5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Tea

Tea is thought to have originated in China over five thousand years ago when Emperor Shen Nung, who was ahead of his time, insisted that all water consumed by the household be boiled. One day, he was out in his territory when his entourage stopped in order to boil drinking water. It is said that some leaves from the nearby bushes dropped into his water and the resulting brew was so revitalising that the bushes were taken back to the palace. The news spread and tea drinking became highly fashionable.

Whichever type you choose to drink, be it green tea, black tea, Chinese, white or herbal tea, it is a healthy option thanks to its cleansing and antioxidant properties. It is now common knowledge that tea contains antioxidant catechins, the same as are found in dark chocolate, which reduce the risk of stroke and diabetes. But is that all tea is good for?

Sunburn and puffy eyes:
In order to reduce swelling and puffiness of the eyes, lie down with a damp teabag over each eye. Leave the bags on for about twenty minutes and your eyes will feel fresher and look revitalised. A moist teabag can also be used for soothing sunburn or other burns. Either place the teabag directly onto a burn or bathe the burn in dilute tea. This takes way the sting and helps skin heal more quickly. Tea also contains an antioxidant called epigallocatechin-3-gallate, which is known to protect skin from the sun’s UV rays.

Odour absorber:
Tea can remove bad smells, particularly from the skin. If you have been working with garlic, or other intensely smelly products, a cup of tea poured over the hands works wonders.

Heart attacks:
Current research has shown that the flavanoids present in tea are able to reduce a person's risk of heart attack, and have also shown that this protective effect is more pronounced in women than in men. A study that followed 4,807 adults, over 55 years of age with no medical history of heart problems, found an inverse relationship between heart attacks and tea intake. Participants drinking at least 375 ml of tea every day reduced their risk of a heart attack by 43% and their risk of a fatal heart attack by 70%.

Warts:
Tea is as efficient as ointments at wart removal thanks to the acidity of tannin. A wet teabag placed on the affected area three times a day for fifteen minutes will result in the wart shrinking and disappearing. Tea extracts are now also incorporated into commercial wart treatment products.

Oral Health:
In 2006 the UK Tea Council issued a report stating that tea is a powerful protector of dental health. Tea contains fluoride, which binds to tooth enamel and slows the rate of tooth decay. The presence of certain tannins inhibits growth of some bacteria that can cause plaque thereby preventing cavities.

By: Marcus A Taylor

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This article was written by a tea specialist