Health Benefits of Tea and Honey
We’ve long known that besides the incredible taste of tea, there are many health benefits associated with this enjoyable drink. We also know that honey is an undisputed force for combating diseases and maintaining good health. But, did you know that combining tea with honey inserts a blast of benefits that far exceeds ingesting each one by itself?
The Western hemisphere is far behind the Eastern hemisphere in knowledge and research of the health benefits of tea and honey. In fact, effects of drinking certain teas have been studied in China for 4,700 years when Emperor Shennong wrote that some teas (oolong, green, white and black) could successfully treat medical ailments such as fatigue, tumors, abscesses and conditions involving the bladder.
We now know that it’s the cleansing antioxidants in tea that makes it so valuable to our health. Tea is also a stimulant, which explains how it can help us overcome fatigue. Many recent studies have shown that green tea may reduce the risk of breast and prostate cancer.
Honey is also an ancient food source and beneficial method of treating certain medical conditions. It’s said to have been mentioned in Babylonian and Sumerian writings, in the ancient documents of Egypt and India and also believed to have been used even further back in time.
Together, tea and honey can provide powerful and extraordinary health benefits to our lives. In this report, we’ll explore which teas are valuable in antioxidants and are beneficial to reducing health maladies in our lives and how adding honey to tea can maximize the advantages.
Health Benefits of Tulsi Tea
A mix of spicy and sweet, Tulsi tea is said to be a gift from nature to the human race. You can name almost any health problem and learn why Tulsi tea can help improve or eradicate it.
Tulsi is actually an herb grown primarily in India, where it’s commonly referred to as “holy basil.” India’s ancient health system is called Ayurveda, meaning “knowledge of life,” and the Tulsi herb is the foundation of the system. Ayurveda is mentioned in writings as far back as 5000 BC and is holistic in nature – promoting both mental and physical health.
Plentiful in antioxidants, Tulsi contains a myriad of properties that are essential to maintain good health. Among the health benefits you can reap by drinking Tulsi tea are:
- Respiratory health
- Protects against “free radicals” which damage our bodies. (Free radicals are caused by conditions in our lives such as smoking and environmental pollution).
- Digestive system
- Metabolism
- Vision
- Immune system
- Pain relief
- Slows aging
There’s almost no end to the benefits that Tulsi tea can bring to your body. You can easily see why the Tulsi plant was considered sacred in India and could be found in almost every Indian household, grown in pots and used daily to promote health.
What Makes Tulsi So Beneficial?
This unique herb also has a distinctive chemical makeup that’s very complex in nature. The Tulsi herb’s most beneficial component is the presence of “phytochemicals” which are found to contain properties that serve to both protect and boost the body’s health.
Phytochemicals work together to protect and heal your immune system, which is the foundation or good health. Certain plants such as the tulsi herb produce phytochemicals to protect themselves from diseases, and recent scientific studies have proven that they can also help protect and assist humans in fighting disease.
These powerful phytochemicals contain many chemical properties that may be benefiicial, including antioxidants; isoflavones, which help hormonal issues; saponins, which prevent cancer cells from multiplying; allicin, which has anti-bacterial properties; indoles, which reduce the risk for some cancers; and proanthocyanidins, which adhere to cell walls and prevent the invasion of pathogens.
Many foods are rich in phytochemicals, but getting enough of them in our modern daily diet is a problem. A tea produced from the tulsi herb is an easy and pleasant way to get more phytochemicals in our diets.
It’s easy to make and has a sweet and spicy taste that you’ll enjoy. You can find online sites that will ship tulsi tea and provide recommendations about how to brew it and how it can help your health.
Health Benefits of Green Tea
Green tea has been enjoyed by multitudes of people for many centuries, beginning over 4,000 years ago in China and later spreading to most of the Eastern countries. It was used as a medicine to help healing, level body temperature, aid digestion and control bleeding.
Many ancient writings touted the health benefits of drinking green tea, and also explained how to grow and brew the leaves. Green tea has now become a staple in many pantries around the world.
Its benefits are numerous and scientists are still finding more about the health advantages that green tea can bring into our lives. Among these health benefits are:
- Diabetes prevention and control – Green tea has long been linked to diabetes as a way to reduce insulin levels and blood glucose. Catechins, found in green tea are said to block sucrose and starch in the digestive system.
- Weight loss – Green tea’s ability to block starch may help to rid our bodies of excess fat.
- Lower blood pressure – Those who suffer from high blood pressure can benefit from the effects of drinking green tea.
- Lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) – Green tea’s antioxidants help improve the flexibility of our body’s blood vessels.
- Heart disease – Antioxidants in green tea help to dilate the blood vessels and other components help to strengthen cell walls.
- Cancer – Many cancers are caused by “free radicals,” which feed on the body’s pollution and poor health conditions. The catechins found in green tea can have a profound effect on promoting a health immune system, which in turn gets rid of free radicals.
There are many other benefits to drinking green tea, a fact that the Eastern hemisphere has known for millenniums. Those who have enjoyed green tea for years report that they have more energy, lost weight and that many health maladies have lessened as a result.
