Tea for health benefits

[UnrealizedPotential]

In particular I am curious about Chamomile tea but I would welcome any conversation about any tea with health benefits. I thought chamomile tea would help my blood pressure. So far, it's been about two weeks, it helps a lot. Chamomile tea is also supposed to be good for insomnia. Also it is supposed to make one relaxed. I have a full cup every morning. I am sticking with it. Any one else want to share about a tea they drink and the benefits you get from it. I am NOT suggesting that chamomile tea is good for blood pressure, I am saying it might be good. I would love to hear what others experience. I would also like to add it is cheap.

[RunningBum]

Thanks for reminding me that I wanted to start drinking tea, especially in winter, as a reasonably healthy alternative to other things I'd drink. I've never really tried to quantify benefits, and that would be hard for me to do since my exercise can be pretty variable depending on where I am in race prep. I usually do some kind of berry infused green or herbal tea. Will have to check out chamomile, if for no other reason to see if I can sleep through the night better. Sipping on a black cherry berry herbal tea right now.

[Senator]

I quit (mostly) drinkibg regular coca cola, and have switch to mostly iced tea.

Tea has got to be better than coca cola...

[HillCountry]

I drink Chinese green and red tea. They taste very mild.

Otherwise I pick beer over soda.

[Ready]

Chamomile tea is great for relaxation. And peppermint tea has always helped me with digestion after a meal.

But my favorite tea is Harney and Sons Cinnamon Spice. I don't know if it has any health benefits, but it tastes like those fireball jawbreakers I used to eat as a kid, and makes a great alternative to dessert when you need something sweet.

[kite_rider]

A couple of years ago DW started brewing Kombucha. There are a lot of health freaks in Oregon that claim this has all kinds of health benefits. I don't know... What I can say, is that it's a pretty tasty cool fizzy drink. I started drinking it after a long mt bike ride instead of my usual beer. After two or three glasses of Kombucha, I definitely feel better than when I drink two or three beers...

[Mr._Graybeard]

While visiting China I discovered puer, or puerh, tea. It's a large-leaf tea that is fermented. It has a very rich taste and is a good substitute for coffee, which aggravates my acid reflux.

A research study found that puer tea reduces LDL cholesterol in mice. It's also supposed to alleviate other factors of metabolic syndrome. Here's Dr. Weil's take, FWIW.

I take the health claims with a grain of salt, but I really like the taste. I buy it on eBay from merchants in China, and it's delivered in compressed cakes.

[medved]

Passionflower tea seems to be good for relaxation and insomnia. It seems to me more potent than chamomile. I cannot attest to its health benefits (or risks); I lack the requisite medical knowledge. It's a bit harder to find but can be bought on line. Beyond that, I drink green tea.

[Live And Learn]

I used to drink alot of coffee with milk and sugar up until I retired. Then I stopped adding the milk and sugar and really understood how delicious coffee really is. But I hate leftover coffee and the price of single serve coffee puts me off, so I switched to tea. I drink regular black tea but add a green tea bag at the same time. I haven't noticed any change in my blood values, my mood, or my sleep habits due to the green tea. I do like the taste. Tea relaxes me. Coffee makes me feel like I need to work.

[mamadogmamacat]

Have not quite kicked the coffee with milk and sugar habit yet. But, only with breakfast now that I am in ER. I did try a Kroger brand organic green tea with ginger today (was on sale). Used a bit of sugar. I must say the ginger was a nice touch. never much cared for green tea before as it really had little taste appeal for me (as compared to the smooth richness of say a British blend black tea), despite the alleged benefits, but this ginger green tea was quite nice. Have no idea if it will improve my health or not, too early to tell obviously.

[Winemaker]

While I was in the w%#kforce, I drank a half gallon of iced tea for 35 years every day. Two bags regular lipton, two bags decaf, two bags green was my choice since '91. Not so much now, but I do have more wine.

