FOOD + DRINK
THE WONDER OF Tea cont.
for heart disease, scientists have discovered that green tea keeps blood vessels relaxed, and that means they can cope with big changes in blood pressure, which means that heart has to work a little less hard. Green tea is widely believed to kill cancer cells, it reduces cholesterol and is delays the onset and progress of Alzheimer’ s and Parkinson’ s diseases. And as a bonus, it can combat the symptoms of depression.
BLACK TEA
Black tea is the kind of tea that most of us drink – it’ s the stuff that is found in most tea bags, and it is the basis of the nation’ s favourites: Darjeeling, English Breakfast and Earl Grey. Black tea has been found to be good for circulation, plus it reduces stress levels by balancing hormones.
Black tea is great for oral health as it reduces the ability for plaque to form on our teeth, as well as restricting the growth of the bacteria that forms cavities. Like other types of teas, black tea contains antioxidants, so is good for the skin and blood pressure. Studies have shown that this ability to lower blood pressure means that those who drink black tea have a lower chance of having a stroke. What’ s more, black tea contains a load of phytochemicals which reduce the chances of developing arthritis. It can even keep our digestive systems nice and healthy, and look after our immune system which in turn looks after us.
Where To Buy
There are some fabulous online tea sellers around – here are just some of them.
KENT & SUSSEX TEA COMPANY
This family business has over 1,000 different types of tea on offer. Not only do they sell tea, but they are also involved in every aspect of it from beginning to end, so they really are experts when it comes to the nation’ s traditional drink. Try some of the more exotic flavours such as banana green tea or blueberry fizz fruit tisane, or stick with tried and tested blends including Earl Grey. www. tea-and-coffee. com
BLUEBIRD TEA CO
Bluebird Tea Co has been around since 2013, and was set up in order to make people happy. That ethos has stuck with the owners and customers ever since, and it really does what it says it will – buying from Bluebird is a joyous thing. The online shop is packed full of all things tea, from the leaves and bags themselves to mugs, teapots and more. There are also handy recipes and details on how to brew the perfect cuppa. www. bluebirdteaco. com
CUP OF TEA LTD
If you are looking for a wide range of high quality teas, Cup Of Tea Ltd is the place to go. All the teas available here are made from only
the very finest handpicked leaves, and that makes all the difference. Browse the great selection and if you have any questions about what kind of tea you should get, just ask – they’ ll be happy to answer your queries and point you in the right direction. www. cupoftea. co. uk
IMPERIAL TEAS
Not only can you buy some really rather lovely teas from Imperial Teas in Lincoln( through their online shop), but they even make their own. The Earl Grey that is available is made by Imperial Teas themselves, which is a very different and certainly unique way of going about things. Why not try it and see how it measures up? www. imperialteas. co. uk
T2
T2 has just opened up a new shop in Bluewater, but if you’ re not local to the shopping centre and you want to try some of their weird and wonderful flavours, you can buy them online and enjoy next day delivery on most products. Speaking of the products, there are some fabulous flavours to choose from. They include crème brûlée, creamy choc chai, shimmer punch and lemon sorbet to name just a few. If you’ re not sure what to buy, go to the website and use the handy tea finder tool which will give you a better idea of what will work for you. www. t2tea. com
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