"Tea to the English is really a picnic indoors."
"Tea, though ridiculed by those who are naturally coarse in their nervous sensibilities, will always be the favorite beverage of the intellectual."
"I can drink tea until the cows come home, and I love the atmosphere in tea-shops."
"Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things."
"Tea is nought but this: first you heat the water, then you make the tea. Then you drink it properly. That is all you need to know."
"There is a great deal of poetry and fine sentiment in a chest of tera."
"Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage."
"If man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty."
"All true tea lovers not only like their tea strong, but like it a little stronger with each year that passes."
"A cup of tea would restore my normality.
"Surely a pretty woman never looks prettier than when making tea".
"There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life.
"I mean, part of the beauty of me is that I'm very rich."
Donald Trump
Watch out for a little video clip from moi, coming to a device near you very soon.
"I like my coffee black, my beer from Germany, wine from Burgundy, the darker the better. I like my heroes complicated and brooding, James Dean in oiled leather, leaning on a motorcycle. You know the color. ("Ode to Chocolate.")
I am regularly seeing recipes for muffins containing green tea, Earl Grey, peach etc., so I'm getting together with Chef Ruth this week to see what she can conjure up in the way of such dainties, as I figure they would pair nicely with afternoon teas. Watch this space.
Flavonoids (aka polyphenols) are amongst the antioxidant group responsible for the elimination of free-radicals. Black tea and bergamot oil both contain high levels of these antioxidants, making Earl Grey an advocate for skin health and balanced aging.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition announced in 2012 that tea drinkers, particularly women, are capable of losing weight more quickly than those who don't drink any tea. Tea drinkers are also more likely to have a lower body mass index and total body fat.
Antioxidants are the body's natural way of resolving free radical activity, either by promoting their decomposition or preventing them in the first place. When the body doesn't have the level of antioxidants it needs, it cannot contain a free radial epidemic, which over time can lead to poor skin aging and sometimes even cancer.
A study in China looked at over a thousand cancer occurrences, and found that tea drinkers are at less risk for developing cancer within the digestive system. Another study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that prostate tumors in tea drinkers often progresses at slower than the average rate. The same study revealed that tea intake could reduce the risk of lung cancer in individuals who were non-smokers.
The effect of tea on heart health is still being explored across the world, and we've only reached the tip of the iceberg. With tea, it's been shown that the flavonoids in tea prevent endothelial dysfunction by preventing the slow breakdown of the lining, keeping it capable of doing its job, which leads to a lower risk of heart disease.
L-theanine is an amino acid that causes tea drinkers to experience a state of calm and ease, thanks to the increase in alpha brain wave activity. Along with improving your overall mood, L-theanine also contributes to reducing depression and anxiety.
One of the lesser known benefits of Earl Grey tea is its ability to prevent oral wear and tear. The antioxidant catechin is well documented in its ability to fight oral infections. Earl Grey takes the next step by providing fluouride, a compound found to provide protection against cavities and other forms of tooth decay. Tea stains aside, your teeth will thank you for drinking Earl Grey, and particularly 50 Shades of Earl Grey.
