After a busy holiday season, it is time to settle down to a normal, less hectic schedule.  New England has been blanketed with heavy amounts of snow and record-breaking frigid temperatures this month.  Perhaps this is why January was chosen as National Hot Tea month; it's the perfect antioxidant-rich beverage to keep us warm!

We have something to gain from the health benefits in all types of tea. During this time of year, tea may aid in helping our immune system fight off sickness. Scientists from both Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard University published data indicating that the component called L-theanine in tea may strengthen the immune system in fighting infections and bacterial viruses. A later clinical trial showed that the people who drank five cups of black tea per day supplied their body with a natural resistance to microbial infection, while the same tests using coffee had no effect.

¹Kamath AB, Wang L, Das H, Li L, Reinhold VN, Bukowski JF. Antigens in tea-beverage prime human Vgamma 2Vdelta 2 T cells in vitro and in vivo for memory and nonmemory antibacterial cytokine responses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 May 13;100(10):6009-14. Epub 2003 Apr 28.  

With the stress of winter weather, holiday finances, and less outdoor activity (for those that are not drawn to the slopes), we crave the need for warmth and comfort. You will find yourself less stressed and more relaxed through the simple act of preparing a calorie-free cup of loose leaf tea--and you will enjoy its intoxicating aroma and flavor. Begin the year with a new habit, tea!  Incorporating 4-5 cups of whole leaf tea into your daily routine could help in fighting the winter blues, and you will be off to a healthier start. 

Danielle Beaudette

Certified Tea Specialist