Reduce Heart Disease, Strokes, and Cancer by Drinking Oolong Tea

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There is a Chinese proverb - A daily cup of tea or more, keeps you out of the pharmacy. As you will shortly see, there is a lot of truth in this proverb. So, what is oolong tea? It is related to green tea and black tea -- they are all produced from the same plant. Green tea is made from the dried leaves, whereas black tea is made by fermentation of the leaves. Oolong tea is made by partly fermenting the leaves prior to drying.
There is also evidence that they may decrease the blood's tendency to form thrombi, or unwanted blood clots. It is thought that the polyphenols in tea inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract, thus decreasing the cholesterol levels in the bloodstream. Studies in several countries have found many kinds of tea have some effect in reducing cholesterol in blood fats, though oolong seems to get the best results. This can lead to several problems including coronary thrombosis (a heart attack) and strokes, so high cholesterol levels are not a good thing.

These are essential for many things in your body but cholesterol also builds up on the wall of the arteries, causing them to narrow and restrict blood flow. Triglycerides and cholesterol are two important fatty substances in the bloodstream.
Obesity is an increasing problem these days, it is well documented that overweight people are more likely to suffer heart problems. In the hustle-bustle of modern living, it is easy to resort to a junk diet. This is bad news for your body because it hangs on to the extra fat and lacks many of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are vital for your well-being. The Chinese claim that tea can actually help reduce the amount of fat in the tissues. Oolong tea seems to get the most publicity here, although any tea probably has some benefits. Chinese sources cite numerous cases of people who have lost weight while regularly drinking two or three cups of oolong a day. Oolong mixed with other herbal ingredients is the basis for a number of teas marketed especially for slimming. A Chinese ad for Slimming Tea claims that drinking it for three months can help you drop up to 15 pounds off your weight. I am not convinced that tea alone can achieve this but it seems that it can contribute as tactic in your weight-loss strategy.
Much research is being carried out on the role of tea drinking in preventing cancer. For example, out of 25 papers related to health presented at the Hangzhou Symposium, almost one third reported on cancer research. Research has found that oolong has some effect against cancer because it inhibits the formation or action of cancer-causing substances. It seems to be the epigallo catechin gallate (EGCC) that reduces the occurrence of uncontrolled DNA replication. Vitamin E is regarded as an excellent antioxidant; EGCC is supposedly 200 times more effective for neutralizing free radicals in the body. Another way oolong tea may help fight cancer is through preventing cell mutation. The antioxidant properties of the polyphenols in oolong tea may inhibit mutation of the DNA in healthy cells, which can cause them to become cancer cells.
Cured meats often contain nitrates which can be converted to nitrosamines in the digestive process. Nitrosamines are known to be carcinogenic. Tea may block the action of nitrosamines which can cause cancer, said Dr. Han Chi, an associate professor at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene under the Chinese Academy of Preventative Medicine. In a test of 145 types of tea, she and her colleagues rated green tea highest, with a blocking rate of 90 percent. Oolong and black tea followed in that order as the fermentation process destroys the EGCC. The partial fermentation of the leaves during the production of oolong tea reduces the EGCC level by approximately fifteen percent.
The fluoride in tea can strengthen bones and help ward off osteoporosis in the same way that it strengthens dental enamel. While it is no magic fountain of youth, some of its benefits can be said to contribute to longevity (stimulation of bodily functions, strengthening the immune system, reducing the chance of heart disease and improving stomach functions). Still today, perhaps as an echo of those beliefs, claims are made that tea drinking helps one to live to a ripe old age.

Long ago in China, tea was an ingredient in immortality potions favored by the Taoists.
When pregnant or nursing only small amounts of oolong tea should be used, it can also interfere with MAO inhibitors and blood thinning medication. Also the consumption of oolong tea may interfere with the absorption of medicines. This article is intended to be for information about the nutritional benefits of oolong tea only and should not be regarded as medical advice in its own right. You should seek the assistance of a qualified physician if you require medical advice on any condition mentioned in this article.

Hibiscus Tea

The use of Hibiscus tea is thought to have started in ancient Egypt. In the Arab world, the tea is known as "karkady" or "karkade." Made from the flowers of Hibiscus sabdariffa, this drink is served in homes and restaurants, particularly in Egypt. It is also popular in several other countries and has made its way into the United States.
The reason for the wide acceptance of this tangy and tasty potion could be the several medicinal properties of the Hibiscus flower. The flower is rich in vitamin C(good for colds), helps to increase appetite, has laxative and diuretic effects, improves circulation and helps in reducing cholesterol.
Hibiscus tea can be served hot or cold and is made from fresh or dried petals or "calyx." There are a number of recipes -- some are simple, while others are more complicated. Normally, spices like cinnamon are added.
A simple method to make the brew is to pour one cup of boiling water over half a calyx or 1-2 table spoons of petals, cover and strain after 5-10 minutes and sweeten to taste. Add honey, lemon, orange peel or juice if you like. For a fruity punch, blend with dried fruits. Hibiscus can be mixed with regular tea also.
Dried hibiscus flowers are soaked in water for two days and strained -- no boiling is involved. One of the easiest, yet most time consuming, is the Sudanese method. Often, a recipe can be improvised or a new one found.
They are available in sachets and boxes in stores or by mail order. Finding Hibiscus flowers should not be a problem.

