It's a rite of summer, setting out the sun tea jar. With all the health benefits of tea, sun tea is even more welcome than ever.
Indeed, tea is considered a superfood. They are rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that detoxify cell-damaging free radicals in the body. Tea has about eight to 10 times the polyphenols found in fruits and vegetables, according to long-time tea researcher John Weisburger, PhD, senior researcher at the Institute for Cancer Prevention in Valhalla, N.Y. There's compelling evidence that tea reduces the risk of heart disease, and possibly even helps Alzheimer's disease.
Tea also helps soothe stress and keep us relaxed. One British study found that people who drank black tea were able to de-stress faster than those who do not. The tea drinkers had lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.
Catechins, a type of disease-fighting flavonoid and antioxidant, are the keys to tea's health benefits. The longer you steep the tea, the more flavonoids you'll get in your brew.
To get the best tea benefit, some studies suggest drinking three cups each day to cut heart disease risk.
Choose to drink tea whenever you can, especially as a substitute for soft drinks. In the long run, drinking tea helps tote up the antioxidants you get in a day's time.
Get a clear glass gallon-sized jar: The glass lets the sun in, and doesn't give tea any strange odors or tastes that come from plastic.
Use recommended teas (below): 10 teabags (teaspoons) to make one gallon/ four litres (16 cups) of sun tea.
Find a sunny spot on your patio for your sun tea jar. Let it soak up the sun's rays for about three hours. Remove tea bags. Pour over ice for a great summer treat!
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