[tmm99]

My DH started drinking Earl Grey after watching a TED video by Angiogenesis Foundation

https://www.ted.com/talks/william_li

Food to Starve Cancer through Antiangiogenesis

Quote:

Earl Grey is highest in antiangiogenesis properties versus Chinese jasmine or Japanese sencha tea but not higher than Chinese jasmine and Japanese sencha tea combined together.

I am from Japan so I naturally lean toward green tea. I drink green tea every morning (sencha with matcha combined in my case) and Earl Grey some afternoons with Chai masala and a little cream. I don't like jasmine tea.

[DrRoy]

I dropped sodas a few years ago and now prefer white tea, then green, then black depending on availability.

[FIREd]

I drink herbal teas made with chamomile, lemon verbena, linden leaves and flowers, thyme, mint, lemon balm, etc... These herbs have traditionally been used to treat a variety of minor ailments such as insomnia, digestive disorders, muscle spams, stress/anxiety, inflammation, and more. I use chamomile to relax, lemon verbena to help me sleep, linden for cold symptoms , and so on.

I also drink regular tea (black, oolong, green, puerh, chai, etc...).

[sturbridge]

Herb teas are my first line of defense when experiencing minor issues (cold, ate too much...). I keep a selection with me when travelling to keep little issues from becoming bigger ones. For keeping my calm, I like holy basil (tulsi) tea. Its not sedating like chamomile, just kind of takes my angry edge off temporarily. I particularly like the Organic India brand (cinnamon-rose is my fav). Yogi teas "positive energy" is another one I like for when I'm feeling grumpy.

[friar1610]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senator I quit (mostly) drinkibg regular coca cola, and have switch to mostly iced tea. Tea has got to be better than coca cola...

I agree. I drink LOTS of iced tea in the summer. I used to drink lots of beer but gave that up some time ago. Never was a big soda drinker. One added bonus of iced tea - when you go out to restaurants you always get free refills. That's only sometimes true for soda and never the case for beer and wine.

[Dash man]

My urologist told me after a kidney stone to avoid tea, since it's a contributor to development of kidney stones for those prone to having them. I used to drink a lot of tea, but since I stopped I haven't had any kidney stones. Other dietary changes included dropping spinach, something else that was a big part of my diet.

[John Galt III]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Live And Learn I used to drink alot of coffee with milk and sugar up until I retired. Then I stopped adding the milk and sugar and really understood how delicious coffee really is. But I hate leftover coffee and the price of single serve coffee puts me off, so I switched to tea. I drink regular black tea but add a green tea bag at the same time. I haven't noticed any change in my blood values, my mood, or my sleep habits due to the green tea. I do like the taste. Tea relaxes me. Coffee makes me feel like I need to work.

I make 4 mugs of coffee at a time. I have 1 or 2 mugs then leave the rest in the carafe, turned off. I nuke the cold leftover coffee later and it tastes OK to me.

I tried to switch to tea decades ago, when they were saying coffee was so bad for you, but always felt tired and drugged on tea. A totally different buzz compared to coffee.

Back in my insomnia days I would drink a cup of decaf chamomile "Sleepy Time" tea, and it did relax me and let me sleep.

[FIREd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Galt III I tried to switch to tea decades ago, when they were saying coffee was so bad for you, but always felt tired and drugged on tea. A totally different buzz compared to coffee.

I can't drink coffee. A single cup makes me feel edgy. I much prefer the buzz that I get from tea. But DW is a coffee addict and tea does nothing for her.

[Marita40]

I'm a coffee lover and generally find tea insipid by comparison. I do tend to drink some herbal tea on cold afternoons as I need to stop coffee by noon or have a sleepless night.
My favorite is just a half squeezed lemon in a cup of hot water--guess that's hot lemonade and not tea. I don't put any sweetener in it.
I also occasionally like peppermint tea. Last year I started to get into turmeric and ginger tea--a big teaspoon of turmeric, some sliced ginger root, steep and strain. I liked it because it was far more hearty tasting than most herbal teas. However, it turns the tongue bright red, and then the toothbrush also.