Healthy teas other than green tea

MSN has a Q and A with Dr Andrew Weil about the different kinds of teas and what they are good for. The thing that I like about Dr Weil is the huge depth of knowledge that he has about alternative medicines and I remember reading one of his early books and just reading that book changed a lot of my preconceptions about the voodoo behind alternative medicines

Green Tea Alternatives – MSN Health & Fitness – Diet & Fitness

Black Tea

The color refers to the leaves; the beverage is deep amber. Black tea varieties include Darjeeling and Earl Grey; flavors range from spicy to flowery.

Benefits: May lower risk of heart disease and colon cancer; inhibits bacteria that cause cavities and bad breath.

Green Tea

If you find the flavor too “grassy,” try my favorites: jewel green matcha, which I enjoy every morning, and Japanese sencha.

Benefits: Has been shown in numerous studies to help prevent many kinds of cancer, lower cholesterol, and boost immunity.

Oolong Tea

Midway between green and black tea in color, flavor, and antioxidant action, oolong has a fresh floral or fruity aroma.

Benefits: Drinking 3 cups a day can help relieve itchy skin rashes.

Pu-Erh (poo-air) Tea

This dark red tea has an earthy flavor that reminds me of coffee and tobacco. It’s considered a delicacy in China (you can purchase it online), where its processing is a highly guarded secret. The most oxidized of teas, pu-erh is said to mellow and improve with age, like wine.

Benefits: May reduce cholesterol.

White Tea

Rare and expensive, this least processed tea has a flavor that’s a bit too subtle for me.

Benefits: Contains more antioxidants than other teas. Test-tube studies show that it blocks DNA mutations (which trigger tumor formation); a study on rats discovered it prevented precancerous colon tumors.

All of these Teas are readily available at most health food stores or even in some supermarkets

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