More Good News On Tea!

Another justification for my tea habit. Gotta love it:

Popular Brew May Lower Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, and Triglyceride:

Drinking three or more cups of tea a day is as good for you as drinking plenty of water -- and may be even better.

Research dispels the common belief that tea dehydrates. Tea not only rehydrates as well as water does, but it can also protect against heart disease and some cancers.

Rodale states that:

"As in previous studies, a strong link between the beverage and heart-protective qualities was established, most likely a result of the beneficial flavonoid activity in the tea.

The research suggests that drinking one to eight cups (cups, not gigantic mugs) a day is associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease."

From Dr. Mercola's commentary on the above article (same link):

Should You Worry About the Caffeine Content of Your Tea?

Some people avoid drinking tea because it contains caffeine. Indeed, caffeine has been linked to many health problems, like increased blood pressure and levels of stress hormones. Still, caffeine is far less dangerous than fruit juice or soda and in small quantities should not be a problem, especially if it comes from tea.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in July 2008 found that caffeine from tea (as opposed to caffeine from coffee) contains a natural protein called theanine, which actually counters the normal side effects of caffeine such as raised blood pressure, headaches and tiredness.

The exception here is women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Caffeine is a stimulant drug that easily passes through the placenta to the developing fetus and is also transferred through breast milk, and can have devastating effects on the baby. So pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid all caffeinated beverages.

If you're looking for the one with the least caffeine, green tea, again, comes out as a clear winner. Green tea contains about half the caffeine as coffee. Black tea typically contains slightly more caffeine than green tea.

If you really need to avoid caffeine, Tulsi is your best choice as it has doesn't have any.