Green Tea
There is no surprise in the fact that there are many Health
Benefits in Green Tea. Chinese and Japanese societies have included
green tea in their culture since ancient times and though the western world
has known for a comparatively short period of time, the information has been
available for at least a century. The reason behind this healthy beverage
may be a bit less known however.
Green tea, which received its name due to both the color
of its leaves as well as the color of its liquor, undergoes a short processing.
The Camellia sinensis leaves are left green, having not been
fermented. The freshness of the leaves also helps to ensure that no
chemical transformation to lose its reputed health benefits has undergone,
and virtually no caffeine has been added. Some times compared to green
vegetables, there should be no wonder in the fact that the freshness of the
leaves is also an important factor.
Of course the tea has undergone minimal processing, drying
the leaves, so the term “Fresh” will not quite be the same as
the aforementioned, “green vegetables,” but green tea
is kept best in cool dry locations, and in its whole leaf form. Here
it can refrain from undergoing another chemical process where green tea’s
health benefits can be lost, oxidation. But as we continue further,
we must first touch upon the “The secret in Green Tea,” which
is the high Catechin levels found.
Naturally rich in Catechin, particularly Epigallocatechin
gallate (EGCG) this beverage serves two major purposes in its most famous
ability, fighting cancer. This powerful anti oxidant is able to prevent
the growth of cancerous cells as well as kill existing cancer cells without
harming healthy tissue. In addition to its cancer fighting abilities,
green tea has also been known to contain fluoride for strengthening teeth,
and help burn calories assisting dieters in the quest to loose weight.
Black Tea
Perhaps the most common version of tea in the western world,
Black tea is most often known as English Breakfast tea, and Darjeeling.
However, this does not mean that the tea itself comes from England.
In today’s tea industry, the biggest exporting nations of Black teas,
are of course India, as the latter name suggests, Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and Kenya.
Tea plantations have become a relatively new form of economic stability in
budding African nations, many of which are moving towards a privatized system
of ownership as opposed to the more common Government owned tea processing
plantations. Though perhaps full privatization is an outright favorite
amongst most western nations, the larger plantations, which may be government
owned allow for smaller tea growers who cannot afford the processing machinery
themselves. Due to the warm weather, and more costly storing necessities
of Green tea, Black tea is a preferred method of tea growing in the nations
mentioned.
Having gone through a full fermentation process, the blackened
tea leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant have also changed in chemical construction.
Losing most of the cancer fighting properties, the Catechin level has dropped,
though in its absence the Flavonoids have increased.
Flavonoids are the secret behind the health benefits in Black
tea. A natural vitamin-like compound, they make blood cells called platelets
less prone to clotting, as well as act as antioxidants, counteracting the
artery-damaging potential of highly reactive free radical chemicals. The two
major benefits of lessening the clotting of platelet cells, are aiding in
the prevention of Heart Attacks and Strokes.
Black tea also is an excellent dental tool,
as a notable dose of Fluoride is contained within. Not only preventative,
the tea fights various kinds of bacteria, including that which causes gum
disease and eventually loss of teeth. It also kills Streptococcus mutans,
a cavity causing bacteria.
Known as a breakfast tea due to its higher caffeine level,
though still far less than coffee, Black tea is an excellent boost in the
morning, as well as throughout the day. Unlike the coffee with its high
caffeine levels, black tea can accompany you throughout the day leaving the
drinker fresh, and free from a jittery feeling that coffee can give.
As the tea leaves have been fully fermented, freshness is
not as important as it is with green teas, though a cool dry area is best
for storing black tea as well. Also, unbroken leaves are still considered
to be of a higher quality, giving a better taste as well as higher health
benefits. (For more information visit www.Holymtn.com/tea/t-health.htm)
Oolong
Perhaps the most regal of teas, Oolong tea is a semi-fermented
tea that requires a skilled craftsman to be able to know the right moment
when the Camellia sinensis leaves have reached the proper balance
of 30% red and 70% green. This special mixture allows for a unique flavor
to accompany its various medicinal principles spanning the ranges of both
Green and Black teas.
With the proper balance, Oolong tea posses
a balanced chemical structure of the Catechin polyphenols found in green tea,
as well as Flavonoids found in black teas. Along with the previously
mentioned health benefits for both Green and Black teas, Oolong’s special
mixture allows for enhanced beauty treatments.
