Brief Commentary

The common tea plant, Camellia Sinensis, produces a beverage called tea by steeping its leaves, twigs, or buds in hot water for 1 to 5 minutes.

Tea’s color is determined by its fermentation. White tea has the least fermentation. Black tea has the most fermentation. The fermentation process stops once the tea leaves have been fully dried. This is how the tea leaves retain their color (white, green, black) after drying.

Many people are aware today that tea has many health benefits (especially green tea). It is true that green tea was hardly available in grocery stores, convenience stores, and restaurants two years ago. Today, you can find it everywhere. Fast food restaurants serve it as well.

Learning Outcomes

After learning from this sub-topic, students will be able to…

• Discuss how tea works in the body specifically. 
• List and describe the benefits of regular tea consumption.

Regular tea consumption has many benefits

The effects of tea on body composition

• The consumption of green tea increases 24-hour energy expenditure and fat oxidation
• 3-months of tea consumption decreased waist circumference by 4.5%

Tea and cardiovascular health

• Tea increased lipid oxidation
• Tea improved blood vessel function
• Those who consumed 3 or more cups of black tea per day had a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
• Drinking 6 or more cups of black tea per day was associated with decreased serum cholesterol and triglycerides
• Those who drank a cup or more of black tea daily had a 44% reduction in the risk of heart attack compared to non-tea drinkers
• Those who consumed tea during the year prior to a heart attack were up to 44% more likely to survive following the cardiac event
• Japanese men and women who consumed just over 2 cups of green tea per day reduced their risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 22 – 33%
• 5 cups of black tea per day reduced LDL cholesterol by 11% and total cholesterol by 6.5% compared to placebo beverages

Tea and cancer

• Tea inhibited oxidative damage
• Tea decreased the growth of abnormal cells and inhibited uncontrolled cell growth
• Drinking tea combated free radical damage
• Tea boosted the immune system
• Tea helped prevent prostate cancer
• Those who drank tea had a reduced risk of skin cancer
• Tea assisted in the regression of oral cancer
• Tea drinkers had decreased ovarian cancer risk

Understanding Tea-Video

Interactive Activities 

Online Discussion

1. A short summary phrase will be written by the student after viewing a video and reading a blog about why drinking tea is good for our health.
2. Their task would be to sum up, the number of people who drink tea in their family or friends’ lives according to the question list.

Website: https://groups.google.com/g/topic-2-teas-nutritional-value/c/BIyXHFNA6Is

Formative Assessment

Blog

1. Are you aware that tea is beneficial to human health?

Blog on Google Doc

This assignment requires the student to write a blog on tea and body health based on a video and some blogs. This blog needs to be 300 words long in order to assess your knowledge of tea and what you believe about tea and coffee.

Website: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xN4w2RUpc6hKVgnt7Ap1M3_281hWf6jFeFQSEXVbLdQ/edit

References

What you should know about tea

By Ryan Andrews, MS, MA, RD, RYT, CSCS

https://www.precisionnutrition.com/what-you-should-know-about-tea

The Hidden Health Benefits of Tea

https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2019/december/health-benefits-of-tea