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Celebrities and Tea

According to the Swanky Celebs and other websites, Johnny Depp, famous for such roles as The Madhatter in Alice in Wonderland, Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Caribean, and many other eclectric roles, is using green tea as a way to reduce his weight for an upcoming role in the movie Dark Shadows. The 47-year-old actor is reportedly drinking gallons of green tea in a bid to lose weight for his role in the upcoming movie ‘Dark Shadows.’  “Johnny is aiming to get down to 140lbs, so he looks as gaunt as possible,” according to sources associated with the film. The diet also consists of low fructose fruit such as pineapples and strawberries.

The film, set for release in 2012, is a remake of an old 1960's TV show of the same name, and is being described as a Gothic horror about a vampire named Barnabus Collins.

Perhaps tea isn't only for dieting purposes for Johnny Depp, as it appears he might be drinking some here, with Kate Moss.

 

 

 

 

We at Steeped Tea have seen lots of articles and studies that point to tea, both green and oolong, as effective in weight, but may we recommend you do it sensibly, incorporating your tea into a healthy, well-balanced diet, and exercise?

Under the Weather?

This winter seems to have carried a lot of viruses and everyone you talk to seems to have felt a little unwell at least once this season.

When your tummy if feeling not quite right, consider tea.

Peppermint tea is lovely for tummy ailments as it calms the stomach muscles.

Ginger tea (or try ginger rooibos) will soothe if you are experiencing nausea.

Chamomile tea is gentle on the tummy, too.

A touch of cinnamon is nice, too.

I have found our new Hot Yoga Tea with its spices, is quite soothing.

 

Tea and the New Year

Are you a resolution maker? With the new year just around the corner, perhaps you are making some promises to yourself, or others, and if they are about health and lifestyle, maybe you want to include tea in that promise.  As you read the following article printed on Tuesday in the Regina Leader Post, written by David Ramsay, you might want to think about how Steeped Fine Loose Teas can be part of your resolution.

A New Year's Resolution Can Start With Tea

As we start the New Year and we make those resolutions to improve our diets and ingest less calories, think about making tea a major component of your beverage intake. Instead of a soft drink, have a tea instead.

 For those looking at tea as a healthy alternative, I thought I would do a little review of the types of tea available at your favourite tea stores.

 So here’s a short breakdown of what’s available.

 Black tea is the most familiar type of tea for North Americans. It’s what is usually found in tea bags in households across the country. The big difference between those ubiquitous tea bags and the tea found at fine tea stores is the quality of the leaves. Loose leaf teas, in general terms, are made from higher quality leaves and that translates into better, more flavourful tea.

The most popular tea type, blacks are more oxidized than other types of teas. Oxidation is the process that turns green tea leaves black. In turn, the longer oxidation time usually produces a stronger flavour and richer aroma.

Here’s the short and simplified explanation of what happens when black teas are produced. After tea leaves are picked, they begin to wilt. The leaves are often shaken, or bruised, to aid the oxidation process. Oxidation changes the chemical composition of the tea and helps create the tea’s aroma and flavour. Usually, blacks contain more caffeine.

 In contrast, green teas are not oxidized. Instead the leaves are steamed or “cooked” after being picked and are then dried. This process retains the green colour of the leaves and also the original chemical composition of the leaves. Health advocates argue that green teas are very beneficial for a wide range of ailments, in part because they are high in anti-oxidants. Claims abound that green teas can help with everything from certain types of cancer to helping prevent strokes.

 Oolongs fall somewhere in the middle between blacks and greens. They are not processed as quickly after harvesting as greens and receive less oxidation than blacks. Oolongs are a personal favourite because of their delicate taste. They are also valued for their health benefits.

White tea is less well known in North America but is prized in many parts of the world as a superior quality tea. White teas are picked before their buds fully open. They are not oxidized -- instead the leaves are steamed and then dried. Pale in colour and subtle in flavour, white teas are prized for their taste and their health benefits, and are among the most expensive teas on the market.

