What's Brewing

There's nothing like a nice cuppa tea to help you unwind, re-energise and feel revived, and of course, a pot of your favourite brew is the perfect blend for a hot gossip with your friends. Which might explain why, sales of green tea have soared in Ireland. You see, word on the street is that green tea is very good for you. It contains antioxidants, is anti-aging, helps protect against certain cancers and may even aid with weight loss. Green tea is now the preferred drink of supermodels and celebrity green tea lovers such as Jennifer Lopez and Lindsay Lohan have also helped boost sales. But is it really better than a good old fashioned cuppa? Here, our favourite brew is still Lyons Original Blend, a black tea, which is one of the oldest and most loved cups of tea in Ireland. And the good news keeps coming for lovers of our favourite brew, as there's now a list of benefits now associated with both green and black teas. Here we take a look at what all the fuss is about ttand see what's brewing in the world of tea.

1. Tea contains antioxidants. These antioxidants in tea help protect your body from the signs of aging and the effects of pollution. Tea is a natural source of antioxidants called flavonoids and both green and black tea which, come from the same plant, contain similar amounts. Antioxidants are compounds that protect our body's cells from damage caused by free radicals. Some free radicals occur in response to exposure to excess pollution, UV sunlight and cigarette smoke. Damage by free radicals is one factor that is believed to contribute to the development of many chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. In recent research at Kings College London, they found that black tea generally has a positive effect on health as it replaces fluids and contains antioxidants. They also found clear evidence that drinking three to four coups a day may play a role in protecting against heart disease.

2. Tea has less caffeine than coffee. A standard cup of tea contains less than half the level of caffeine in a typical cup of instant coffee. Brewed coffee has about three times more caffeine. If you get the jitters or find it hard to sleep from coffee, then try switching to tea. Research indicates that low levels of caffeine in tea do not cause dehydration and may even provide us with a mental and physical boost.

3. Tea helps keep you hydrated. Our body is made up of 70% fluid and we need to ensure we replaced fluid regularly to prevent dehydration. Studies have shown that when we are dehydrated we are less alert, less able to concentrate, more tired and more moody. To avoid being snappy and moody, we should be drinking between 1.5 and 2.5 litres of fluids per day and not surprisingly the top drink to consume is water. However, caffeinated drinks, including tea, which used to be on the list of beverages that didn't contribute to our daily fluid needs have now been reassessed and added to the list. A team of highly respected and independent scientists in the USA have shown that tea is the next best drink to water in supporting hydration and can contribute to our daily fluid requirements. However, this doesn't mean you can replace water with tea but you can drink 4 cups of tea a day and contribute this to your daily fluid requirements.

4. Tea increases your metabolism. Lots of people complain about a slow metabolic rate and their inability to lose weight. Green tea has been shown to actually increase metabolic rate so that you can burn about 60 additional calories by drinking just five cups of green tea per day. And that's not including the calories you burn when walking to the kettle! But 60 calories isn't really a huge amount (it would take 58 days of tea drinking to lose a pound) and scientists aren't certain that green tea itself stimulates weight loss, but if you substitute it for cappuccinos, lattes and other drinks, the calorie savings may help you slim down.

5. Tea is calorie-free. Tea doesn't have any calories, unless you add sweetener or milk. If you're looking for a satisfying, calorie-free beverage, tea is a top choice. And right now, I'm off for a cuppa of my favourite Lyons Gold blend tea!

Tea and Beauty

Traditionally, many types of make-up, lotions, creams and beauty preparations have used chemical antioxidants, or vitamins A, C and E as preservatives for their products. Now, with research indicating that green tea has even more antioxidant properties than these powerful vitamins, there is a surge in products capitalising on its natural benefits. Elizabeth Arden are at the forefront of developing products using green tea extracts and have numerous products in this range. I'm loving their new Green Tea Tropical perfume, which is a perfect summertime fragrance as it's clean, refreshing and very fruity. Maybe it's just me, but something about the tropics sounds very appealing too!