Last month, Oprah Winfrey (of whom I am a huge fan) welcomed onto her show Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen. These two doctors were discussing something very near and dear to my heart, tea. Specifically, they were talking about the best things you can do and foods you can eat/drink to help fight aging.

Included on the list was antioxidant-rich items such as blueberries, broccoli, acai, and (of course) tea. In fact, they said that drinking 3-4 cups a day was one of the best ways to keep you looking younger and living longer.

One fact that they left out, which I feel is very important to know, is that this does not include milk. So many people are used to drinking their tea with milk (I cringe at the thought of ruining my beautiful cuppa by drowning it with 2%), it is important to mention that adding any milk will block the body from absorbing virtually all of the antioxidants.

But what exactly are antioxidants? Why are they so good for anti-aging? To explain, Dr. Oz compared apples to apples”one half of an apple was sprinkled with lemon juice and the other was not. While the lemony half remained new and crisp-looking, the untreated half became brown and shriveled because of exposure to oxygen (not surprisingly a process known as oxidation). The same thing happens to our skin, to our heart, to our eyes, Dr. Oz said. All of our bodies need to have the antioxidants.

The team then goes on to say that one can further increase the anti-aging benefits by coupling it with a reasonable exercise regimen, which (embarrassingly enough to Oprah) includes having sex at least 2 or 3 times a week. While I energetically agree with this, I must stress that I do not recommend drinking your tea at the same time.

You’ve been reading about it here for a while now, but finally some major publications are beginning to recognize the health benefits of tea! Take Prevention magazine, for example: this month they featured an article entitled “14 Surprising Signs You’ll Live Longer Than You Think.” Some of the astonishing indicators include: folks whose mother had them before 25 years old are twice as likely to live to 100, and people who are optimistic and family-oriented tend to live longer lives. However, one of the most significant signs that you’ll live a longer life is if you’re a tea drinker (in fact, this was #2 on the list!).

This is due to the fact that drinking at least 1-2 cups of tea a day will give your body a significant amount of catechins, substances that help your blood vessels relax and therefore protect your heart. Not to mention the high levels of antioxidants that tea provides, helping to prevent cancer and other serious health problems. Not to mention……well, you get the idea. Live long, drink tea!

Article By Henry Wershar

Ever since Emperor Shen Nung discovered the leaves of the Camellia sinensis more than 4500 years ago in ancient China, the health benefits of tea have been known to the Chinese. Books have been written and songs composed to propagate the beliefs about the health benefits of tea.

Chinese emperors, for whom tea was nothing less than a tribute, used to even decree royal proclamations as to what form the tea should be presented to them, so that they may derive the maximum from the supposed medicinal properties of the tea leaves. In fact, other than being a rejuvenating drink, the Chinese also claimed that tea was useful for curing lethargy, bladder ailments and tumors.

However, most of these claims were unknown to the world outside China until the late nineteenth century. Even then, they were passed off as rumors and unfounded claims. Recently, though research conducted on tea, especially green tea, have started giving results proving that tea for health might not be that bad an idea after all!

In these recent studies, it has been claimed that tea may have anti-cancer properties, it may be able to slow down the spread of HIV in the body, it definitely increases the metabolic rate and mental alertness, and it can also help reduce stress.

Let us have a look at some of the studies done on the composition of tea which show whether really tea is good for health:

Effects on HIV
Studies have been conducted and found that epigallcatechin gallate (EGCG) found in tea helps boost one’s immune system. Therefore, this helps in throttling the spread of the HIV virus in the body. However, researchers have made it quite clear, that though tea helps in reducing the spread of HIV in the body, it should always be used along with conventional medicines.

Effects on Metabolic Rate
Tea, especially green tea, have been known to speed up fat oxidation and in crease the metabolic rate. Along with caffeine, the catechin polyphenols present in tea helps speed up the rate at which calories are burnt, thereby increasing substantially the energy consumed.