 Another of my personal favourites is pu-erh tea. Pu-erhs are a special type of tea that gets better with age – this is the exact opposite of almost all other teas which deteriorate the longer they are stored. Because of the slow, intricate way in which they are processed, these teas can be aged for up to 50 years and still retain their wonderful flavour.

 While not technically a “tea”, rooibos is growing in popularity in recent years in North America. Rooibos actually come from a bush found only in South Africa. It is reddish in colour and contains no caffeine. It also has a natural sweetness and is often blended to produce a variety of hot and iced “teas”. Rooibos is also valued by those wanting teas with health benefits.

 Herbal teas are also technically not teas. They made from the variety of organic substances such as flowers, leaves, fruits, roots, etc., but do not contain the leaves of the Camellia sinesis plant. There are literally hundreds of these beverages out there, with each claiming to be beneficial to some aspect of your health. My advice is to do your own thorough research when using these products for their health benefits.

This blog entry only scratches the surface of what’s out there, especially when you consider the huge number of blended teas being produced.

 If you are new to tea, try teas from each of these categories and settle on a few favourites.

 It’s a great way to start the new year.

And if you already love tea and know you're doing your body good when you drink it, your resolutions might look different. Perhaps this year, you will:

• try a new tea every month, paying close heed to the qualities of the tea — the aroma and color of the dry tea, the aroma and color of the tea “liquor” brewed to its peak (the “golden pour”), the taste as it first embraces your tongue, spreads out to ping! every tastebud, and then moves around the interior of your mouth.
• explore delightful new ways to enjoy tea — hot, chilled, and even used in food recipes. We share many recipes here on our blog and on our Steeped Tea website and Facebook page.
• To learn more about teas through online sites and tea books.
• To discover a new tea room and/or store near where you live and visit it at least once a month.
• To make a list of your favorite tea websites and blogs and comment on them at least once a month if you can (it helps them know you’re reading them).
• To hold a tea party once or twice a year with your friends, basing it on a whimsical theme such as celebrating Spring flowers or one of Steeped Tea's new tea party themes.


(above list inspired by English Tea blog - many thanks!)

Health Benefits of Oolong

I am not sure what came first: the huge surge in sales and popularity of green tea, or the scientific studies of green tea and health. With oolong taking far less of the tea market, there are far fewer studies on its impact on health, but studies are out there and it's easy to believe there will be more as the scientific field will want to confirm the truth of some of the claims of Oolong, or Wu-Yi tea. Wu-Yi you may know is the infamous diet tea touted by Oprah and others. What have the studies proven so far?

Oolong Tea Health Benefits #1: Antioxidants

Free radicals are linked to many signs of aging, including wrinkles, dark spots and certain diseases, even cancers. They are everywhere - in the air we breathe, the food we eat and even the sunlight. Tea contains antioxidants that mop up the free radicals before they can hurt us.

A 2003 study conducted by Kenichi Yanagimoto compares green tea, oolong tea and black tea for their antioxidant activities.He found green tea to be the most potent antioxidant, followed by oolong tea, then black tea.

Green tea blocked oxidation by almost 100% over 40 days.

Oolong tea blocked oxidation by 50% over 15 days.

Black tea showed only slight antioxidant activities.

Oolong Tea Health Benefits #2: Promote weight loss

Oolong tea has a reputation for weight loss, and rightly so.

Scientific studies have found that it does so by increasing metabolism, burning fat and blocking dietary fat absorption.

There is a lot of hype about what it can do, with some vendors claiming that it can help lose 2 pounds of weight a week. Claims such as this have yet to be proven, but it is true that oolong will increase the metabolism and burn fat. Combine that with some exercise and you've got some serious potential to lose weight and tone your body.

 

Oolong Tea Health Benefits #3: Promote heart health

Oolong tea is good for the heart in several ways.

A 2007 American study using rats found that oolong reduces blood concentrations of triglycerides (the most common form of fat that exists in the body) by a whopping 80% compared to rats on normal diet.

Another 2001 Japanese study found that it reduces cholesterol after 1 month of regular drinking.

