Tea Consumption Can Improve Your Health

Did you know that tea is the most commonly consumed beverage in the world? Tea has been embedded in Eastern culture for hundreds of years because it was thought to bring good health, wellness and wisdom. Now, researchers in the West are starting to take notice of the health benefits and are now researching the benefits of tea consumption as well. In the United States, more people in recent years have changed from drinking their morning brew of coffee to enjoying tea because of its known health qualities. Although, over 80% of tea in the U.S  is consumed cold unlike the rest of the world, more and more Americans are starting to catch on to hot tea.  Although, in the southern United States sweet iced tea is the reigning king, more Southerners in the senior age group are starting to consume more hot tea. A senior living in Alpharetta, Ga  will not have any issues finding tea because loose leaf tea shops are popping up across America.

There are so many ways to make your own perfect cup. Some prefer honey, natural sugar or agave, while others prefer tea with a lemon or mint. Regardless of how it is prepared, the tea plant itself  is beneficial to health and longevity because of its high levels of antioxidants, flavanols, flavonoids and polyphenols. Tea lowers the risk of several health issues such as cognitive impairments, osteoporosis and high blood pressure in seniors. Dogwood Forest Assisted Living in Alpharetta, Ga offers tea in its bistro regularly so that residents can reap the benefits. Tea also contains L-theanine which is associated with improving the mental state of humans because of its ability to expand concentration and alertness in humans while also maintaining calmness. In this regard, tea is enjoyed as a meditative practice.

There are several forms of tea that are healthful in different ways. White tea is the least processed, and is generally light in color. It is great for clearing the skin and a smoothing the complexion. Oolong teas has been study as a weight loss aide. Black tea is the most common for Americans and it aides in maintaining optimal health. Rooibos tea from South Africa are known to aide in digestion and support the immune system.  But out of all tea varieties, green tea has been praised as the most healthful.

Green Tea and Seniors

Green teas benefits are numerous as the tea is high in anti-oxidants, which help to maintain healthy cells. Green tea has more polyphenols, which are bioactive molecules. Specifically EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), which has been found to protect DNA from oxidative stress as well as an effective treatment for certain diseases such as HIV and certain cancer. Many studies have shown that regular consumption- around 3-5 cups per day- could increase energy levels, help with weight control,  will decrease the chances of heart disease and certain cancers, as well as regulating blood sugar in those who are diabetic.

Green tea has been known for healthful benefits in Japan for centuries, and many Japanese seniors has attributed green tea to long life. But now  a senior living here in Alpharetta, Ga. are learning more about its benefits as well. Senior adults can benefit from this wonderful and inexpensive wonder brew.  A new Japanese study has shown that senior adults who consumed green tea regularly tended to have significant low occurrences of depression, had more mental clarity and cognitive sharpness, a decrease in frailty and a decrease in functional disability over time. Functional disability means activities of daily living that affects long term care. The study was conducted in Japan had 14,000 participants who were 65 years or older and were followed for 3 years using corresponding data on functional disability from the public Long-term Care Insurance database. Significant results were found for those that used green tea. Overall, seniors who used green tea also had more healthful diets, engaged in social activity with an overall positive lifestyle. The study, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that green tea helped improve health in the later years in contrast to other teas such as black, and oolong teas .

However, whether you enjoy black, green or oolong all tea has been found to have more benefits than most other beverages we consume. Why waste your calories on sugary unhealthy beverages when you could consume healthy beverages? Weather you are living independently or in an assisted living in Alpharetta, Ga, tea is a easy thing to incorporate into you diet. There are far too many benefits to pass up. Brew you a nice cup of tea because your body deserves it.