Page 51 - ELITE PLUS MAGAZINE VOL9

AN ANCIENTBEVERAGE WITHMODERN BENEFITSWith its myriad health benefits, tea – green, oolong or black – can help improve our quality of lifeThe different processes applied to tea leaves result in different levels of phytonutrients,the ingredients that provide the health benefits for humansAll civilizations have drinking cultures, and beverages come in many forms and preparations, too many thousands to mention. Beverages made from various types of plants have been consumed since ancient times. And tea, from the Camellia sinensis plant, is still one of the most popular drinks worldwide.The history of tea drinking, according to legend, dates back to 2737 BC, when Shennong, one of the emperors of China, was drinking a bowl of boiled water and a few leaves of this plant blew from a nearby tree into his bowl, changing the colour of the water. The emperor took a sip and was pleasantly surprised by the flavours and restorative properties. He found out later that tea also works as an antidote for various toxins.Tea drinking was popular in China for a few thousand years before being introduced into Japan and Portugal by priests in the 16th century. Drinking tea became popular in Great Britain during the 17th century, and the British introduced production and consumption in India in order to compete with China’s monopoly on tea.The beverage is prepared from tea leaves. After harvesting the young leaves and tips, farmers can process them to get various tea preparations. Tea leaves can be processed mainly in three ways, categorized by the degree of oxidation applied to the leaves. Green tea is from unfermented tea leaves that are pan-fried, then rolled and dried. This stops the oxidation process that turns the leaves dark and allows the tea to remain green. Oolong or brown tea is from tea leaves that are allowed to partially ferment before pan-frying. Pu erh or black tea is the fully oxidized tea leaves that have been allowed to ferment further.The different processes applied to tea leaves result in different levels of phytonutrients, the ingredients that provide the health benefits for humans. The most important ingredients worth mentioning are the polyphenols. The two important types of polyphenols found in tea leaves are oolong tea polymerized polyphenols (OTPP) and epigallo catechin gallate (EGCG). These bioactive nutrients have been proven to be good antioxidants, with anti-hypercholesterolaemia and anti-hyperglycaemia properties while lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Just as interestingly, the ingredients help reduce the absorption of fat and also stimulate the metabolism of fat in our body. Tea can thus be an alternative or adjunctiveElite+ 49