Tea Facts and Quotations

• "Do you want an adventure now," Peter said casually to John, "or would you like to have your tea first?" Wendy said, "Tea first, quickly." - J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
• On the bizarre side: The average bottle of antiperspirant costs about $3 - but a tea bag costs just pennies. A tea bag? Yes! says Andre Rubman M.D. of the University of Bridgeport's College of Naturopathic Medicine. Research shows black tea has the power to control odor and wetness just like antiperspirant! Tea is a powerful germicide, killing the germs that cause odor on contact. "Black tea is also an astringent, which temporarily inhibits sweat production by shrinking pores," explains Dr. Rubman. For the best results he advises, drop two tea bags in one cup of boiling water; steep for five minutes, then remove tea bags and cool. Store tea in a tightly closed container, and each day, use a cotton ball to dab a small amount under your arms. (I haven't tried this and make no claims! - Lori)
• On any given day, about one half the U.S. population drinks tea. On a regional basis, the South and Northeast have the greatest concentration of tea drinkers.

Tea and Health News

• Protection from pesticides:
  In May, researchers reported that black tea extract given to mice prior to exposure to pesticides helped to diminish the toxic effects of the pesticides compared to mice not given the tea extract. It protected liver tissue from oxidative damage and helped to replenish antioxidant levels in the body. Clin Chim Acta, May 7, 2005.
• Lung Cancer:
  Black tea also confers some protection against lung cancer. Over one million people around the world are likely to die from lung cancer from smoking and other pollutants. In this study, mice with lung cancer were treated with black tea and their tissues were examined several times over several months. At weeks 8, 17, and 26 of treatment with tea, abnormal cell growth was reduced and death of abnormal cells increased compared to the cancer control group. The authors conclude black tea may have a promising role in the prevention of lung cancer. Eur J Cancer Prev, June 1, 2005.

Tea and Health News provided by: TheTeaTable.com

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