Benefits of Loose Leaf Tea | Organic & Fair-Trade Loose Leaf Tea Beverly MA
Loose Leaf Tea Beverly MA
Loose Leaf Tea
Tea is loaded with antioxidants, in fact green and black teas are estimated to have 10 times the amount of antioxidants that are found in fruits and veggies! Tea dates back to 59 BC and is native to East Asia. After water, tea is the 2nd most widely consumed beverage in the world. Green tea, black tea, and oolong tea - all come from the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis. How each of these teas differ is how they are processed. Green tea leaves are withered and steamed. Whereas, oolong and black teas undergo a crushing and fermentation process. All tea from the Camellia sinensis plant have a high antioxidant content. This is due to the fact that the plant is rich in polyphenols.
Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress:
The body is under constant attack from oxidative stress. Without getting to deep into the cellular biology, the less oxidative stress one undergoes, the slower the aging process typically is. Oxidative stress occurs when cells are damaged by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that the body produces as a result of environmental toxins, metabolism by-product, fried food, alcohol, tobacco smoke, etc. Free radicals cause damage to cells, proteins, and DNA. Free radicals are associated with inflammation and human diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and all inflammatory diseases i.e. arthritis & lupus. Common symptoms of oxidative stress include, fatigue, headaches, memory loss & brain fog, muscle and joint pain, wrinkles, vision loss, decreased immunity, and many other conditions. Fortunately, there are many foods that contain antioxidants! Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow oxidative stress. Antioxidants work by donating electrons to stabilize free radicals, thus slowing and/or preventing free radical accumulation within the body.
Antioxidants in Loose Leaf Tea
Consumption of tea may have many protective effects against heart disease, cancer, and many other chronic diseases. The astringency in tea is a result of polyphenols, which are the same compounds that are responsible for the health benefits. Polyphenols make up approximately 30-40% of tea composition and include flavonoids, epigallocatechine gallate, and other catechins. Research illustrates that regular tea drinkers (classified as two cups or more per day) have less heart disease, stroke and cardiovascular disease, lower total cholesterol, lower LDL cholesterol and recover from cardiovascular events i.e. heart attacks faster than non-tea drinkers. Additionally, lab tests have shown that tea may boost metabolism, block allergy response, slow tumor growth, improve skin and protect against memory loss. How tea is processed will alter the antioxidants composition. For example, white tea will have the highest levels of catechins but the lowest levels of theaflavins. (Both catechins and theaflavins are polyphenols) In summary how tea is processed with alter the antioxidant composition, but will not reduce the protective health benefits of tea.
Loose Leaf Tea Beverly MA
At North Shore Acupuncture and Natural Medicine have carefully selected organic, high quality loose leaf tea to benefit your health and wellness. Our loose leaf tea selection is fair-trade and organic and available to patients and those within Beverly and the North Shore community. Our acupuncture clinic believes firmly in Hippocrates famous quote "Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food". We recommend regular consumption of antioxidants rich foods, limiting processed foods, and incorporating regular movement. Stop in today to pick up our favorite loose leaf teas to benefit your health!
About Our Acupuncture Clinic:
North Shore Acupuncture and Natural Medicine is an acupuncture clinic in Beverly, MA. We utilize acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and natural medicine restore optimal health and wellness. Employing traditional and modern approaches to enhance your health and longevity.