Effects on Mental Health and Immune System
Tea has been found to contain amino acid L-theanine which improves the body’s ability to combat diseases by giving a boost to gamma delta T-cells. The L-theanine found in tea also helps keep the brain in an alert state of relaxation by increasing alpha wave production in the brain.

Effects on Hormone Levels
It has been found that tea, more specifically black tea, can reduce stress hormones in the body and thereby help a person recover more quickly from stress. Also it has been seen that the risk of heart attacks and blood platelet activation are a lot lower in tea drinkers.

Effects on Alzheimer’s
The epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) can also protect the brain and fight Alzheimer’s disease. It helps prevent buildup of abnormal levels of beta-amyloid plaque which is responsible for causing the Alzheimer’s disease.

The above illustrated examples are only some of the many benefits of drinking the various varieties of tea. Besides these, tea is also rumored to be beneficial in fighting diabetes and preventing cognitive impairment, though these are yet to be effectively proven through studies. Still, there is no doubt that tea for health is no longer just a marketing strategy of tea companies, but a reality!

None of our fruit teas are caffeine free including raspberry tea. I have outlined for you some scientific information directly relating to tea used by Australian Fruit Tea as it relates to caffeine.

The smaller the leaf – the stronger the extraction of caffeine. A tea bag filled with cut tea and dust will release nearly twice as much caffeine per cup as a whole leaf tea. Australian Fruit Tea only uses whole leaf tea which is grown without pesticides or herbicides. Additionally, the shorter the brewing time the less caffeine ends up in your cup. Our fruit teas should not be brewed so caffeine ending up in your cup will be very minimal. Please make your Raspberry tea strictly as instructed on the packet and you will be sure to be getting very little caffeine. (I personally only use 1/2 a teaspoon per cup and I find that perfect for me).

Because caffeine is a natural component of tea and extraction of this component would leave residues of chemicals used in the extraction, my company will never consider using a decaffeinated tea.

Caffeine’s primary effects last about 15 to 45 minutes, depending on an individual’s sensitivity, you should not experience any caffeine effect from drinking our fruit teas provided they are made as instructed even if you enjoy several cups at one time.

I hope this clarifies your question for you and thank you for supporting Australian Fruit Tea.

This is a good anytime tea. It’s fruity, but not in an obvious kind of way. It is subtle. I love it!

Thanks Sharon

Studies that support the health benefits of tea drinking keep filling the headlines. There’s simply no denying that a daily spot of tea does the body good.

Even though researchers can’t quite agree on every aspect, I’m sold on the fact that a few cups a day will do its best to protect me from heart disease, a stroke, cancer, and more. (more…)

Adding milk to a cup of tea can destroy its ability to protect against heart disease, according to research.

A small German study found drinking black tea significantly improved the ability of arteries to relax and expand to keep blood pressure healthy. (more…)

The team at Australian Fruit Tea are back on deck today having enjoyed a wonderful Xmas break despite the rain in Queensland - and we hope that you all did too.

New Year is always a great time for New Years Resolutions. You may not consider drinking tea a New Years Resolution but have you thought about your health? Australian Fruit Teas have many health benefits. I enjoy coffee as well as tea but because I take my coffee with milk and sugar and that puts on too many kilos I am lucky I also enjoy black tea because I can drink Australian fruit teas “quality black tea with a hint of fruit”with no milk and no sugar.

There are good reasons for some women (and men) to not drink milk or take dairy for that matter, I read “Your Life in Your Hands” by Professor Jane Plant after losing a close friend to breast cancer and I wish every woman in the world would read it and make her own decision.

At Australian Fruit Tea we try very very hard to ensure we buy quality black tea grown without herbicides or pesticides because it is grown next to a rain forest growers are not allowed to spray (what a blessing). We require that the fruit we use is freeze dried to lock in the flavour without additives and Australian Fruit Tea only use natural flavours.

If you see “flavours” on an ingredient list anywhere you can guarantee it will not be a natural flavour. Any company who has gone to the trouble of using a natural flavour will always say so. Please all be so careful about what you put into your body and I hope you will enjoy a cup of Australian Fruit Tea in 2008.

Good health to you all for 2008.