Jan13
Some Guidelines for Making a Proper Cup of Tea
Posted at 03:14 PM | Permalink
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Comments (8)
MSNBC just reported on a study which showed that the beneficial effects of tea are cancelled out when you put milk in it. According to MSN:
The beneficial effects of drinking black tea are completely prevented by the addition of milk, said Dr Verena Stangl, a cardiologist at the hospital. If you want to drink tea to have the beneficial health effects, you have to drink it without milk. That is clearly shown by our experiments.
Since I quit smoking about three years ago, I've been drinking, like, five cups of tea a day to fill the void, but I've totally been cheating death by using soymilk instead of cow's milk. Which, you know, hooray for getting one over on Death, but the underlying point here is that cow's milk is designed for baby cows, not for one's Earl Grey or English Breakfast.
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While I'm on the subject—ever since I moved to the U.S., I've noticed that a lot of people here don't always bring their water to a full boil before pouring it on their tea. WTF is that all about? For a proper cup of tea, you need to use boiling water to activate the tea leaves, and then let it steep for at least a minute. Then, if you don't want to drop dead from a heart attack right there on the spot, skip the cow's milk and have some soymilk with that bad boy. At any rate, that's how I do it.
Stay tuned for more scintillating tea tips next week. I have a lot to say on this subject.
TAGGED:
tea guidelines
Comments
I saw that news story.
Now, do you use plain soy, or vanilla soy? :)
Posted by: cronewynd | January 14, 2007 02:44 PM
It's weird, I love tea but I never got into putting milk in it, even soymilk except for chai.
Posted by: Jack | January 14, 2007 11:08 PM
Thanks for the reminder to use boiling water. Tea really should have a little ritual.As for cream or milk, I never did prefer that, and like it plain. I drink yerba mate which was grown naturally.
Posted by: thuja | January 15, 2007 11:32 AM
Awesome report!
At first I was like "MILK in tea? Weird.." But I remembered I've had Celestial Seasonings Blueberry w/ soymilk, haha (SO GOOD, btw). Congrats on your quiting smoking, as well :P
K (AKA Kitty)
Posted by: K | January 15, 2007 12:32 PM
I never tried Soya milk, so I'll be opened-minded and try it in the future. I think it'll be benefitical to health because although milk does contain calcium which keep bones strong and supple like Omega 3, it also contains high-levels of fat and to much calcium can create iron deficiencies in the blood.
It's a Good Idea!!
Posted by: Pcb | January 15, 2007 01:08 PM
Just remember to preheat your teapot before infusing. I pour boiling water in to it, swirl and discard just before putting the teaball in the pot and the BOILING water over the teaball. Let steep 2-3 minutes and use a tea cozy to keep the pot (and the tea) good and hot. As to cow's milk in black tea...NO NO NO NO! If you have to have your tea lightened, use Soymilk.. YES YES...especially vanilla soy..yummmmmy! Also don't use honey the poor bees worked so hard to make for their young, use raw sugar, better for them and better for you.
Posted by: Lisa | January 16, 2007 06:02 PM
I've never put milk in my tea, but when I want it to have a "creamier" taste, I add Silk Soy Milk.
Posted by: Chelsea (Cuckoo4tofu) | January 17, 2007 11:31 AM
I also read about the neg effect of the moo milk in tea... Won't use even a little, anymore...Since I drink so much of the stuff-black IS beautiful!!! Also everybody, try Agave as a sweetener..One teaspoon= no glycemic load( since sugar is Really bad for insulin levels...) Enjoy!!! :)
Posted by: Patricia D. Paulson | January 20, 2007 10:58 AM