Tea & Coffee

TEA & COFFEE

Drinking at least one cup of tea a day could cut the risk of heart attack by 44%, according to recent research. Investigators say the beneficial results probably are due to the powerful amounts of natural substances in tea known as flavonoids, vitamin-like nutrients that make blood cells less prone to clotting.

Flavonoids also are one of the most powerful antioxidants, or substances that offset the damaging effects of oxygen in the body.
Scientists say black tea contains more powerful flavonoids than green tea, while herbal teas are not known to contain any flavonoids.

		Other studies have shown that adding milk, sugar or lemon to the tea does not diminish the effect of the flavonoids. There also is no difference between drinking it hot or cold, or preparing it with loose tea leaves, tea bags or granulated crystals.

These are all minerals that are vital to health, and studies show that many people have marginal intake of some of these, such as iron and zinc.So, if you're concerned about your mineral levels, cut back on tea and coffee, or at least drink it away from meals. And remember, if you're taking supplements containing minerals, don't wash them down with a cup of tea or coffee!