Drinking Tea May Be Healthier Than Water

Many people drink tea to relax after a hard day, or use it as a healthier substitute for coffee, The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition has worked hard to dispel certain long-held rumours about tea.

It was often thought that drinking tea may lead to dehydration, but a recent study has dispelled this myth and actually found the exact opposite. Tea not only rehydrate as well as water does, but it can also protect against heart disease and some cancers, UK nutritionists found.

Public health nutritionist Dr Carrie Ruxton said that "Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water. Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants so it's got two things going for it."

Tea contains catechins, a type of antioxidant. In a freshly picked tea leaf, catechins can compose up to 30% of the dry weight. First Flush Darjeeling loose teas, are especially good, since they are the first teas to be picked in the season.

First flush teas, coming from an area in India called Darjeeling, a home of rare teas, are a particular type of black tea. Black tea has been shown to have particular health benefits,including reducing cholesterol and fighting heart disease.

Good tea is also easier to prepare than good coffee, giving you plenty of reason to give it a try. About a teaspoon of black tea per 6 oz. cup, should be used.

Unlike green teas, which turn bitter when brewed at higher temperatures, black tea should be steeped in freshly boiled water. The more delicate black teas, such as Darjeeling, should be steeped for 3 to 4 minutes.

The same holds for broken leaf teas, which have more surface area and need less brewing time than whole leaves. Whole leaf black teas,and black teas that will be served with milk or lemon, should be steeped4 to 5 minutes.

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