Coming Home Magazine

TEA VS. HERBAL TEA For most people, tea is tea, a blend of spices and/or herbs in water. But for tea aficionados, there's a difference. This may be surprising, but the term "tea" can be used to describe actual tea, the drink that's made using tea plant leaves, or herbal tea, which is a drink that's made using leaves from other plants. Teas brewed from the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant, the tea plant native to East Asia, are considered true teas. These teas have high-powered antioxidants that help the heart, lungs, and brain function better. They're also naturally caffeinated. These are your black, oolong, green, and white teas. But tea made from other plants—and parts of other plants, like the stem, leaves, roots, flowers, or bark—is called tisane, or herbal tea. Herbal teas, like chamomile, ginger, and peppermint teas, are decaffeinated and have feel-good bonuses, too. How you choose to brew and blend your teas is up to you. It's completely okay to mix a true tea bag with your favorite herbs and spices to make a blend uniquely suited to you. WHAT MAKES TRUE TEAS SO HEALTHY? Tea leaves that come from the tea plant hold a lot of nutritional value. When these leaves are harvested, they go through various stages of oxygen exposure to get their distinct color, flavor, and health attributes. In using these leaves for tea, you'll get more flavor out of the really oxidized leaves (black tea) and more of the healthy stuff from the least oxidized leaves (white tea). Let's break it down. Black tea. In black tea, you're tasting the most oxidized tea leaves. That means the leaves have been exposed to air for a long time—until they turn black. Sometimes, they're even broken and mashed up, so all parts of the leaves get aired out. Doing this makes black tea strong and robust in flavor and amps up its theaflavin content, but reduces the other healthy perks. The great news is that theaflavin is a chemical that can promote heart health and improve focus and blood sugar levels. Oolong tea. Oolong tea is the traditional Chinese tea, and while it's the least consumed tea in the world, it's teeming with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It's partially oxidized and may prevent diabetes, support heart health, and help with weight loss. Green tea. Green tea leaves are left to dry in the sun or by pan-fire. Because these tea leaves don't get as much air, they have a high antioxidant content and beneficial micronutrients. Green tea is known to have a positive impact on skin health, weight loss, and cardiovascular conditions. White tea. One of the rarer forms of tea and the least processed and oxidized teas, white tea is made using only baby tea leaves and undergoes natural drying after harvest. In this natural state, it contains the most antioxidants and may lower blood pressure, improve circulation, and decrease the risk of heart disease. T here's a Tea for T hat Teas have an unbelievable ability to fight what ails you. Whether it's the warmth that softens a scratchy throat or the blend of spices that calms an upset stomach, a tea's makeup can provide the relief you need to feel better, faster. Review your symptoms, and reach for a tea that's effective against them. COUGH Got a cough? Check out echinacea or slippery elm teas. Echinacea is an immunity booster that helps your body fight germs and infections. It can shorten the duration of a common cold or flu and alleviate symptoms. Slippery elm contains mucilage, a sticky mixture of sugars that coats the throat and eases coughs. SORE THROAT Soothe scratchiness and soreness with peppermint and licorice root teas. The workhorse in peppermint tea is menthol, a decongestant that cools a sore throat. From the licorice plant, glycyrrhiza glabra, licorice root's anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects target upper respiratory conditions. CONGESTION To relieve stuffiness, pick green tea. Packed with antioxidants like catechins, polyphenols, and flavonoids, green tea minimizes inflammation and swelling that cause your nasal passages to feel blocked. ANXIETY Calm your mind and body with lavender tea. Used in soaps, oils, and balms, lavender in tea form can be just as successful in stabilizing mood and encouraging relaxation. NAUSEA Settle an upset stomach with ginger tea. Featuring the medicinal properties of gingerol and shogaols compounds, the ginger in tea increases digestive responsiveness and speeds up stomach emptying to thwart nausea. SLEEPLESSNESS Chamomile tea has been the number-one choice for getting quality rest. Derived from the chamomile plant, chamomile tea is recognized for its sedative traits. It also includes apigenin, an antioxidant that can induce muscle relaxation and sleep. COMING HOME MAGAZINE 7

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