Tea should be stored in a tightly metal container so that it remains fresh. To enjoy a perfect cup of tea it should be well brewed. To make a good cup of tea the following steps to be followed:

• Take fresh water and bring it to boil.
• Measure the tea carefully. Use 1 teaspoon (2 gm) of tea for each cup and 1 tsp extra for the pot.
• FIrst pour tea in a tea pot
• Then pour the boiling water into the teapot.
• Allow the tea to brew for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Pour the brewed tea into the cup and drink it with or without milk and sugar according to your taste.

Some handy tips

• Always use fresh water
• Boil the water fully and correctly. The Tea pot should be warmed by rinsing it in hot water.
• Darjeeling tea are best enjoied without milk and not very hot

For that tingling taste ......... Take fresh water.
Boil it to a full boil. Do not boil for more than half a minute.
Take a spoonful of tea in a dry vessel.
Pour boiling water into the dry vessel.
Cover the vessel and leave for 5 minutes.
Pour out the tea into cup. Add milk and sugar to taste.

What are the health benefits of tea? Tea is rich in dietary anti-oxidants. As a result, drinking tea reduces risk of cancer, heart diseases and diabetes. It also retards the progression of the eye lens cataract. It also helps fight cavities and other gum diseases.

It is commonly believed that tea I has the power to make one re lax. Is that true?

Tea plays a dual role on the nerves. On the one hand it in creases mental alertness and on the other it reduces fatigue, improves mood, reduces anxiety and helps in relaxation.

People have a notion that tea mixed with milk and sugar not good for health. Comment.

Addition of milk and sugar doesn’t affect the anti-oxidant  activities of tea and thus none of the health benefits are lost. In fact, children and young people should have tea with milk and sugar, as sugar increases energy levels and milk also has its own nutritional benefits. But aged people shouldn’t have too much sugar because of the calorie content, and should have more of black tea.

How many cups of tea should a healthy person have per day?

It depends from person to per son. But, three cups a day is perfectly healthy. Also, you can have tea at any time of the day. Only, it should be avoided immediately after a vegetarian meal.

Which kind of tea is most beneficial for health?

All kinds of tea, be it dust or whole leaves, has the same amount of anti-oxidants and thus have the same benefits.

Smita Roy Chowdhury
Times News Network

New studies have shown that drinking tea, especially given tea which us high in antioxidants, not only helps improve general health hut also cuts risk of chronic diseases, says Dr HK Chopra.

It has been shown in various research studies that green tea is associated with -protection against certain types of cancer including lung and stomach cancer. Moreover a study in Japan found that the regular consumption of green tea (more than 3 cups a day) might be protective against of breast cancer in the early stages. Green tea inhibits the DNA replication in leukaemia cells resulting in the death of these cells; it is anti carcinogenic, potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, cholesterol lowering; antiviral and antibacterial. Several substances, classified as antioxidants, are found in tea and these are the components that are able to combine with unstable positively charged oxygen molecules, otherwise known as ‘free radicals’ and thus stopping them from damaging cells and DNA. As a consequence to the damage, various health problems develop. Green tea, which is high in antioxidants, has received the most attention about its health benefits. Yet another non-oxidized tea which is much less common, namely white tea is also high in antioxidants. As for ‘availability, in India one can find Darjeeling White tea.

Tea drinking may help keep heart attack victims alive according to a study at Harvard Medical school. This study reviewed 1900 men and women in their 60s who had suffered heart attack and found who drank tea two cups a day had 44% lower death rate than non tea drinkers. Moderate tea drinking reduced risk of heart attack by 40%.

Studies have shown flavonoids in tea reduce the risk of brain stroke by more than 50%.

It has been documented in a Japanese study that there is definite slowdown in increase of cancer incidence among tea drinkers. In another study it was reported that green tea drinkers had 48% reduced risk of developing stomach cancer and 51% less risk of developing chronic gastritis when compared to those who do not drink tea.