Flu Season is Tea Time! by Tea Council of the USA - January 1, 2009
January is National Hot Tea Month, the height of the "Cold
and Flu Season"
New York, NY, January 1, 2009 - January is National Hot Tea
Month and is also the height of the dreaded "cold and flu season".
The CDC estimates that there will be more than 200,000 Americans
affected by the cold and flu this year, which leads to missing
work, school and even social gatherings. So what can one do to
avoid the cold and flu?
The CDC strongly recommends an annual flu vaccine as the best way
to reduce the chances that you will get the flu. In addition,
drinking hot tea may also help you stay healthy during the cold and
flu season.
Published research from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard
University indicates that theanine, an ingredient found naturally
in tea, supports the immune system. A cup of tea contains an
average of 20- 25 mg of theanine. Drinking tea throughout the day
may strengthen the immune system which is something important to do
during the cold and flu season.
Drinking five cups of Black Tea a day for two to four weeks boosted
the body's immune defense system by four times, according to the
results of a human clinical trial. According to this study, the
data suggests that drinking Black Tea boost's the body's natural
resistance to infection.1
Tea also contains flavonoids, which are naturally occurring
compounds known for their antioxidant properties. Antioxidants work
to neutralize free radicals, which scientists believe damage
elements in the body, such as genetic material and lipids, and
contribute to many chronic diseases.
The CDC states that healthy adults have a 30% chance of contracting
the flu even with an annual flu vaccination, and the vaccine may be
somewhat less effective for children and the elderly. And while
drinking tea may not keep you from getting sick this season, it can
help your odds of staying healthy.
So why not do something good for your body while having a hot
beverage...help stay healthy this cold and flu season and drink
your tea every day! For more information about the role of tea in a
healthy diet and lifestyle, please visit www.TeaUSA.org.
1.1 Kamath AB, Wang L, Das H, Li L, Reinhold VN, Bukowski JF.
Antigens in tea-beverage prime human Vgamma 2Vdelta 2 T cells in
vitro and in vivo
for memory and nonmemory antibacterial cytokine responses. Proc
Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 May 13;100(10):6009-14. Epub 2003 Apr
28.
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