A 2004 Japanese study conducted by Osaka City University found that oolong tea increases plasma adiponectin levels. Low levels of plasma adiponectin are associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease (CAD). The study concluded that oolong tea may have beneficial effects on the progression of atherosclerosis in patients with CAD.

Oolong Tea Health Benefits #4: Treat skin disorders

Atopic dermatitis (AD) skin disease, or eczema, causes the skin to become red, flaky and itchy. Mild forms of eczema can be treated. But many people suffer from what is called the recalcitrant AD, which does not respond to conventional treatment.

Green tea has been known to be anti-allergic. Perhaps drinking oolong tea can help? A 2001 study conducted by Uehara from Shiga University found that drinking oolong tea is good for recalcitrant AD. 118 patients participated in the study. They maintained their dermatological treatment, but also drank 1 litre of oolong tea (made from 10 grams of leaves) a day. Beneficial effects were observed after 1 or 2 weeks. 63% of the patients showed marked to moderate improvements after 1 month.

Oolong Tea Health Benefits #5: Complement diabetes treatment

A 2003 Taiwanese study found that drinking oolong tea is helpful to diabetes patients. 20 patients who had type 2 diabetes and took the prescribed hyperglycemic medicaitons participated in the study. They drank either water or 1.5 litres of oolong tea daily for 30 days. The scientists found that those who drank oolong tea experienced reductions in plasma glucose and fructosamine concentrations by 30% and 20% respectively. Those who drank water experienced no changes. The scientists concluded that oolong tea complements oral agents in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Oolong Tea Health Benefits #6: Reduce high blood pressure

A 2004 study by Yang found that drinking green and oolong tea for at least a year reduces high blood pressure. Regular drinkers are 46% less likely to develop high blood pressure if they drink one-half to two-half cups a day. They are 65% less likely to develop high blood pressure if they drink more than 2 cups a day.

Oolong Tea Health Benefits #7: Inhibit bacteria that causes tooth decay

A 1993 study conducted by Nakahara found that oolong tea inhibits the enzyme activities of bacteria streptococci. The bacteria has been known to cause dental plaque to form on teeth, which can lead to dental caries. Nakahara examined green tea, oolong tea and black tea in his study. He concluded that oolong tea extract "exhibits the most prominent inhibitory action among various tea extracts".

Oolong Tea Health Benefits #8: Expectorant

Recent studies suggest that the volatile aromatic vapors from Oolong help dislodge toxic residues from the bronchia and air sacs of the lungs. They can then be expectorated (coughed up and spat out). This effect may help to explain why Chinese men, among the heavier smokers on the planet, tend to have fewer cases of lung cancer.

Rooibos Primer

Rooibos tea (pronounced roy-boss) hails from a very specific area of South Africa. Technically not a tea, since it is not part of the camellia sinensis family, it would be considered a tisane.

Rooibos has a naturally sweet, a lightly berry and slighly nutty taste that complements natural flavours so well. You will find Natural Rooibos in the Steeped Tea catalogue, but you will also find many flavoured rooibos teas for this reason.

Rooibos contains NO caffeine, making it a great choice for those who are sensitive to caffeine, children, pregnant women & nursing moms.

Rooibos contains NO oxalates, making it a great alternative for those who are susceptible to kidney stones.

Rooibos tea contains high levels of flavonoids, polyphenols and phenolic acid, powerful antioxidants that are considered immune-boosting and cancer-fighting agents, according to the University of Michigan Health System website.Recent research demonstrates a potential for rooibos tea to possess antimutagenic properties to prevent cancer cells from forming, states the University of Michigan website. An animal study mentioned on this site provides evidence that rooibos tea may prevent radiation damage commonly associated with the development of certain cancers. Additionally, rooibos tea may possess the ability to prevent skin tumors from developing.


Also according to the article, "Medicinal Crops of Africa," parents give their babies rooibos tea to settle colic, as it is an antispasmodic herb able to settle muscle spasms, or cramping. Consult a health provider before giving rooibos tea to an infant. It is also given to individuals who suffer from insomnia, irregular sleeping habits and headaches due to its decaffeinated state and relaxation effect on the nervous system, states the article. It adds that roobios tea has a high concentration of energizing minerals such as iron, potassium, zinc, magnesium and sodium, making it a viable option for those wanting to increase their physical output during a workout session or sporting event.

