(Photo by Laurel Fan)

I attended The Coffee & Tea Festival in Manhattan a couple of weeks ago. A friend was showcasing her specialty Japanese green tea, so she invited a group of us to visit her booth as well as sample other teas from around the world.

I balked at the sight of tea in my youth. I didn’t like what I experienced to be a bitter taste. Tea was nothing more than a remedy my mom would make for me if I had a sore throat. She improved the taste by adding one lemon drop hard candy into the cup, which was the only reason I would drink it. “Tea is for older people,” I thought when I was ten years old.

Well, my taste buds have matured over the years. Now I love it! I enjoy shopping for tea, making and tasting different varieties, and the ritual of pouring it into my dainty floral porcelain cups. It’s the refreshment of choice during my breaks while working, and it’s a common offering to pals who visit me in my apartment. And yes, I still drink it when I have a sore throat.

So, in an effort to learn more about tea at The Coffee and Tea Festival, I decided to peek in on the DaRye: Korean Tea Demonstration. What I thought would be an instructional workshop on how to make and serve herbal tea, actually turned out to be another lesson on the importance of mindfulness and stress reduction. The instructor encouraged her students to cup their hands around the teacup as a way to further warm the fluid, but also to express gratitude for all the nutrients it would be supplying to the body. “Even if you only have a few spare minutes at work”, she said, “you should still calm the mind and taste the tea to think about how you’re absorbing the antioxidants.”

More studies are indicating the importance of antioxidants in green tea to help prevent and lessen cancer, reduce coronary artery disease, lessen obesity, and lower the bad (LDL) cholesterol. It’s not just green tea. Researchers are also looking at other types of herbal teas too.

Earlier today, researchers released the findings of a study on the use of papaya leaf extract tea which boosted immune system properties called Th-1 type cytokines and had an effect on slowing the growth of many types of cancer cells without an adverse effect on normal body cells. As more studies support these claims, physicians and healthcare professionals may encourage its use.

Dr. Andrew Weil, a supporter of integrative and preventive practices in healthcare, recently wrote on his blog about the benefits of green tea in combating depression in the elderly.*

You may also hear nurses suggest tea as care advice since it’s a helpful clear liquid to replenish fluids after a bout of nausea and vomiting.

*Be aware that many types do contain caffeine which has side effects of irritability, insomnia, diarrhea, and increased heart rate. You can buy decaffeinated brands. Read labels! Also, green tea should be used with caution in people taking anticoagulants, such as Warfarin. Inform your doctor or pharmacist about your own or your loved one’s regular tea use.

I’d love to hear from you! Do you drink tea for its beneficial properties? What flavors/types of tea do you enjoy?