May is a month of many celebrations, most notably Mother’s Day. But did you know that the
United Nations named May 21st International Tea Day to mark tea’s cultural and economic
significance? I am thrilled to have a day to celebrate tea for two reasons. First, I love tea,
especially green tea, and second, tea connects me to my mom.
My love of tea is principally due to my mom, who always loved a cup but never actually drank
more than a sip or two. The practice of making my mom a cup of tea became even more
important as I cared for her during her dementia journey. The act of making the tea and sitting
with her, at first chatting about the day and towards the end in silence, were moments of joy. My
mom loved black tea with milk and would only drink it if it was hot. No cold tea for her or herbal
teas either. It was orange pekoe or nothing, she would say.
Tea has always been a comforting drink for me, and this became even more so when I was
diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2007. The pain and distress the body feels when you have any
autoimmune disease can be crippling. Unfortunately, I learnt that black tea, like coffee, were not
recommended to help my gut heal, but Green tea was. So my love affair with green tea began.
As part of my road to recovery, I had to relearn what to eat and drink, and green tea became a
critical part of my diet. Researchers have identified green tea as a superfood due to its many
benefits. Touted as one of the healthiest drinks, some of the benefits are:
1. Green tea contains a type of polyphenol called catechin. Catechins are antioxidants that
prevent cell damage. Epigallocatechin or EGCG is the most well-known polyphenol
2. Supports brain function as it has caffeine and L-Theanine, two compounds that stimulate
neurological function. Researchers have found that while drinking 3 cups of green tea won’t
guarantee you won’t develop Alzheimer’s disease or slow its progression, it could lower your risk.
3. Helps to burn fat. A 2022 study published in the Sports Science for Health found that
green tea’s ability to positively influence metabolism is enhanced with aerobic or resistance
exercise.
4. Improves oral health. A 2021 study in the Family Medicine Primary Journal reported that
drinking green tea may be linked to better oral health.
5. May help you lose weight – A 2022 study in the International Journal of Environmental
Research and Public Health found drinking four or more cups of green tea daily was linked with
a lower chance of abdominal obesity, but the effect was only significant for women.
While I love green tea for all of its benefits, I love it for helping me to heal my gut. The warmth
of the cup on my lap would help reduce pain. Having a sip at the perfect temperature and feel in
move through my body would always make me smile. I love the taste, especially matcha. I have
also come to learn that not all green teas are alike.
Green tea is made from leaves that have not gone through the oxidation process that produces
oolong and black teas. Japanese green teas are grown under partial or full shade. Japanese
farmers employ several additional techniques while the leaves are still on the shrub to manipulate
the ultimate flavour. After the leaves are harvested, they are almost immediately steamed to lock
in the flavour that the tea producer intentionally cultivated. Whereas Chinese green teas are
made from dry heat methods such as pan frying, roasting, or smoking, giving them different
tastes.
But for me, tea is more than just a drink. It is an essential part of my life and a deep connection
to my mom.
And that’s the tea…. 🙂
Sources
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11332-022-00955-8
https://www.alzinfo.org/articles/prevention/three-glasses-of-green-tea-a-day-for-brain-health/
#:~:text=But%20the%20findings%20build%20on,dementia%20decreases%20by%206%20perc
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-green-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
International_Tea_Day#:~:text=International%20Tea%20Day%20is%20observed,according%
20to%20the%20United%20Nations.