Category: tea

Drinking Tea Might Prevent Alzheimer’s

Ashley Bischoff2 Comments

HealthTalk reports on findings by researchers from the University of Newcastle that drinking tea might prevent Alzheimer’s disease. I’m a tea drinker, so this was pleasant news (not that I plan on having Alzheimer’s, but every bit helps).

During laboratory testing, the researchers found green and black tea inhibited the activity of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which breaks down the chemical messenger or neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. Alzheimer’s is characterized by a drop in acetylcholine.

Both teas [black and green] also were found to hinder the activity of the enzyme butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), a substance found in protein deposits on the brain of Alzheimer’s patients. […]

I enjoy tea each morning, which I brew at home and take to work with me in my stainless steel “coffee mug”. In addition to being a tasty start to the morning, perhaps this offers a health benefit. I suppose that most people have tried tea and have already decided whether they like it or not.

But, if you’re undecided on tea or if you want to give it another try, I find that The Republic of Tea makes some good teas. If you’re not sure where to start, British Breakfast is a good all-around tea (and Earl Grey is another of my favorites). And, for the best flavor, I would recommend “full leaf” teas (as opposed to tea bags). But, that doesn’t mean a mess of loose tea in your mug — a Brew Basket (about $4.50) can steep single-serving mugs of tea without leaving tea leaves in your glass.

The Perils of Earl Grey Tea

Ashley BischoffLeave a comment

I was reading this Metafilter thread on tea and I came across this MedALERT synopsis of a patient who ran into problems from drinkng too much Earl Grey:

A man aged 44 years reported muscle cramps to his doctor. He had consumed up to four litres of black tea daily for 25 years and had recently switched to Earl Grey tea, believing it would be less harmful to his stomach. Within a week, he developed muscle cramps and other unusual symptoms, including a feeling of pressure in his eyes. He also had blurred vision, particularly in darkness. After five months, the patient switched from Earl Grey back to pure black tea and his symptoms completely disappeared within a week. […] He also found they did not recur as long as he consumed no more than one litre of Earl Grey tea daily. [emphasis mine]

As an Earl Grey drinker, I’m not terribly worried. After all, it’s not likely that I’d be drinking over a liter a day. Checking the online unit converter, I see that a liter would be about 34 fl oz. Let’s see… At maybe 8 oz per glass, I could have four full glasses of Earl Grey. Hmm, yeah, I should be able to make that ;).

Microwaving Water for Tea?

Ashley Bischoff4 Comments

I have an electric kettle that I use for tea. Typically, I would take it to work, and then I could make tea there. At prior jobs, it wouldn’t be unusual for me to go through two to three pots a day (only the first of which would be caffeinated).

However, if I were to take my kettle to work, then I wouldn’t be able to use it at home. And, because I get up so early, it can be handy to have some tea first-thing in the morning :).

So, are there any disadvantages, taste-wise, to microwaving water for tea? I had figured on using the microwave it, but I woulnd’t want to do so if that would lead to inferior tea.

Mary Lou Retton, Tea

Ashley BischoffLeave a comment

I was in the kitchen at work yesterday when I noticed that, on their Lipton Tea box, there's a picture of Mary Lou Retton with the caption saying:

“I’ve always loved the ‘Brisk’ tea taste of Lipton and now there’s great news about its role in a healthy lifestyle. [...] ”.

Man, she must be into her 16th minute by now

As far as tea, though, Lipton is all right, but I prefer other teas. Specifically, my tea of choice is “Tea, Earl Grey, Hot”. Fortunately, I also discovered Julie Catanzaro’s Earl Grey reviews. And, that lead me to my current favorite, Earl Greyer from The Republic of Tea (with extra oil of bergamot, woohoo!). As I drink two to three pots of tea a day, I was glad to see that The Republic of Tea also sells Earl Greyer in bulk (about $30 for 250 tea bags, available in regular or decaf). Or, if you only drink tea occasionally, smaller quantities of Earl Greyer are also available.