Our parents and grandparents have been drinking tea for years, and they have lived healthy and fulfilled lives up until now. There seems to be no doubt that tea is definitely good for you, and not only does it quench your thirst on a hot day, but it also provides you with a number of health benefits as well. It is the beverage of choice here in Thailand and has been enjoyed for many centuries, and Thai people will continue to do so into the future.
There are many ways to prepare your cup or a pot of tea, and one of the more popular ways is to steep the leaves in boiled water and then to enjoy it straight or maybe with a dash of milk. Green tea and red tea are popular choices in restaurants and cafes all across the country. Thankfully, there are other kinds of tea available to us, like Tower of London tea (commonly referred to as ชา Tower of London in Thai). It has a flavour like no other, and it still offers the following benefits.
- It has plant compounds that protect – Everyone nowadays is looking for the healthier choice, and the same applies when they want to enjoy a cup of tea or three. There are plant compounds called polyphenols, and these help to protect your body from cell damage, which reduces your chances of things like heart disease, diabetes and even certain cancers.
- It helps with your blood pressure – Many people here in Thailand live high-stress lives, and their health suffers as a direct result. If you are drinking regular cups of tea every single day, studies suggest that this may help reduce your risk of heart disease. A nice cup of freshly brewed tea also helps with digestion.
- It’s great for your tummy – Recent studies tell us that there is a correlation between what goes on in your stomach and what happens in your brain. Gut health has never been more important than it is now, and the tea that you drink and the polyphenols that the body absorbs can be incredibly beneficial for your gut bacteria. The more good gut bacteria that you have, the better your immune system works, and this increases your ability to fight off many different diseases.
Not only do you get to enjoy the above three benefits, but having a cup of tea, whether hot or with ice, is a fantastic way to quench your thirst on a hot day, which we do get our fair share of here in sunny Thailand. It is so easy and straightforward to brew your favourite tea above, which is readily available to you and is incredibly affordable. It’s time to switch back to drinking the beverage that has proven itself to be the best overall for everyone, because you know that it’s good for you, it hits the spot, and you can add a number of different things, like lemon and lime, to give it a little bit of zing.
