Super Teas

Tea is so much more than English breakfast tea with milk and sugar. Tea has verifiable health benefits, and more than milk, it really does a body good. If you're looking for a superfood that's low in calories and high in antioxidents, nutrients, and medicinal benefits, tea is the perfect food.

Pu-erh Tea

Pu-erh (pronounced poo-air) qualifies to be called a tea since it is a genus of the Camellia plant. By strict definition, only beverages made of this plant are true teas.

Pu-erh is one tea that you have probably not heard of unless you're a tea afficionado. Even people who love pu-erh say it is an acquired taste. The taste is said to be earthy and reminiscent of mushrooms.

The benefit of pu-erh tea is that it reduces cholesterol in the blood. Chinese doctors reported clinical experiments in the 1970s in which drinking pu-erh was shown to lower cholesterol levels. French scientists were able to duplicate these results.

Like wine, pu-erh tea is more valuable when aged. Older tea cakes can sell for thousands of dollars so you will see a wide range in price.

Hawthorne Tea

Herbalists have used Hawthorne in concoctions to cure heart disease for centuries. They knew that it regulates the circulatory system so it's good for hypertension, low blood pressure, arythmias, and heart murmurs.

The berries, leaves, and leaves of the Hawthorne plant contain flavonoids that are thought to be responsible for its improved coronary blood flow, and antioxidant properties.

If heart disease runs in your family, Hawthorne tea may be an excellent preventative. Consult your doctor before taking Hawthorne if you are takingDigitalis (Digoxin) or any other anti-arrhythmic treatments.

Kombucha

Kombucha does not meet the true definition of tea, but that is what it's known as. Kombucha is actually a several species of yeast and bacteria that is mixed with green, black, or oolong tea and sugar.

Kombucha is an old beverage with the first known use being around 221 B.C., in China. It is said to be a cure for early stage cancer, arthritis, kidney stones, high cholesterol, and many more.While some do grow their own kombucha at home, it is time consuming. Most people prefer to buy the bottled variety in their local health food store.

When the beverage is finally mixed and brewed, it contains a mix of B vitamins, enzymes, probiotics, and acids found to move toxins out of the body. Most people experience a feeling of well being immediately upon drinking it. Kombucha is said to aid better digestion, clearer skin, and reduction in joint and body pain.