Camellia's Tea House is passionate about health and tea and we
are on a mission to break some of the myths surrounding the health
benefits or not of tea. This is a huge topic but one of the
most important areas is hydration which is vital for good mental
and physical health. People generally believe that tea
can be as dehydrating as coffee- it clearly isn't and we now have
some new evidence to better prove this.
"Drinking tea is just as good as water when it comes to keeping
the body hydrated, an important new clinical study commissioned by
the Tea Advisory Service, has found. Four mugs of tea a day were
found to be just as hydrating as water with no negative effects on
the body or on feelings of well being.
It's a common misconception that drinking caffeinated drinks, such
as tea, coffee or cola, can dehydrate the body, depriving it of
vital water necessary for good mental and physical health. It is
thought that caffeine in drinks increases the frequency of
urination, causing the body to lose too much water however in the
latest UK study, urine volumes were similar after tea or water,
confirming that we do not urinate more after drinking tea.
This study helps to show that tea is an excellent way to keep
hydration levels topped up throughout the day. Not only is a mug of
tea refreshing and delicious, it can be an important part of
maintaining proper hydration. Water clearly has its place (!)
but at least we now know that you do not have to only drink water
to keep yourself properly hydrated. In addition to keeping
you hydrated, a growing number of scientific studies have
demonstrated just how useful tea can be in keeping the body in good
condition thanks to its high polyphenol content which gives tea its
characteristic colour. Tea polyphenols not only have antioxidant
effects but help maintain normal vascular function. This is why
many studies have linked regular tea consumption with a lower risk
of heart disease and stroke.