With so many flavours of rooibos teas, you are sure to find at least one you like. Why not take a few minutes to browse the catalogue or visit your consultant's online store?

Tea to the Rescue: Drinking Tea can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer

This article from the Herald Sun in Australian describes a recent study on tea and ovarian cancer. It seems tea drinkers may have a lower risk of getting ovarian cancer. Yet another reason to enjoy tea!

 Drinking tea 'cuts ovarian cancer risk'

WOMEN have another reason to enjoy a daily cuppa, as an Australian study shows drinking tea can cut the risk of ovarian cancer.

The Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) studied the food and lifestyle habits of about 2700 women, half of whom had a history of ovarian cancer.

Total tea intake emerged as the key difference between the groups, a result that adds to a growing body of evidence which has suggested the household staple can play a role in warding off cancer.

"The main finding of the study was that women who drank four or more cups of tea per day - and that was any type of tea, black, green or herbal - may have a reduced risk of ovarian cancer by 30 per cent," said QIMR's Dr Christina Nagle.

Dr Nagle said the study found tea was broadly beneficial, and there was no added benefit from drinking green tea despite it being promoted as the "healthiest kind of tea".

How tea worked to reduce a person's cancer risk was not fully understood, she said, and several clinical trials were under way in the US to find what was responsible.

"Tea is rich in antioxidants, which are an important part of a healthy diet," Dr Nagle said.

"We assume it is the antioxidants in tea that are beneficial in terms of reducing risk of cancer."

Despite the positive results Dr Nagle said it was too early to place tea consumption alongside smoking and sun exposure, two key factors in a person's overall risk of developing cancer.

Studies on animals have suggested tea could inhibit the growth of ovarian cancer cells, she said, though experiments designed to test the effect on humans had produced mixed results.

"Many studies show a beneficial effect of drinking tea, in terms of reducing the risk of different types of cancer," Dr Nagle said.

"But it seems to be that in studies in humans it is inconsistent ... I think the jury is still out."

Almost 1200 Australian women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year, while the disease claims about 800 lives.

Dr Nagle's research is published in the journal Cancer Causes Control.

Tea to the Rescue: Green Tea May Boost Eye Health

Macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts seem to go hand in hand with aging, for many people. It seems that certain foods when eaten in our younger years can stall the effects of aging on our  bodies, and a recent study suggests that green tea can help boost eye health.

This study appears in  Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and was reported by Stephen Daniells on Nutra-Ingredients. Steeped Tea offers a lovely selection of green tea varieties and flavours, so why not add green tea to your selection of daily beverages and start to improve your eye health, in addition to other health benefits!

Tea compounds may boost eye health

The antioxidant compounds present in green tea and associated with a myriad of health benefits can penetrate the tissue of the eye and potentially protect against common eye diseases, says a new study.

Researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong report that catechins from tea could be detected in significant amounts in various eye structures. According to findings published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the retina of rats absorbed the highest levels of gallocatechin, while the aqueous humor tended to absorb epigallocatechin.

Furthermore, the potential beneficial effects of green tea catechins in reducing harmful oxidative stress were sustained for up to 20 hours.

Eyes on the market

A report from Frost & Sullivan last year stated that the global market for eye health ingredients was dominated by antioxidants, including lutein, beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, astaxanthin and bilberry.

The demand for such products is increasing as consumers turn to nutrition to protect against blinding diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma.

The global human nutrition market for lutein is predicted to reach $125m within three years, said F&S, with growth underpinned by rising demand for eye health supplements from the aging US population, increasing healthcare costs, more research efforts backing ingredient benefits, and improvements in technology for methods of ingredient extraction, said the report.

“Although many antioxidants have been studied in the eye, to the best of our knowledge this is the first paper to show distribution of individual catechins after ingestion of green tea extract and to evaluate their in vivo antioxidative effects in various parts of the mammalian eye,” wrote the researchers behind the new study.

