Health Benefits
Caffeine Content of Tea
Depending on the type of tea, and its processing methods, caffeine content varies:
per 6 oz. serving:
White teas less than 10mg
Green teas 10-15mg
Oolong teas 25-30mg
Additionally, summer teas will have slightly more caffeine
than spring tea. Red teas from Yunnan also have exceptionally low
caffeine rates compared to red teas from other regions. Pu-erh teas
older than 15 years have been found to have no caffeine because of the
fermentation process they undergo and the aging process which breaks
down the caffeine.
Tea vs. Coffee
If you compare an exact serving of coffee to tea,
you will always find that tea comes on the lighter end of the caffeine
spectrum. Coffee, depending on the brewing method, contains 90 - 120mg
of caffeine per cup. A few years ago, it was widely publicized that tea
has more caffeine per lb than coffee. This study was erroneous due to
that fact that on average tea leaves yield about 180-200 liquid
servings per lb while coffee beans yield 15-30 liquid servings per lb.
As a result, per serving of tea contains substantially less caffeine
than coffee.
Tannic Acid and Polyphenols
Tannic acid is a chemical derived
from plants used in tanning and dyeing, not to be confused with the
actual chemical called 'Tannins'. Tannins, however, in old tea
traditions, actually refered to the chemical compounds commonly called
polyphenols today. Some of the polyphenols contained in tea are
antioxidants called catechins, widely publicized for their ability to
assist in the prevention of cancer. Like "fermentation", the word
"tannins" is not used very often in the tea business any more because
of its sometimes confusing connotations.
Modern Findings and Traditional Chinese Medicine
Tea started as
a medicine, but its rich flavor and wonderful taste later rendered it a
beverage. It has been associated with such traditional health benefits
as being able to lower blood pressure, aid digestion, cool the body
from excessive 'heat' (a condition believed to cause many ailments) in
the system, etc. Modern science confirms that tea indeed seems to
contain many antioxidants which may help prevent cancer. Other findings
suggest that tea may help improve bone density, strength teeth, lower
cholesterol and blood sugar, eradicate toxins from the blood stream, as
well as cleanse the plaque deposits in the arteries.
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