Green tea has been the focus of many scientific studies that helped to determine the short and long-term effect of consuming this beneficial substance.
Types of Green Tea
Green tea isn’t as popular in the West as in the East, but it’s fast replacing black tea as the tea of choice, mainly due to its proven health benefits. The green tea leaves are processed by heating before they oxidize, which means that they must be steam or dry heated immediately after they’re harvested.
There are so many great green teas to choose from. Online stores have an amazing collection of many Japanese and Chinese teas, but you can also find them in specialty stores. Beware of supermarket green teas – they tend to be of lower quality and can taste bitter.
You may want to try several types before deciding on a particular one. There are flavored green teas as well as roasted and steamed. Some online tea stores have specialty packages, which offer a sampling of teas that you can try and order more of when you decide on one that you like. Be sure to purchase high quality green teas to reap the full health benefits.
Health Benefits of Honey
Honey is sometimes called the ‘miracle of nature.’ In terms of health benefits, honey can strengthen your immune system, help treat many ailments such as arthritis and give you a natural boost of energy. And – it tastes great!
Athletes use honey to enhance their performance and reduce pain and weakness of muscles from too much exercise. It’s the glucose contained in honey that gives an extra boost of energy and that can also keep your blood sugar at more constant levels.
Besides the quick benefits of boosting energy and giving you a “sweet” fix, there are long term health benefits to adding honey to your daily diet:
- Immune System – Honey to your immune system is like using Draino to clean pipes. It rids the body of free radicals that pollute your system and keep it from being able to effectively fight diseases.
- Anti–bacterial – If you’ve had problems with your digestive system, honey can use its anti-bacterial attributes to help get your organs working in sync to promote and aid digestion.
- Anti-cancer – While honey can’t cure cancer, it can prevent carcinogens and tumors from forming in your body.
- Natural home remedy – Honey has been used for literally thousands of years to help treat a myriad of complaints such as yeast infections, skin problems and as a natural method to alleviate pain.
- Sleep inducement – Honey has sleep inducing qualities that can help you get a good night’s sleep, especially when combined with a cup of chamomile tea.
- Weight loss – Honey contains more calories than sugar, but its ability to help digest fat stored in your body makes it a great addition to your diet plan if you’re trying to lose weight.
The health benefits of honey are still being studied by the medical and scientific communities. Try to find absolutely pure honey when you purchase it for health reasons. There are many online websites that offer great deals on the purest of honey and many health food stores also carry honey in pure form.
Combine Honey and Tea for Extra Health Benefits
Tea and honey go together like love and marriage. When you add honey to a cup of hot tulsi or green tea, you’ll reap health benefits many times more than having a single spoonful of honey or a cup of green tea.
The marriage of tea and honey produces and delicious beverage that provides medicinal values far beyond that of most items you can purchase in a pharmacy for certain ailments. Among the healing abilities of combining tea and honey are:
- Inflammation – When your body is inflamed because of an infection or illness, tea and honey can help to sooth the affected areas. Cancer is one of the inflammatory diseases that can benefit from a concoction of tea and honey, reducing swelling and bringing pain relief.
- LDL Cholesterol – Tea and honey provides an excellent medicinal combination for reducing bad (LDL) cholesterol and promoting good cholesterol. This powerful duo can free the arteries of debris caused by free radicals and plaque that can clog the arteries and cause a stroke.
- Heart Disease – Heart disease is caused by a number of different factors, including genetic, but by including tea and honey in your daily diet regimen, you can reduce the risks of having a heart attack. Tea and honey clears the arteries and promotes a healthy blood flow to the heart.
- Healing – Scientific research has revealed that tea and honey can advance the healing process of a body that’s been damaged in some way. The antioxidant powers of combining the two agents will trigger the healing of wounds and is also helpful after surgery.
- Cough and Cold – It was Grandma’s remedy back in the day, and it still works in today’s modern world of mentholated syrups and other sugary tasting medicines. While soothing a sore throat, tea and honey will also inhibit a severe cough.
The long-term effects of adding tea and honey to your diet can do wonders for your immune system and prevent the onslaught of diseases. Losing weight and feeling more energetic are also reasons for including honey and tea as part of your “get healthy” plan.
Besides the clearly defined health benefits of tulsi and green teas and the numerous advantages of honey, the combination of tastes from both of these powerful agents is like a burst of pure enjoyment. No wonder people have been combining tea and honey for centuries.
Enjoying a cup of tulsi or green tea alone can reap untold benefits to your body, but when you combine it with a spoonful of honey, you’re extending the cup’s nutritional benefits and also its enjoyment. The natural antioxidants in all three can provide your body with a lift that no other natural remedies can offer.
Online sites make it easy to browse through teas and honeys at your leisure. Be sure and find sites that offer pure products and take pride in the way they process and package the items. Consumers have become much more sophisticated about the various types of tea and honey, prompting tea houses and honey producers to cater to these savvy clients.
It’s fun and rewarding to add tulsi tea, green teas and honey to your diet as a supplemental drink – it’s a healthy and delicious plan.
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