A Nice Cuppa

It is dark and stormy in the Big Apple today. Personally, I adore thunderstorms. As I was growing up, every time there would be a rainy day, my younger sister and I would have a special ritual. We’d lay out a big, fluffy quilt our grandma made us on the floor of our shared bedroom, then we would dump out all of our Legos, pick out a movie, and play to our hearts content. As part of our ritual, we would always make sure we had cups of steaming hot tea to make us feel all warm inside while we watched the storm.

When I woke up to the sounds of thunder and rain hitting my windowsill this morning, a wave of nostalgia hit me. Since I had the day off work anyway, I decided to sit aside the piles of paperwork sitting on my desk and watch the storm the way my sister and I used to. I laid out my big green quilt, dumped out my Rubbermaid full of Legos that usually stays hidden under my bed as a remembrance of days long past, popped a chick flick into my DVD player, and went to make myself a cup of hot tea.

My boyfriend, Tom, had made the last grocery shopping trip on his own and he bought the variety box of teas. After grabbing the box of assorted teas, I quickly noticed that the only type left was green tea. I was a little disappointed not to be able to have my usual cup of Earl Grey, but since I had no other option, I used the green tea. I told myself, “Oh well, Leah, it’s healthier for you anyway.” Then I realized that I had no idea how or why green tea was healthier. So while the tea was brewing, I took some time to research the health benefits of drinking green tea. What I found amazed me and I decided I simply must share it with all of you out there who also have no idea what these remarkable green leaves can do for you!

Drinking green tea on a regular basis can reduce your risk of cancer, aid in reducing inflammation due to arthritis, reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, aid in your immune system’s functions, lower cholesterol, reduce risks of infection, aid in formation of blood clots, and even help prevent tooth decay! The “powerhouse” behind this amazing drink is the anti-oxidants that are found in the leaves. Green tea is actually the richest natural source of powerful anti-oxidants on the planet!

Thankfully, adding sugar, milk, or lemon to the tea does not affect in any way the health benefits derived from drinking green tea. Which is wonderful for me, because I love adding tons of sugar and lemon to my drinks! The only negative side effect that can be found from drinking green tea is that some people have developed insomnia due to the natural caffeine that is found in green tea. However, it still contains less caffeine than coffee, so it is definitely a better alternative to the morning cup’o'joe.

Studies at the University of California show that to get the maximum amount of benefits from this “miracle drink,” you should drink 4-5 cups of green tea per day. Personally, I don’t think I could handle that… I do love a nice, hot cup of tea, but I doubt I could ever overcome my coffee addiction. However, for those of you that could– you will most likely live a few years longer than I will!

Well, now that I have passed along my new-found knowledge of green tea’s health benefits, and my tea is finished brewing, I am going to go play with my Legos, watch the thunderstorms roll in, and drink my nice, healthy cup of green tea.