Tea time
Tea time
It’s that time of the year when you should be drinking more liquids than ever. If you’ve been routinely pulverizing ice cream, yogurt and fruits for smoothies and coolers, here’s one more beverage option that will make the summers bearable, and keep your body pumped with antioxidants.
Nutritionist Niti Desai and nutrition scientist Solene Naveos from the Lipton Institute of Tea tell you why tea is the best three-letter word in the health vocabulary. In fact, even fruit juices without sugar are slightly higher on calories than tea.
* When consumed without milk and sugar, tea is a zero-calorie drink that contributes to your hydration levels, which is required during the summers. Coolers with ice cream can be very high in empty calories and will pile on kilos. Tea, on the other hand, drunk without milk and sugar, is a good accompaniment to a balanced diet and a weight management programme when substituted for sweetened drinks.
* Tea is a rich source of flavonoids (plant secondary metabolites), which have been shown to possess antioxidant properties. It helps protect and maintain the health of body cells.
* Tea is a unique source of a naturally occurring amino acid L-theanine. Research done by the Lipton Institute of Tea has shown that L-theanine, naturally found in three or four cups of tea, has been shown to increase alpha brainwaves that are associated with a relaxed but alert mental state. Theanine is almost exclusive to tea and helps to clear your mind and focus better on tasks at hand.
Cranberry Twister
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 black tea bag
1 cup cranberry juice
A few ice cubes
Method:
Place the tea bag into a cup. Pour one-fourth cup boiling water into the cup and let the tea bag seep for 4-6 minutes. Remove the tea bag and fill the cup to with cold water. Mix it with the cranberry juice and ice.
Tea Sangria
Serves 6
Ingredients:
4 cups boiling water
5 black tea bags
2 cups sliced fresh fruit (a combination of apples, peaches, pineapple, oranges or strawberries)
2 tablespoons sugar (can be avoided)
2 cups white grape juice
Method:
In a teapot, pour boiling water over the tea bags; cover and brew for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and allow the liquid to cool. In large pitcher, combine the fruit with sugar (if you are using sugar). Pour the tea liquor over the fruit; stir in the juice. Serve in ice filled glasses.
Grenadine Nectar
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1K cups tea concentrate
1K cups grenadine syrup
1K cups sparkling water
Ice cubes
Method:
Combine the tea concentrate, grenadine syrup and sparkling water. Pour into ice-filled glasses.
(Recipes courtesy Dr Niti Desai)
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