Cozy Up To A Cup of Tea

The weather is turning cold!   Winter can be a bit of a downer to some of us.  My prescription for a pick me up on a cold afternoon is ….TEA! There are a lot of health benefits available from cozying up to a cup of tea.  Of course, in the United States, coffee is still the beverage of choice when a little caffeine is needed.  Worldwide, however, tea is consumed at a rate 3 times that of coffee.  And even in the United States we are increasing our consumption of tea.  Most of us seem to prefer black tea (87%) but about 12.5% drink green tea.

Some of the benefits from tea, besides the sheer comfort of a hot drink, come from the caffeine it contains.  Research currently says that consuming up to 400 mg of caffeine daily is safe for most adults.  It can increase mental alertness, of course, but it also has been linked to a lower risk of Alzheimers disease.  It is important to remember, though, that too much of a good thing can cause some unwanted side effects such as headache, tremor, insomnia and anxiety.

And be careful what you put in your tea!  Adding a lot of sugar or cream may negate the  positive effects.  Definitely avoid nondairy creamers, as they often contain trans fat which you need to avoid at all costs!