Confessions of a Tea Lover
By Kyle McAvoy
Well, it’s official: Fall is here again and I am happy it has arrived!
Although I love summer- with its carefree rhythm, warm days, easy fashion and fresh foods- I enjoy when the days shorten, perfect sleeping weather arrives, I pull out my favorite boots and corduroys (like old friends) and my cookbooks, looking for hearty recipes to serve to family and friends.
Fall is also the season to bring out the tea kettle. Personally, I tend to drink hot tea all year round, but I find it particularly appealing once the days and nights begin to cool. I like to keep a wide assortment of teas in my cupboard at home, as well as in my office at work.
Some of my favorite teas: the choices are endless!
As a small child, my mother introduced me to the joys of a great cuppa, although in our family we could choose from orange pekoe tea with either milk and sugar or with fresh lemon and honey. I didn’t venture into ‘herbal teas’ until the early 1970’s when companies like Celestial Seasonings made a wide variety of yummy and nutritious teas. Once I discovered my first ‘health food store’ back on Long Island in 1973, I was in tea and food heaven!
I have passed on the tradition of tea drinking to my own children. The most wonderful thing about tea is not only does it taste wonderful, but now we are discovering how great it is for our health.
Green tea is rich in EGCG(epigallocatechin-3-gallate): this is a compound that blocks a particular enzyme needed in the digestion of starchy foods. If you drink the recommended amount of green tea (1 and ½ cups) while eating a meal or snack high in starches, your blood sugar will only increase by 50% of its normal rise. This is very important in terms of helping to prevent insulin resistance, which is a precursor to developing Type II Diabetes.
In addition, studies have shown that drinking 3 + cups of green tea per week for 6 months, women will have a 14% reduction in developing cancers of the digestive system. Two cups of green tea/day helps to shrink your waist and causes a reduction in overall fat and weight!
And if that’s not enough to get you to drink green tea on a regular basis, EGCG stimulates the growth of neurons in the part of the brain called the hippocampus, which is involved in our memory. I know that all of us worry about our weight, our risk of cancer and diabetes, and also the loss of memory as we age.
Tea is a cross cultural experience with far-reaching health benefits.
Some people complain that green tea can be a bit bitter so I encourage you to find a type that you like. I love a blend that has jasmine and green tea, as well as those that have some mint blended in, or are combined with chai tea spices. Tazo makes a lovely blend called “Zen,” so aptly named, as it gives you a warm, mellow feeling.
So get your kettle, some of your favorite mugs and tea out, and warm up your insides while treating yourself to some amazing health benefits. It’s a lovely way to usher in the ‘contemplative season’, a time to reflect back over the last year and nestle in while dreaming of the months and year.
What is your favorite tea?
