Following a new report, experts from the Tea Advisory Panel explain why your winter health hero is a cup of tea.

My nan was right all along; a good cup of tea really can sort everything out! Well, maybe not everything. It’s not going to pay the massive electric bill, deal with social media trolls, or get your lying ex to speak a word of truth. However, a cuppa is overflowing with so many health benefits you will handle life’s obstacles as if you were one of the Avengers.

Experts from the Tea Advisory Panel (TAP) reveal research-backed evidence demonstrating the healthy superpowers in a good brew. The TAP’s recently published report – TAKE 5 – How Actioning Just 5 Health Hacks Can Unlock Your Better Self – shares science-infused insight, and five simple and incredibly effective tips, to ensure you boss your way through winter. Read on to discover the best five health hacks for achieving ultimate winter wellness.

The Tea Advisory Panel: TAKE 5

What do the experts say?

Dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton from the Tea Advisory Panel – www.teaadvisorypanel.com – states: 

“We are bombarded with diet and exercise information, so it’s no wonder just people switch off. Fewer than one in 100 adults in the UK follow all the government’s diet advice.”

Dr Ruxton adds:

 “Yet, having just emerged from the worst of the pandemic, there’s an urgent need for everyone to get fitter and healthier. As a result, the Tea Advisory Panel (TAP) has published a new report – TAKE 5 – How Actioning Just 5 Health Hacks Can Unlock Your Better Self – which distils the science into five simple, effective lifestyle hacks that we can all do.”

“TAKE 5 also includes new real-world research data[1] which confirms the nation’s love of the great British brew – with nearly six in 10 people polled saying that tea makes them feel relaxed (57%) while a fifth (21%) claim tea is like a superpower in a mug!”

What are the proven health benefits of tea?

A brew improves heart health and cell protection.

GP and a guest advisor to TAP, Dr Gill Jenkins, states:

 “Tea works on the heart and vessels thanks to its rich content of polyphenols, beneficial plant compounds that help to lower blood pressure and fight oxidation – a process which damages our cells if we don’t eat enough antioxidant-rich foods.”

Tea supports brain health.

Dr Gill Jenkins adds: 

“What’s good for the heart is also good for the brain as studies show that drinking tea – especially black tea – can have a positive effect on cognitive function (attention, mind wandering, and focus), mental wellbeing (stress and mood), and brain blood flow. Even just one or two cups a day provided some benefits, according to studies.”

Drinking tea reduces stress levels.

Dr Carrie Ruxton says:

“Tea is like nature’s pharmacy with polyphenols for heart and brain health, fluoride for strong teeth, caffeine for alertness, and L-theanine – a unique amino acid found in tea – for destressing and focus.”

How many cups of tea should I drink each day?

After extensive studies examining the benefits of drinking tea for the heart, TAP recommends 4 – 5 cups of Rosie Lee a day offer optimal results.

TAP member, health researcher, and chemist, Dr Tim Bond, says:  

“Ideally, when having our 4-5 daily cups, we should leave the tea bag to brew for at least three minutes to release the optimal number of polyphenols”.

TAKE 5: TAP’s experts reveal their top wellness tips

The following information and tips are provided courtesy of TAP: www.teaadvisorypanel.com

HACK 1: Hydrate with 5-a-day

Dr Tim Bond states:

 “With extensive research on the benefits of tea drinking – from both observational studies and clinical trials – scientists have settled on 4-5 cups a day as the optimal intake to not only help keep us hydrated but provide the right amounts of the natural polyphenol compounds. Top this up with tap water, soup, herbal infusions, and fruits to reach the recommended 1-2 litres a day of fluid.”

HACK 2: Take 5 minutes to recharge

Dr Gill Jenkins says:

“Stress is a major driver of ill health and disease, so it’s a false economy to ignore your well-being by not taking a regular five minutes out of your day to rest and reset. Brewing a cuppa is a great way to stop doing or thinking and just be yourself for five full minutes. Plus, it’s great news for our brain and mind health, as well as providing that TLC time for our bodies, top to toe.”

HACK 3: Strengthen your core

Advice from Dr Ruxton:

‘Use it or lose it is a helpful phrase to remember when your motivation for exercise is waning. “What we put in our bodies, how we rest and recharge, and how we move are the three key pillars to maintaining our health.”

Effective exercises:

1. Crunches for abdominals

2. Twist-ups for obliques

3. Plank for stability

4. Bridge for glutes

5. Toe taps for core strength.

HACK 4: Flex it

Dr Tim Bond states:

“Healthy movement doesn’t only involve getting the heart pumping with cardio and building muscle through strength training. Stretching our muscles and supporting our joints are equally important aims – perhaps more so as we age.” 

He suggests these five exercises: 

1. Roll down and up

2. Standing lateral flexion

3. Spinal twists

4. Hip flexor stretch

5. Hamstring stretch

HACK 5: Balance your diet

1. Boost your breakfast fibre – by choosing wholegrain bread or breakfast cereal to keep your gut happy and keep you feeling fuller till lunch.

2. Just add fruit and veg – don’t get hung up on numbers. Just eat more by adding veg or beans to recipes, snacking on fruit, or making a smoothie with frozen berries and bananas.

3. Decommission the sugar bowl – it’s just empty calories, so junk the white stuff. Nearly a third (27%) of Brits still add sugar to their tea, according to the TAP-reviewed research, so try a low-calorie sweetener or gradually reduce the amount you add.

4. Friday is ‘treat day’ – we all need a treat, but don’t let it take over. A whopping quarter of our daily calories come from nutrient-poor cakes, biscuits, sweets, and sugary drinks, according to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey.

5. Relieve the mid-afternoon slump with a cuppa – instead of reaching for the biscuit tin, have a warming cup of tea with a handful of nuts to keep cravings at bay.

Credit:  www.teaadvisorypanel.com

Additional information

The Tea Advisory Panel provides impartial information on the health benefits of drinking tea. TAP’s panel members include dieticians, doctors, and nutritionists.

For more information and answers to frequently asked questions, visit www.teaadvisorypanel.com

Credit: All information, expert commentary, tips, and advice are provided courtesy of the Tea Advisory Panel in association with the TAKE 5 report.

Sources:

[1] Perspectus Global; Independently conducted survey data polled from 1,047 British adults

[2] (https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0128132)

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