KTK-Nutrition

Many people are coffee lovers including me.   But I also enjoy a cup or two of tea every day.   Add some tea to your day and you add many health benefits.   Tea is rich in antioxidants, some vitamins, and minerals, and has been linked to improved heart health, better digestion, and enhanced mental clarity.   Some studies have shown tea may decrease one’s risk of type 2 diabetes and cancer.   Whether you prefer green, black, oolong, white or herbal teas, each type of tea offers its unique array of health-promoting properties.   In this blog post I explore the many health benefits of enjoying some tea.    Black Tea What is it made from?   Made from leaves of a plant.   Oxidation , “leaves exposed to moist oxygen-rich air”, is what turns the leaves from green to a black color.   Examples:   English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Darjeeling Black Tea, Ceylon Black Tea   Health Benefits:   Heart: Drink black tea often an...

Who doesn’t love some morning coffee?   Or, on cold days, a nice hot cup of tea.   Does drinking coffee or tea affect one’s blood glucose levels?    Should healthy adults be concerned about coffee or tea and blood glucose levels?   The Mayo Clinic says that for healthy adults, caffeine will probably have no noticeable effects on their blood sugar or blood glucose levels.   Studies have found that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine is safe for most of us.   A cup of coffee has about 120-180 milligrams of caffeine and most adults drink about 2 cups of coffee a day.   FDA says healthy adults can consume up to 400 mg of caffeine a day which equates to about 4-5 cups of coffee a day, or 10 cans of soda , or 2 “energy shot” drinks.   (See:   Caffeine – good or bad for your health? )     Can drinking coffee or tea reduce chances of getting type 2 diabetes? Some studies have found that coffee, tea, and other drinks with caffei...

Who doesn’t enjoy a cup of hot tea, especially in winter?   Does tea have any health benefits?   Do different kinds of tea have different health benefits?   Yes.   An interesting article, in Environmental Nutrition discussed teas for various health reasons such as weight, insomnia and improving your immunity. Many people make health claims for herbal teas, but what health claims are true and reliable?    Weight – are there herbal teas that promote weight loss?   Green, white and oolong teas:   These 3 teas have chemicals in them called catechins .   In the lab at least, these chemicals do affect fat metabolism.   Green tea is especially rich in catechins.   Roobios tea :   This is a different tea, a red tea with a different chemical.   This one has the chemical, aspalathin.    One study showed it helped improve fat metabolism. Peppermint tea:   a real treat on a cold winter day.   The smell ...