The Everything Healthy Tea Book: Discover the Healing Benefits of Tea

by Babette Donaldson

Overview

An introduction to the world's teas and their healing qualities!

A relaxing cup of tea is a soothing way to improve your health, lighten your mood, increase your metabolism, or boost your energy. Tea has so many health benefits, from preventing cardiovascular disease to burning calories, it's no wonder so many people are choosing this classic beverage over coffee and carbonated soft drinks. If you'd like to experience the benefits and healing properties of drinking tea, here's all you need to know about:

• The many different types of tea, including green, black, white, oolong, and pu'erh teas.
• Herbal teas, kombucha, and other infusions.
• The use of tea as medicine throughout history.
• Buying and brewing the most healthful teas.
• Developing your own de-stressing tea traditions.
• Using tea in cooking and creating natural beauty products.

With essential advice on brewing the perfect cup and storing your tea, The Everything Healthy Tea Book will be your go-to reference for all things tea!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440574603
Publisher:	Adams Media
Publication date:	04/11/2014
Series:	Everything
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
File size:	936 KB

About the Author

An Adams Media author.

Table of Contents

Top 10 Tea Myths 10

Introduction 11

01 What Is Tea? 13

A 5,000-Year-Old Medicine 14

Tea Is the Second Most Popular Beverage in the World 14

Camellia Sinensis-The True Tea 15

From the Leaf to the Cup 17

Tea Is Medicine and Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle 21

Tea Is Used for Relaxation and Spiritual Practices 22

Tea Brings People Together 23

Tea Is Communication 24

Tea Around the World 25

02 Tea's History as a Medicine 33

Legends, Myths, and Tall Tales 34

Spreading the Influence of Tea 37

Popular Trade on the Silk Road 38

Chinese Tea Dynasties 39

Europe Imports the New Health Rage 40

Modern Tea Health Marketing 42

03 What Is Healthy about Tea? 45

The Growing Body of Evidence 46

The Science of the Leaf 47

Cancer 49

Liver Disease 52

Increased Bone Density 52

Fighting Super-Bugs 53

Heart Disease 53

Controlling Cholesterol 54

Mental Function and Neurological Health 54

Diabetes 55

Weight Loss and Weight Management 55

Tea and Oral Hygiene 57

Hydration 57

Benefits Beyond the Leaf 58

Current Medical Research 59

04 The Caffeine Question 63

What Is Caffeine? 64

Caffeine Pros and Cons 65

L-theanine and Caffeine in Tea 68

The Tea Plant's Need for Caffeine 69

Caffeine in Brewed Tea 70

Caffeine Changes During Tea Processing 71

Decaffeination 72

Tea's Caffeine Compared with Other Products 73

05 Can Tea Be Unhealthy? 75

Historic Concerns 76

Not Respecting the Power of Tea 77

Sensitivity to Caffeine 77

Pregnancy and Menopause 78

Anemia and Iron Absorption 80

Drug Interactions 81

Heart Disease 81

Tea for Children 81

Teeth Staining 82

Sweeteners 83

Becoming Tea Drunk 83

Irresponsible Hype and Counterfeit Products 84

06 Green Tea 87

What Is Green Tea? 88

Health Benefits of Green Tea 89

Brewing Green Tea 90

Selecting a Green Tea 92

Where Green Tea Grows 94

How Green Tea Grows 95

How Green Tea Is Processed 95

Buying Green Teas 96

Popular and Legendary Green Teas 98

Other Forms of Green Tea 101

07 Black Tea 105

What Is Black Tea? 106

The History of Black Tea 107

Popular Preferences Change 107

Black Tea Misconceptions 108

Blended, Flavored, and Scented Black Teas 109

