A
Steaming Cup of Medicine
You have to imagine it –a steaming, fragrant cup of green tea.
The clear, pale green liquid gives off a delicious aroma somewhat like wet hay
mixed with the scent of apples or pears. You lift the cup to your lips and take
the first sip. The comforting liquid rolls over your tongue and eases down your
throat, brightening and warming as it goes. Its slight astringency freshens
your mouth, making it feel naturally clean. This warm, delightful beverage is
soothing, especially if you take a moment to sit and sip it slowly. But at the
same time, it’s also stimulating, giving you a much needed pick-me-up in the
morning or the middle of the long afternoon. Is it any wonder that tea has been
enjoyed for nearly 5,000 years – and that it’s the world’s most widely consumed
beverage, next to water?
Yet green tea is a lot more than just a delicious and
satisfying drink -- it also has medicinal properties that are nothing short of
amazing. Way back in the year 1211 the Japanese monk Eisai wrote that "Tea
is a miraculous medicine for the maintenance of health. Tea has an
extraordinary power to prolong life." And today, scientific are confirming
that what Eisai said may be true, finding that green tea can boost the immune
system, inhibit the cancer process at virtually every stage, regulate
cholesterol levels, assist in weight loss, fight free radical damage, and ward
off viruses, fungi and food-borne bacteria. It also helps inhibit dental plaque
formation, lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, slow cognitive decline, and may
even help increase the lifespan. Virtually no other substance on earth can
claim such a wide range of health benefits!
I’m Nadine Taylor, a Registered Dietitian with a great
interest in the healing power of foods. I have been so impressed by the science
behind green tea’s health benefits that I started collecting green tea studies
and information about ten years ago and eventually wrote a book about it. My
aim in this column is to bring that knowledge to you, explaining how green performs
its health-promoting "miracles," telling about the fascinating
history and customs of tea drinking, and revealing some interesting new tea
tidbits. (Did you know that green tea extract can grow hair?) My articles and
question-and-answer column will appear monthly, and I hope you’ll join me. And
don’t forget to bring along a nice hot cup of green tea!
