Heather Little-White, Contributor

We have become accustomed to drinking tea in the mornings to break the fast the night before. Of course, our grandparents drilled us into believing that we would not survive the day without a hot cup of tea. Everything was called tea, as long it was a hot beverage, chocolate, coffee, cerasee and other bush teas. Culturally, we refer to 'coffee tea' and 'chocolate tea' but in the culinary field, tea is tea, coffee is coffee and chocolate is chocolate.

Health benefits

Over the years, it has been shown that tea is extremely beneficial. Apart from helping you to relax, tea can actually help you shed pounds. Research indicates that tea can boost your metabolic rate to help keep you in good shape. For years, people from the Asian culture have been consuming tea and their weight has never been out of the ordinary.

The Asians also believe in the medicinal value of teas to treat a range of illness from digestive disorders to respiratory diseases. Lower rates of oesophageal and stomach cancers have been linked to greater tea consumption. Even smokers and others exposed to carcinogens such as UV rays have reduced levels of lung, skin, liver, breast and colon cancers as a result of increased consumption of tea.

Burning calories

The success of tea in burning calories has been reported in the Journal of Nutrition, which cited a study of people who drank five 10-ounce servings of oolong tea for three days, after which their metabolism (energy expenditure) increased by three per cent more than people in the control group who drank water. The increase in metabolism amounted to 67 calories per day, which adds up to 6lb over a year. In another study, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was found that metabolism increased by four per cent after study participants were given a green tea extract as opposed to a placebo or caffeine.

What is the magical substance in tea that could impact on one's metabolic rate to that extent? Researchers believe that the substances are polyphenols and not just caffeine which may also stimulate the metabolic rate. Polyphenols are one type of phytochemicals, commonly found in fruits, vegetables and red wine. Green and black teas are excellent sources of dietary polyphenols with two cups of tea providing as many phytochemicals as one serving of vegetables.

Fat blocker

Green tea is also helpful in curing the appetite an essential factor for weight loss. Tea also has the ability to block the absorption of ingested fat and cholesterol. A Chinese study on hamsters fed a diet of high-fat and given green tea extract found that the hamsters had lower levels of triglycerides (a fatty substance in the blood) and total cholesterol compared to hamsters given the same diet without the green tea extract. It was further discovered that the more green tea extract given, the lower the cholesterol and triglycerides levels.

With tea's apparent success in blocking fat and cholesterol absorption, researchers have begun to focus on tea's potential to reduce the risk of heart disease. Several studies have shown that drinking one cup of tea more per day reduced the risk of heart attack by 44 per cent, reducing the build-up of plaque in the arteries.

Interestingly, researchers found that tea consumption may also provide protection against tooth decay and osteoporosis. This is because tea contains fluoride, which would improve oral health. Tea has been associated with greater bone density among women 65 to 76 years old in a British study.

Black or green?

Tea drinkers will consume any tea and as to which is best, the debate is still on. The age-old belief is that green tea is better than black simply because more research was done on green tea. When the data came out for black tea it was found to be equally beneficial. Green and black teas come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, but the main difference between black and green teas rests with the processing. Green tea leaves are gently heated to prevent oxidation preserving the antioxidants. Black tea is oxidised in a heating process that causes the leaves to turn black.

Oolong tea falls in-between green and black in terms of processing where it is partially oxidised and has a darker colour than green tea but not as dark as black tea. Scented teas like jasmine are made by adding flavours with either green, black or oolong tea. Herbal teas are made from herbal plants and offer additional health benefits.

Instant tea

It's common practice to have instant tea from a tea bag with dehydrated brewed tea to which hot water is added. Some instant tea bags may contain sugar or sugar substitutes and flavourings like cinnamon or lemon.

Although teas have far less caffeine than coffee, you may want to choose decaffeinated teas which have just a little less polyphenol. Bottled iced teas may offer some refreshment but not much nutrients. The polyphenols break down over time with exposure to light and oxygen. Home-made iced tea offers much more nutrients than bottled iced teas.

Tea is a common breakfast item but it is also the perfect accompaniment for snacks, after-meals and a must for afternoons. Muffins and sweet breads are excellent accompaniments for teas. Savoury treats include cucumber sandwiches or crackers served with cream cheese.

Tea at any time is just as good, whether you are having company or simply going solo. Remember, it is valuable in slimming you down.

Heather Little-White, PhD, is a nutrition and lifestyle consultant in Kingston. Send comments to saturdaylife@gleanerjm.com or fax 922-6223.

KNOW YOUR TEAS

Your choice for a fine brew of tea may include jasmine, oolong, green or black. The Tea Companion Connoisseur's Guide suggests many varieties of tea from which you may choose to suit tastes and times of the day.