studies of theanine and various other substances in tea and their synergic effects in human health are just opening the door to the understanding of one of Nature’s most precious, and yet most taken for granted, gift to humanity.
Health benefits of tea (1)
Globally, more and more medical professionals and leading health scientists choose tea as their own personal daily beverage.
In China, where the habit of tea drinking began milleniums ago, tea has been revered as an essential health contributor. So much so that some people are paying tens of thousands for a kilo of rarer quality selection. On the other hand, there are also those who have taken tea so much for granted that they do not think much of it. It is until recent decades when substances in the Camellia sinenesis product have been isolated and studied that the push for better scientific understanding of this ancient beverage has become a trend.
Thanks to these recent efforts, the health benefits of tea reveal themselves more clearly. These are the potential health benefits of tea according to reports published in reputable scientific and health journals(2):
- Fighting against cancers
- Fighting against cardiovascular diseases
- Reduced premature mortality (ie longer lives)
- Lowering of bad cholesterols
- Fighting against diabetes
- A possible preventive habit against Alzheimer’s
- Stronger immune system
- Stronger bones upon ageing
- Improvement in mental focus
- Improvement in oral hygiene
- Bowel regulation
- Weight control
- Anti-inflamation
- Relaxation
Bold types of the points above are linked to respective detail articles in the Tea Guardian, in case you want to read more about them.
What about traditional Chinese medicine?
Because of our affinity with the living concept of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and think that fine-tuning a tea selection according to its TCM inclination may help some people with certain TCM common sense, we have included an indication in each tea selection. <How we employ TCM concepts in tea selection>
We think there really is no argument that tea is one of the healthiest daily beverage, if not the most. The question really is a matter of taste and individual needs as to which tea to use.
Quality matters
Above all, however, quality matters. As repeatedly measured and pointed out in numerous researches, the quantity of potent tea substances vary dramatically not only between tea varieties, but also between quality. Take EGCG for example, the difference can be a few thousand times between a top quality Longjing and a teabag green tea! Bottled teas are even worse.
Most importantly, it takes a consistent tea habit in order to benefit from the natural beverage. A series of cohort studies that lasted over decades in Japan point out that those who consistently drink 6~7 cups of green tea a day live their lives much longer than those who drink one or less.
That’s all the more reason why we choose tea selections that are fine and enjoyable so we have a good time in every small sip, every big gulp. Everyday of our workday. Everyday of our holidays. That’s why we believe only in fine teas. For the pleasure while receiving from Nature the bonus of all the health benefits of tea.
1. For the word tea, we mean specifically the processed dried leaves of Camellia sinensis, the real “tea bush” or “tea tree”. That is how our green, black, white, oolong, pu’er or scented teas are defined. We have to state this specifically because there are many other products in the market have been confusingly labelled with the word tea.
2. You too can read about these and all upcoming reports in professional health and medical related journals. With the dedicated efforts of publishers and librarians, now such professional journals are more accessible to the general public. One of the most resourceful sites is PubMed operated by the US National Library of Medicine. Although you need institutional subscription to obtain full articles in most reports, you can read almost all the abstracts and some free full articles. Those that really interest you can also be bought individually, albeit a little expensive. The Tea Guardian is also a most resourceful site for friendlier reading and focused only in tea. As a commercial operation, we cannot name any of these academic reports in our reference.
