Put the kettle on for a 'cuppa tea'

The 'cuppa tea' is part and parcel of everyday life in ireland. When visiting friends & neighbours, one of the first things to occur is the offer of a cuppa tea. But it's not just us, tea is the most widely consumed substance in the world besides water.

But just what is it about tea that makes it our 'go to' ritual? Well, it turns out tea contains a range of active compounds, including caffine, one we're all aware of. But surely there's more to it than that..

As it happens, there is. L-Theamine is an amino acid contained in tea which combines very nicely with caffine to produce a number of beneficial effects. These include:

• Decreasing anxiety
• Promoting a mindful state of relaxation
• Improve performance under stress
• Improving ability to multitask
• Improved learning ability and concentration

Hardly surprising then, that it has been drank by monks prior to meditation for  1,000's of years!
Research carried out last year noted it may play a role in preventing or delaying age related cognitive decline in the over 65 age group, an encouraging finding given our acceleration to a more aged society.

Cup of Tea - image from wikimedia commons

Now that we know how good tea is for our mental function, what else can it do?

• Normalise blood pressure
• Prevents coronary heart disease
• Prevents diabetes
• Germicidal action against harmful bacteria
• Helps beneficial gut bacteria
• Contains catechins which fight cancer in 3 ways

1. Prevents the uptake of cancer causing chemicals
2. Prevents mutation of the cells
3. Fights existing tumours

A word to the wise though, drinking very hot tea has been linked to oesophageal cancer,  so let it cool a little before drinking!

I never cease to be amazed by the wonder of nature in supplying us with such useful plants. But even when we've drank our fill, even waste tea is useful. In recent research, it has proven to be very effective in removing lead and copper from waste water. Incredible!