Types of Tea

Decaffeinated Tea

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Decaffeinated Tea

Various types of tea are derived from leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis and constitute a beneficial drink consumed the world over for hundreds of years. The past few years have shown, through research, how tea consumption on a regular basis has several healthy outcomes. Caffeine is a bitter substance naturally present in various teas, coffee, colas and chocolate. Although the caffeine content of tea is much less than coffee to begin with, still it contains 1.6 to 4.5 percent of caffeine depending on the type of tea. Known medically as trimethylxanthine, caffeine ingestion stimulates the brain, the heart and acts as a diuretic (increases urine production). It is responsible for the feeling of heightened alertness and jitteriness associated with heavy use of regular coffee and teas. Caffeine stimulates the brain in a manner similar to amphetamines, heroin and cocaine, but to a lesser extent. Many people have problems functioning normally in the absence of caffeine intake which is a sign of caffeine addiction.

light of the accumulating evidence showing the adverse effects of caffeine, decaffeinated teas are gaining popularity among the health conscious public of today. In order for tea to be labeled as decaffeinated, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration requires that at least 97 percent of the caffeine must be removed from it. Decaffeinated tea is readily available in all leaf grades and a great variety of flavors. Caffeine is removed from natural tea by three processes namely ethyl acetate, carbon dioxide and methylene chloride. The carbon dioxide method is considered to be a natural, non-toxic process and is gentle on the tea leaves thereby preserving their flavor and goodness to a greater degree.

Decaffeinated tea contains the same antioxidants (Polyphenols) that have been linked with many of the health benefits associated with drinking tea. The carbon dioxide process of decaffeination (also called "effervescence") retains 95 percent of the Polyphenols in decaffeinated tea. Decaffeinated tea also contains Carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin C, Folic acid, Potassium, and Fluoride. Decaffeinated tea consumption is reported to produce healthy effects such as:
• Fighting against the changes of ageing
• Boosting the body’s immune functions
• Reducing blood pressure
• Lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and increasing HDL (good) cholesterol levels
• Thinning the blood thereby reducing the risk of a heart attack and stroke
• Reducing the risk of certain forms of cancer
• Preventing dental cavities and gingivitis due to its fluoride content.
• Aiding in digestive processes in the body

The arrival of decaffeinated tea in the market place offers all the healthy goodness of tea without the untoward effects of caffeine, which would have been inevitable with regular tea. Consumers no longer need to forego the health benefits of tea out of fear of caffeine addiction. Decaffeinated tea provides the perfect health promoting drink without compromising on the aroma and flavor. Addiction to caffeine is an unhealthy phenomenon and doing away with it makes decaffeinated tea a welcome addition to the ever more stressful lifestyle of today.