I always look forward to my afternoon tea break…settling down in my favorite chair, the one where the mid afternoon January sun shines brightly on my shoulders…So Cozy and So Good for You, too!

Green tea has been proven to improve blood flow and lower cholesterol and many studies have found that green tea helps with a range of heart-related issues, from high blood pressure to congestive heart failure…and what’s good for the heart is usually good for the brain, too!

Sipping tea helps you slow down and relax.  A natural chemical called theanine found in green tea can provide a calming effect.  Here’s a few tips for you as you brew your next cup!  (Theanine…is an amino acid found in tea)

     -Don’t add green tea to boiling water.  It’s bad for catechins, those healthy chemicals in tea.   It’s better at 160 degree water   (Catechin…is a flavan-3-ols, a type of natural phenol and antioxidant)

     -Add lemon.  Vitamin C makes the catechins easier to absorb.  Dairy, on the other hand, makes it harder to absorb them.

     -Nutrient levels in green tea can vary.  Pricier teas usually have more nutrients and canned green teas generally have less.

So, it’s about that time of day!   ENJOY!   XOXO