Green tea contains between 30 and 40 per cent of water-extractable polyphenols, while black tea (green tea that has been oxidized by fermentation) contains between 3 and 10 per cent. The four primary polyphenols found in fresh tealeaves are epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and epicatechin.

Study details

Chi Pui Pang and colleagues fed laboratory rats green tea and subsequently analysed the eye tissues. Catechins were indeed observed in the eye tissues, say the researchers.

“Many studies on the antioxidative effect of green tea focused on EGCG,” report the researchers. “However, in this study, we found its tissue level was not high. Gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin, and epicatechin, on the other hand, substained high levels in many compartments.

“Although these compounds have a reducing power similar to or lower than that of EGCG, use of a mixture, such as green tea extract, was better than use of a single catechin because of lower cost and synergic effects on antioxidation and bioavailability,” they added.

“Our results indicate that green tea consumption could benefit the eye against oxidative stress,” concluded the researchers.

Tea to the Rescue! Allergy Sufferers May Find Relief with Black Tea

This time of year is really difficult for allergy sufferers: ragweed, leaf molds, etc all make the fall a tough season to endure.

Good news from the tea world!

As reported by Stephen Daniels on NutraIngredients, black tea may help allergy sufferers. 

If you are an allergy sufferer, perhaps you will find some relief with one of the many kinds and flavours of black tea that Steeped Tea offers.

Here is his article, describing a recent study that was reported in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture :

Black tea compounds show anti-allergy potential

Theaflavins, compounds found in black tea, may reduce allergic response in people with sensitive skin and related conditions, suggests a new study with mice.

Animals fed extracts from black tea were found to produce fewer inflammatory compounds on exposure to an allergen, while antioxidant levels in the blood were also maintained by the tea compounds, according to findings published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

Interest in tea and its constituents has bloomed in recent years, with the greatest focus on the leaf’s polyphenol content. Green tea contains between 30 and 40 per cent of water-extractable polyphenols, while black tea (green tea that has been oxidized by fermentation) contains between 3 and 10 per cent. Oolong tea is semi-fermented tea and is somewhere between green and black tea. The four primary polyphenols found in fresh tealeaves are epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), and epicatechin (EC).

Allergy classifications

Most of the studies have focussed on green tea and its constituents, most notably EGCG. The new study looked at theaflavins from black tea in a mouse model of type IV allergy. Unlike many other types of allergy, the type (type IV) tested in this new study directly involves the immune system’s T-cells and not the participation of antibodies. According to background information in the article, type IV allergy is known as delayed type hypersensitivity, with appearance of the allergic response occurring 12 to 24 hours after exposure. Contact dermatitis is an example of type IV allergy.

Exposure to the allergen is said to trigger the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines by type 1 T helper (Th1) cells. Such increases were prevented when sensitised male mice were fed various theaflavins from black tea, according to the new findings.

Study details

Researchers from Japan’s Numazu National College of Technology and Nagoya Women’s University examined the effects of two black tea theaflavins – theaflavin-3-gallate and theaflavin-3,3-digallate (TFDG) – on type IV allergy in male mice.

When the theaflavins were injected into the skin of the ear, the researchers noted “significant preventive effects against mouse type IV allergy”.

Furthermore, when administration orally at a level of 50mg per kg of body weight, similar preventive effects were observed, said the researchers. Control mice not fed the black tea compounds experienced with increases of proinflammatory cytokines like interleukin-12 (IL-12), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). When mice were fed the theaflavins, however, the increases were not observed, added the researchers.

“The anti-allergic mechanisms of action of theaflavins involve inhibition of the fluctuations of cytokines and maintenance of antioxidant status in allergic mice,” wrote the researchers.

The black tea theaflavins were supplied by Unilever Japan.

Tea and Health in your Senior Years

Preventing Alzheimer's in our old age - now that's some good news! Even better? Tea helps! Read all about it, in this article from the Chicago Sun Times!

