Oh, The Benefits((Glory)) of Tea

From Chamomile to Oolong, the endless benefits and the delicious taste of each can leave you refreshed and can give you that 'feel good' feeling- but which one is the most beneficial? Where health is concerned, all teas are not created equal.... Black, Green, White, Rooibos,Ginseng or Oolong each type of tea has an array of benefits... seep into my view on T E A.
Tea provides remedies for a broad spectrum of what ails you. It is known as natures 'wonder drug' and is a staple in many different cultures, especially from those in the China, India, and in the Middle East. Each culture has their own personal healing remedies-- tea can help this, it can cure that, don't drink too much of that... blah blah

All teas including white, green, oolong and black come from one plant: Carmellia sinensis. Each tea is determined by how the leaves are processed, how much fermentation, or oxidation, they go through. Whereas green and white teas are non-oxidized, oolong is partially oxidized, and black tea is fully oxidized.
All classes of tea – White, Green, Oolong
and Black –come from the same top
leaves and bud of the tea plant.
The following guidelines describe what
leaves are associated with what tea:
top bud ……………………………..……White Tea
top leaf and bud ……………..….…Green Tea
top 3 leaves …………….…………. Oolong Tea
top two leaves and bud ………….Black Tea
Herbal teas, by the way, aren't teas at all, but infusions made from leaves and flowers of other plants.

Green tea has been known as the miracle tea. It is made by a simpler process than black tea. The tea leaves are steamed immediately after picking. This leaves the leaves(interesting play on words) with plenty more anti-oxidants.In a study that took place in northeastern Japan, researchers found that over the span of 11 years, those who drank more tea were less likely to die of heart disease. In Japan, 80 percent of the population drinks green tea. (note Japanese Women have the highest life expectancy in the world)

Now, one of my personal favorites-- White Tea. A 2009 Kingston University study showed that white tea had high anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-collagenase, and anti-elastase properties which could potentially reduce the risks of developing rheumatoid arthritis, some cancers, heart disease & slow the enzymatic break down of elastin and collagen (ie wrinkles or sagging) which accompany aging.


Cheers,
FDS
I leave you with a wonderful poem by Dale Ritterbusch

Green Tea

There is this tea
I have sometimes,
Pan Long Ying Hao,
so tightly curled
it looks like tiny roots
gnarled, a greenish-gray.
When it steeps, it opens
the way you woke this morning,
stretching, your hands behind
your head, back arched,
toes pointing, a smile steeped
in ceremony, a celebration,
the reaching of your arms.