Turks and Tea!

After China and India, the world's two most populous countries, Turkey is third in tea consumption in the world. However, Turkey consumes the most tea if theamount is measured in proportion to the population. Based on data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the average annual tea consumption per person worldwide is less than 1 kilogram, but in Turkey each person consumes an average of more than 3 kilograms of tea every year.

In China, an average of 1.6 million tons of tea per year is consumed, while India comes a close second with almost 1 million tons in consumption. Turkey ranks third with around 240,000 tons of tea consumption per year. When it comes to tea production, Turkey is the fifth country on the list of highest tea producers, at 220,000 tons per year. China remains at the top of the list of producers worldwide, with almost 2 million tons of tea produced, followed by India, Sri Lanka and Kenya.

Çaykur, a Turkish tea production company, accounts for 60 percent of the Turkish tea sector and sold almost 5,000 tons of tea to 54 countries last year. The company sells tea to dozens of countries, including Australia, Kosovo, Mongolia and Saudi Arabia.

A large amount of the tea produced in Turkey tea is cultivated on the country's Black Sea coast. Two months ago, a training initiative for professional tea testers began so that they could better promote traditional Turkish tea, the country's most popular beverage. This was part of a project by the Rize Commodity Exchange Market. The training, which is given by tea experts, includes theory and practice classes that instruct participants on key information regarding tea's color, aromatic features, and the appearance of processed tea and strong tea.

The benefits of appropriate usage of caffeine and the side effects of chronic over-dosage

People are giving up coffee for tea. One popular reason is for reducing caffeine intake. There could be a couple hundred mg of caffeine in the cuppa while it can be as little as 1 mg in tea.

Before we go further to discuss this topic, however, the reader has to be aware that moderate intake of caffeine is not a bad idea for most people. Especially for those who know how to use fine teas for their caffeine content.

detox, fight alzheimer’s and fatty deposits

After all, the presence of methylxanthines in tea, such as caffeine and theobromine, not only keeps you alert, but may very well help fight Alzheimer’s disease. Caffeine also relaxes the bronchial smooth muscle in the air tract, and therefore helps breathing. The materials are also diuretic. Passing waste liquids is critical in detoxification. The presence of theobromine is also associated with preventing formation of fatty cells in the human body. It is therefore a contributive element in tea’s health effects for waist line control and prevention for cardiovascular diseases.

Much work is still needed for a usable database of the caffeine contents of various teas. Tea type and quality have systematically been made unclear in most surveys and researches regarding health related contents in tea. Anyway, there can still be an average of 40 mg of it in the cup of green tea; so why is it that people feel much better drinking tea?

caffeine works in synergy with others

A key may lie in tea’s other key contents: polyphenols and theanine. Especially abundant in green tea, epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG or EGC3G) is found to be the most potent tea polyphenols for anti-oxidative, anti-mutagenic and anti-pathogenic effects. Scientists isolating this substance from green tea for experiments discovered that it is often bonded with caffeine to form larger particles. Some found that the two substances working together would be much more effective in the said preventive functions, particularly in burning more calories and preventing cancer.

liver health

Caffeine intake protects the liver. It works better together with green tea catechin for synergic effectiveness. It has been found that the intake of catechins in its pure extract form does not show the same high effectiveness as in drinking green tea, with its caffeine content. This is one more reason tea drinking as a habit is far more helpful for your health than taking supplements.

calm and focused

While coffee keeps you awake and tense, tea helps to stay calm and focused. Theanine, another key salutary element unique in tea, plays an important role. It has been proven that the material effectively calms the person by working as a facilitator in signal transmission between nerve cells. This relaxing effect balances out the tenseness that may have brought about by caffeine. That is why while both coffee and tea help you to stay alert, tea has a very different and much more desirable effect.

better bones

Some people would also be concerned of caffeine causing the loss of calcium in the bones. There have been findings that people with coffee habits have a tendency of bone problems in older age. Some scientists therefore hypothesize that all beverages with caffeine should be avoided. There are other studies that prove tea to be contributive to stronger bones, though. A study in Australia involving 1,500 women between the age of 70 to 85 concluded that tea drinking helps preservation of hip bone structure in older women. In other words, prevention of osteosclerosis, not uncommon in the post-menopause population. Similar studies in the Netherlands, UK, Turkey, Iran, Japan and China have all point to the beneficial effects of tea in preventing bone problems such as osteoporosis. The hypothesis that tea would cause bone weakening as would coffee, therefore, does not have a strong ground. The positive effects, however, are caused by EGCG and quercetin (a kind of flavonols) rather than by caffeine.

There are, however, cases of acquired osteosclerosis or fluorosis because of chronic exposure to fluoride in tea. Fluoride is typically higher in over-grown tealeaves. Over-growns are used by large scale farms to make low quality tea products, such as commercial grade tea bags, bottled drinks and instant mixes. Exceptionally large quantity of consumption of such products may lead to the named side effects.

Guide To Drinking Tea During Pregnancy

The ritual of making and drinking tea has been practiced for thousands of years, and for good reason. Tea contains polyphenols to protect your heart, antioxidants that may lower your risk of cancer and other nutrients that boost your immune system. When you’re expecting, the benefits get even better. A comforting cup may ease morning sickness, and even make for a shorter labor. However, some teas are potentially dangerous during pregnancy and should be avoided.

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Benefits of Black Tea

The early morning blissful cup of black tea is the perfect beginning to a day for many of us. From an ancient medicinal drink to a daily drink, tea has come a long way and successfully carried its tradition of being a beneficially healthy drink. A cup or two of black tea daily can result in some truly marvellous health benefits.

Tea with milk or without?

Do you drink tea for pleasure or for its health benefits? Tea is an acquired taste, some like it with lime or honey, most drink with milk or as is. Scientists are now saying that milk completely negates the benefits of tea.

10 Reasons why Tea is simply better than Coffee

It’s an age-old question: What’s better for you, coffee or tea? A lot of people believe they should cut down on their caffeine intake. The common belief is that caffeinated beverages in general will dehydrate you. It’s not true.

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Tea And Spices For A Healthier Lifestyle

The health benefits of tea are numerous and known. Battling between myths and facts, the average tea drinker prefers taste in his tea with a few health benefits popping up. And tea or chai spices can be incorporated in your daily cup to boost your health and early morning taste. Both black tea and green tea taste pleasantly when certain spices are added to them and increase their health quotient majorly. So which are the spices you ought to keep handy?

5 Interesting Tea Facts (part I)

Steaming hot or ice cold, consuming tea is a guaranteed way to indulge in relaxation. But many of us are oblivious of some of the highly interesting facts surrounding the very cup of tea we consume every day. What are they? See for yourself!

Tea and Skin Benefits

Tea has been an ancient accompaniment for a healthy lifestyle. Drinking tea not only keeps away tons of ailments but promotes a healthy lifestyle, making it the most popular and healthy beverage around the world. But were you aware that not only consuming tea but letting your skin drink tea as well can do wonders to it? Read on!