Exercise, tea, vitamin D could stave off dementia

Alzheimer's Association calls findings 'encouraging'

Get lots of physical activity. Drink plenty of tea. And make sure you get enough vitamin D.

Three studies presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Honolulu link all of those things to a lower risk of brain decline with age.

"These types of studies make people think, 'Well, gosh, maybe I can do something about this disease,' " said William Thies, chief medical and scientific officer of the Chicago-based Alzheimer's Association, who called the results "encouraging."

• One study tracked more than 1,200 elderly people over 20 years; 242 developed dementia. Those who got moderate to heavy levels of physical activity had about a 40 percent lower risk of developing any type of dementia. Those reporting the least activity were 45 percent more likely to develop dementia than more-active people.

• A 14-year study that followed more than 4,800 men and women 65 and older found that tea drinkers had less mental decline than non-tea drinkers. Those who drank tea one to four times a week had average yearly rates of decline 37 percent lower than people who didn’t drink tea.

• In a third study, researchers who examined data from 3,325 Americans 65 and older found the odds of cognitive impairment were about 42 percent higher in those deficient in vitamin D, and 394 percent higher in people severely deficient.

Gannett News Service

 

Tea and Your Dental Health

We've mentioned a few times about the health benefits to dental health. Here's yet another article, this one from Medical News Today, to substantiate it!

Greater Concentrations Of Fluoride In Tea Than Once Thought

Black tea, a Southern staple and the world's most consumed beverage, may contain higher concentrations of fluoride than previously thought, which could pose problems for the heaviest tea drinkers, Medical College of Georgia researchers say.

"The additional fluoride from drinking two to four cups of tea a day won't harm anyone; it's the very heavy tea drinkers who could get in trouble," said Dr. Gary Whitford, Regents Professor of oral biology in the School of Dentistry. He presented his findings at the 2010 International Association of Dental Research Conference in Barcelona, Spain.

Most published reports show 1 to 5 milligrams of fluoride per liter of black tea, but a new study shows that number could be as high as 9 milligrams.

Fluoride is known to help prevent dental cavities, but long-term ingestion of excessive amounts could cause bone problems. The average person ingests a very safe amount, 2 to 3 milligrams, daily through fluoridated drinking water, toothpaste and food. It would take ingesting about 20 milligrams a day over 10 or more years before posing a significant risk to bone health.

Whitford discovered that the fluoride concentration in black tea had long been underestimated when he began analyzing data from four patients with advanced skeletal fluorosis, a disease caused by excessive fluoride consumption and characterized by joint and bone pain and damage. While it is extremely rare in the United States, the common link between these four patients was their tea consumption - each person drank 1 to 2 gallons of tea daily for the past 10 to 30 years.

"When we tested the patients' tea brands using a traditional method, we found the fluoride concentrations to be very low, so we wondered if that method was detecting all of the fluoride," Whitford said, noting that the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, creates a quandary when measuring fluoride. Unique among other plants, it accumulates huge concentrations of fluoride and aluminum in its leaves - each mineral ranges from 600 to more than 1,000 milligrams per kilogram of leaves. When the leaves are brewed for tea, some of the minerals leach into the beverage.

Most published studies about black tea traditionally have used a method of measuring fluoride that doesn't account for the amount that combines with aluminum to form insoluble aluminum fluoride, which is not detected by the fluoride electrode. Whitford compared that method with a diffusion method, which breaks the aluminum-fluoride bond so that all fluoride in the tea samples can be extracted and measured.

He tested seven brands of store-bought black tea, steeping each for five minutes in deionized water, which contains no fluoride. The amount of fluoride in each sample was 1.4 to 3.3 times higher using the diffusion method than the traditional method.

The new information shouldn't deter tea drinkers, as the beverage is safe and some teas even have health benefits, Whitford said. "The bottom line is to enjoy your favorite tea, but like everything else, drink it in moderation."

Including Whitford's presentation, School of Dentistry faculty and students are making 24 oral and poster presentations at the International Association for Dental Research conference July 14-17.

Source:
Paual Hinely
Medical College of Georgia