Pu-Erh Tea - Looking Good & Feeling Good Tea

Pu-Erh Tea
Its historic significance is highlighted by the fact that bricks of Pu-Erh tea were once used as "currency" between the wild nomadic tribes north of the Great Wall of China. originates from the Yunnan province of southwest China and has been drunk there for it's medicinal and health benefits for literally thousands of years.
Modern day drinkers of Pu-Erh tea tend to be a touch more civilised, the Pu-Erh market outside south east Asia is made up of Tea connoisseurs and those searching for the health benefits the Chinese have historically associated with the tea.
Pu-Erh tea has a sweet earthy taste, which is said to be very acquired, and something that should be sampled before being purchased en-masse. Most suppliers are willing to supply sampler packs for these types of teas.
The Tea has a mellow sweet after taste. The earthy taste is derived from a process of "re-fermenting" where the leaves are left damp for a period to allow additional oxidisation to occur and create a thin layer of mould on the leaves.
The Chinese have always claimed that Pu-Erh Tea can aid the following ailments:
Digestion problems

Dispel the effects of alcohol

Reducing cholesterol

Aid weight loss

Increase the metabolism
Pu-Erh Tea comes in variety of "solid" forms where the Tea is steamed and moulded into "cakes" or "bricks" as well as loose and teabag forms.
Yunnan Pu-erh tea is a naturally refreshing drink and taken on its own it has no calories, so it's the perfect drink to keep you looking good and feeling fit. Four cups of tea a day can provide you with significant amounts of the following nutrients: approximately 17% of the recommended intake for calcium, 5% for zinc, 22% for Vitamin B2, 5% for folic acid, and Vitamins B1 and B6.
A cup of Yunnan tea is also a good source of manganese, which is essential for general physical development, and potassium which helps to maintain your body's fluid balance.
Teaworld has been operational just over two months is growing steadily. Since becoming a mother and wanting to work from home, she has developed an online Tea business retailing Speciality Teas. She has over 15 years experience in IT Project Management working for mainly Telecommunications companies.

Uma Mays is married with two young children and lives in England.

Tea’s Important Role in Reducing Disease

Recently it has been shown that high quality teas have many health benefits, especially Black and Green Tea. With all the news on Black and Green Tea lately, you may be considering adding it to your daily diet regime. If that is so, only use the best quality and freshest tea available for the maximum health benefits.
Millions of people all of the world have been drinking tea for centuries. In America it has been considered a cheap convenient drink for soothing the soul and stimulating the senses. Yet there is a far more important reason that people drink tea more than any other beverage: the tea leaf has potent health-enhancing powers. The Japanese have known this for thousands of years and the modern West is just catching up to the remarkable health benefits of drinking tea.
Some of the benefits derived from drinking tea are reducing cholesterol, preventing tooth decay, strengthening the immune system, helping to prevent heart disease and stroke and reduce the risk of cancer.
It has been found by researchers that more than in any other foods, tea has the most potent free-radical fighters of all. This helps in reducing cell damage that can lead to cancer, heart disease, high cholesterol and other serious illnesses. Polyphenols act as antioxidants in the body.

The active ingredients in black and green tea are flavonoids called polyphenols.
There was a study done with 800 hundred men. It showed that those that ate the most flavonoids had a 58 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease that those that did not. Those men that consumed four cups of black tea per day were the healthiest among the group.
This makes it a worthy consideration for adding tea to your diet. In addition to that it has been found that tea reduces tumor formation and is linked to lower levels of breast, lung, esophageal, pancreatic, colon, skin, stomach, liver and small intestine cancers.
Another startling study was done by a team of Italian researchers on the effects of green tea on men prone to prostate cancer. The study used 62 high risk men who had previously had precancerous lesions, (which often turn into prostate cancer within one year). All of the men were between the ages of 45 and 75 exuding vegetarians and men who already consumed green tea.
These results were amazing, and another reason, in my humble opinion, that green tea should be added to your diet. Thirty two men in the control group developed prostate cancer, while nine of the placebo group developed the disease.
So if you drink any tea purchase only the freshest, highest quality and if you take green tea supplements be sure that they do not have fillers or caffeine. In using the best quality teas available you increase your rate of success.
Also try adding some herbal teas, many of which can aide in digestion, cold relief, and sleeplessness. Yes, you can steep longer to get more compounds, but the tea will become bitter and therefore unpalatable. For best results with black or green teas steep for three minutes to get all of the beneficial compounds.
Tea for Health and Longevity!