Health Benefits of Black Tea 113

Brewing Black Tea 114

Where Black Tea Grows 115

How Black Tea Grows 116

How Black Tea Is Processed 117

Buying Black Tea 118

Popular and Legendary Black Teas 120

08 Oolong Tea 123

What Is Oolong Tea? 124

The History of Oolong Tea 125

Where Oolong Grows 126

How Oolong Is Processed 127

Health Benefits of Oolong Tea 129

Brewing Oolong Tea 130

Popular and Legendary Oolong Teas 131

09 Pu'erh-Dark Tea 135

The Mysterious Tea 136

Dark Teas 137

What Is Pu'erh? 137

The History of Pu'erh 139

Health Benefits of Pu'erh Tea 139

Where Pu'erh Grows 141

How Pu'erh Is Made 141

Buying Pu'erh Teas 143

Brewing Pu'erh and Dark Teas 145

Popular and Legendary Pu'erh Teas 146

Brick Tea or Tibetan Tea 147

Unusual Compressed Forms 148

10 White Tea 151

What Is White Tea? 152

Brewing White Tea 152

Is White Tea a Healthier Tea? 153

The History of White Tea 154

Where White Tea Grows 155

How White Tea Is Processed 156

White Tea and Caffeine 158

Health Benefits of White Tea 159

Popular and Legendary White Teas 161

11 Functional Teas-Herbal Blends 163

What Are Functional Teas? 164

The Art of Tea 165

Tea and Herb Blends 166

Non-Tea Herbal Blends 167

Health Risks with Herbs 168

Spa Teas 168

Tisanes-Herbal Teas 170

Ayurvedic Teas 170

Herbalism 171

North American Herbal Tea History 171

Common Herbs Brewed as Tea 172

Brewing Herbal Teas 173

12 Other "Teas" 175

Kombucha 176

Flowering Tea 178

Ready-to-Drink Bottled Teas 179

Bubble Tea-Boba Tea-Pear! Tea 180

Tea Concentrates 181

Tea Extracts 182

Freeze-Dried Tea Powder 183

Tea-Infused Foods 184

Rooibos and Yerba Mate 184

13 Buying the Healthiest Tea 189

What Is Healthy Tea? 190

Tea Bags Versus Loose-Leaf Tea 191

Where to Buy Good Tea 194

Tea Math: The Cost of a Cup 197

Large Brands 199

Small Tea Retailers 200

What's Right for You? 200

Tea Education 201

14 Brewing Healthy Tea 205

Brewing Basics 206

Tea Balls and Tea Bags 206

Water: 99 Percent of a Good Cup of Tea 208

Heating the Water 210

Tea Leaves 211

Multiple Infusions 212

Teapots 212

Brewing Tips for Western- or British-Style Tea 213

Brewing Rules 214

Iced Tea 216

Cold Brewing 218

So Many Ways to Brew 219

15 Tea Brewing Tools 221

Almost Anything Will Do 222

Which Way to Brew? 222

The Simplicity of Gaiwan Brewing 223

Heating Water 224

Assorted Tea Tools 225

Brewing the Tea 228

Yixing 232

Fine Porcelains 233

Serving Tea 233

Ceremonial Equipment 235

Automatic Systems 236

Tea to Go 237

Caring for Tea Equipment 238

16 Tea Storage 239

Shelf Life: Tea's Life Span 240

Enemies of Tea 240

Tea Bags and Sachets 242

Storage Differences for Various Types of Tea 242

Tea Absorbency 243

Recommended Containers 246

A Tea Cupboard 248

Cold Storage versus Room Temperature 248

Aging Tea 249

17 Healthy Tea Traditions 251

The Healthy Habit of Teatime 252

De-Stress with Tea 252

Tea and Conversation 253

A Tea Lifestyle 254

Brewing Memories 257

Family Teatime 258

Tea in Education 259

Making Memories with Tea Parties 261

Tea Fundraising 264

18 Other Uses for Tea 265

Cooking with Tea 266

Beauty Treatments 269

Tea Gardening 273

Grow Your Own Tea 273

Art Projects 275

Around the House 276

Appendix A Resources 278

Appendix B Conditions That Have Been Researched for Potential Tea Benefits 283

Appendix C Teas and the Conditions Generally Considered to Be Supported by Them 285

Appendix D Scientific Studies 287

Appendix E Some Weil-Known U.S. Tea Retailers 293

Index 295