As has become vastly popular in common medical science, the
idea of free radicals as found in the sun’s UV rays, as well as various
chemical additives in food have a negative effect on one’s physical
beauty. Free radicals oxidize the regular lipids with in the body to
convert them into lipid peroxide which causes adult diseases such as arteriosclerosis,
diabetes, as well as dark spots and wrinkles on the skin.
If there are no countermeasures to deal with the ever-present
free radicals, the aging of the skin will accelerate. For this reason,
various advertisements by skin care companies offer various creams to help
fight against this enemy.
There is a naturally occurring defense in our bodies however,
called superoxide dismutase, or SOD. Though this does its best to fight
against the daily contact with free radicals, SOD is much like other natural
occurring resources found on the earth, there is a limited supply, and regeneration
of the chemical can only occur so fast. Unfortunately, SOD can NOT be
supplemented in vitamin form. In order to strengthen SOD, we need to
enhance its function by using something else; Polyphenol, which acts as a
countermeasure to remove the body’s free radicals. Though Oolong
tea, or Green tea which also contains Polyphenol, will not fully cure a lifetime
of body mistreatment, daily drinking of either teas will act as a welcome
partner on the road towards a healthy lifestyle. (For more information
visit www.oolongtea.org )
Redbush
A relative new comer to the tea industry, the South African
Redbush is a new plant rapidly gaining acceptance in a tea world that rarely
strayed from the Camellia sinesis plant responsible for Green, Black, and
Oolong teas. The name is warranted however as the sweet, slightly smokey
flavor is a delicious variation. The health benefits of this herbal
tea are also on point.
The caffeine free tea is also low in tannin, so it is perhaps
the best tea for pregnant women as well as nursing mothers. The distinctively
red liquor has various soothing properties through its taste, aroma and chemical
makeup. Red bush teas have been known to ease irritability, headaches,
nervous tension and insomnia. Red bush teas act well to relieve stomach
problems including cramping.
Rooibos and the sweeter tasting Honeybush also act well in
the efforts towards beauty. When applied directly on the skin, they
act well to slow down the aging process. Also, in addition to a list
of various other minerals, the South African tea also contains Alpha-hydroxy,
commonly known for its skin care benefits.
The Sabaidi Difference
There is nothing new in the realization that along with drinking
Tea comes a wide array of health benefits. But as you may have seen,
or heard, there is such a thing called loose tea, which looks like what “tea
leaves” should look like. Yet in every tea bag seen in the market
there is something else. And if there are loose teas that look like
leaves, and then there are every other teabag in the market that looks like
something else, could it be that the above is equally true for both variations?
As stated earlier, the “Freshness” of the tea,
and the maintaining of whole tea leaves is important. But if you take
a close look at the common tea bags that flood the market, you will find quite
the opposite. What you will see is a manufactured bag that is most often
filled with “Tea Dust.” At a tea plantation, after the choice
tea leaves are handpicked from the fields, they are processed, which includes
drying and possibly a cooking process to ferment the tea. Some teas,
such as Sabaidi’s© Super Pekoe, and Sabaidi’s©
Zi Zhu Lan are hand rolled to give the tea a unique flavoring.
During the processing, the dried leaves are transferred on a slatted belt
to allow for dust and small particles to fall away from the higher quality
tea. The dust and small particles are collected and sold. This
is the “something else” you will find in commercial tea bags.
This apply named substance, Tea Dust is considered to be the lowest
quality tea available. Highly oxidized and dried out, this tea dust
contains only a fraction of health benefits other manufacturers claim to offer
while at the same time giving a harsh and bitter taste. The flavored
teas are even worse as they use the absolute lowest of the lowest, when the
taste of the tea doesn’t matter because the added flavoring is what
the tea drinker will taste. The major reason for the use of low quality
tea is of course money. The tea dust is cheap in price as it is cheap
in quality.
The choice tea leaves, which have been properly stored and processed to leave
a proper tea, are then sold on a higher end loose tea market. The aroma
is rich and full, the taste is smooth, and the health benefits are as stated
above. The choice tea, is 100% of what we put in every 
.
When we say that our tea bags are better, we are not simply mentioning the
perfectly handmade design, the elegant packaging or the fact that our bags
were NOT birthed from a horse powered parent. When we say that
are the best on the market, we are referring to what really matters, the tea.
With all the colors and words stripped away, we still stand tall by including
only the finest teas available. And when customers choose our tea, they
can truly reward from being a part of 
