Tea healthier than water

put the kettle on then...

[Syzygy]

They found clear evidence that drinking three to four cups of tea a day can cut the chances of having a heart attack. Some studies suggested tea consumption protected against cancer, although this effect was less clear-cut. Other health benefits seen included protection against tooth plaque and potentially tooth decay, plus bone strengthening.

Dr Ruxton said: "Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water. Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants so its got two things going for it."

Courtesy of the BBC [news.bbc.co.uk].

Anyone fancy a brew?

[AWildman]

Wow! That's good news. I love tea but I'm so addicted to pop that I rarely drink anything else! I've gotta get this pop monkey off my back and drink me some tea!

[Hawkgirl]

I'm too lazy to click the link ... hehe. But I wonder, are they talking about black tea, green tea, white tea, all teas?

[Syzygy]

Too lazy to click on the link? Lol!

Abstract

Objective:
To consider whether consumption of black tea has a positive or negative impact on health.

Conclusions:
There was sufficient evidence to show risk reduction for CHD at intakes of greater than or equal to 3 cups per day and for improved antioxidant status at intakes of one to six cups per day. A maximum intake of eight cups per day would minimise any risk relating to excess caffeine consumption. Black tea generally had a positive effect on health.

Syzygy

[tbear]

Maybe I'm wrong, but nothing is better than water at replacing fluids......

[natural number]

I have two monkeys on my back also: The pop monkey and the beer monkey. My pop consumption is usually FAYGO. I buy it in bulk at Sam's club ... slamn!

ALso, did this study use sugar in tea... baby love sugar.

[digitalghost]

>>Tea healthier than water

I'm happy for tea. Little sad for water. But, umm, how healthful is tea compared to water?

[lawman]

The phantom wordsmith strikes again. :)

[Syzygy]

The distinction in meaning between healthy (“possessing good health”) and healthful (“conducive to good health”) was ascribed to the two terms only as late as the 1880s. This distinction, though tenaciously supported by some critics, is belied by citational evidence - healthy has been used to mean “healthful” since the 16th century.

Source: Answers.com [answers.com]

DG, you're not that old, surely? Maybe it's the tea...

;-)

Syzygy

[digitalghost]

Just because they screwed it up in the 16th century doesn't mean we have to be saddled with their poor choice for eternity. There's a perfectly good reason to make the distinction between 'healthy' and 'healthful', especially in this age of health insanity.

Apples are healthy.. Are the apples ripe, luscious and particularly robust specimens? Or are they simply nutritious and good for you?

But if we must be saddled with definitions from the past, then I prefer the Old English, 1000-1200 'haelth' or 'helthe'- a being whole, sound or well, from which, your 1552 definition was derived.

If you think I'm being overly pedantic, you're probably correct. ;) I've been dealing with semantic relationships, word dependencies and 'universal' definitions for the last 6 to 8 weeks exlusively. Is a truck an 'auto'? Wheels or tires? Or tyres? Soda, pop, cola or Coke?

Given this list, what doesn't belong? Cucumbers, Corn, Potatoes, Beans, Squash, Venison, Spinach? What if the entire list was placed under a category named 'food'? Does venison fit in a 'meat' category' or should it be placed in a subcategory under 'meat'? Say, Meat - Poultry, Fish, Pork, Wild Game?

And yes, there's a way to subcategorize the list of 'vegetables' given above, in fact, I've created my own tenet regarding categorization. Specificity is exclusive, not inclusive.

And yes, my analysis tends to make me a bit anal regarding words. It may not be conducive to good health. ;)

[limbo]

DG, time you too a break and had a nice cup of...

But I wonder, are they talking about black tea, green tea, white tea, all teas?

I read similar article about tea a few years ago - then my uncle, a scientist working for a large chocolate confectioner, began to corroborate and hypnotise me with all sorts of readings, findings and benefits relating to the tea plant, in all its forms. It appears that it doesn't really matter if its typhoo with or hand picked lapsang made by naked virgins performing tantric yoga - it is all good for you.

[Hawkgirl]

> it is all good for you

That's good to hear. It's my beverage of choice. The only way I'd stop drinking so much tea is if someone figures out it's BAD for you. :)

[digitalghost]

Does anyone put any faith in 'studies' about health? Milk used to be good for you. Now it's bad. Salt was good. Now it's bad. But then it was good again. Now it's bad. Carbs are good. Carbs are bad. Good and Bad Carbs. Cholesterol bad. Cholesterol Good. Good and Bad cholesterol.

Eggs, the perfect food. Eggs are bad for you.

Wine? Good for you. Wine, bad for you. Same with beer.

The only thing I can discern for sure is that moderation is good for you.

[Hawkgirl]

There's a difference between what the media jumps onto as "health news" and what the research is saying. I don't trust media to give me health news - I trust peer-reviewed medical journals and studies. Even those can be faulty - but they're the best we've got. And I think the knowledge is becoming more refined the more we learn.

Like anything else, you have to be an informed consumer and you have to do your own homework.

[percentages]

>They found clear evidence that drinking three to four cups of tea a day can cut the chances of having a heart attack.

I buy into that one. My family, me included, drink 4 to 10 cups per day.......heart attacks have never been a cause of death in the last century!

>Some studies suggested tea consumption protected against cancer,

Okay....I'll buy that also.....no Cancer victims in the last century!

>Other health benefits seen included protection against tooth plaque and potentially tooth decay,

Okay, here we must part company. The entire family, (40+ people) haven't suffered from heart attacks or Cancer......but, most have suffered with tooth decay.....okay....a desirable evil given the benefits.....but, I would suggest that excessive tea is a life provider, but, a tooth rotter (especially as most of the above folks took sugar with their tea!)

I believe hot tea is a great drink, probably makes you live longer, especially when taken without suger!

[ska_demon]

are they talking about black tea, green tea, white tea, all teas?

They all come from the same plant, it's just the level of fermentation that determines the colour.

(Had to be an Englishman with the crap tea trivia didn't it)

The worst food is gravel.

I know because I stuffed my motocrosser into a ditch at the weekend and ate a lot of it. It is also very hard to get out of your nose.

Crunchy!

Ska

[skibum]

Most studies seem to say Green is best but now Black and White seem to be getting kudos too. The loose stuff is the way to go, fresher, tastier and most of the Lipton type stuff they sell in tea bags is the crumbs left over from the good stuff. Loose tend to be more expensive in many cases but well worth it.

[truezeta]

Hmm, I've sent this link to my dear friend who just had triple bypass surgery and was an avid tea drinker.

Yeah, drink up...

[Syzygy]

A sobering article from a former editor of the British Medical Journal, published in the Guardian newspaper, on the many health claims made by scientists...

Science is cruel. Reports about the benefits of healthy foods should be treated with great caution.

Here [guardian.co.uk].

Syzygy