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Tea and Health
Tea, without milk and sugar, does not
contain significant amount of nutrients. The calorific
value of tea is almost zero, making it an ideal drink for
the modern day calorie conscious consumer.
Tea brew contains a small level of vitamins such as thiamin
(B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin, biotin and inositol. Vitamin
E is also present in tea. Although rich in potassium, the
sodium content in tea is very low. This makes tea an ideal
beverage for hypertensive individuals.
Tea also contains calcium, zinc & manganese. However, when
milk is added it can provide a number of vitamins and
minerals.
In addition to the nutrients, tea provides about 70% of our
daily fluoride intake. Fluoride is needed to support bone
mineralization and protect teeth against dental caries.
Caffeine and polyphenols, the major non-nutrient components
in tea has pharmacological effects. Polyphenols are found in
most plants, hence also in food derived from plant sources.
Scientific investigations have found the polyphenols could
act as anti-oxidants after consumption, thus decreasing the
risk of many diseases. Tea contains high amounts of
polyphenols. Dietary surveys done in Europe and USA have
shown that tea is a major source of dietary polyphenols.
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