Time for Tea
We love tea. Tea has been around for thousands of years and when it first arrived in this country in about 1610 it was revered, locked away and treasured by the rich. It would be another hundred years before poor people would get their hands on it.
Tea is always the answer. Sadness, happiness, celebration, commiseration and just plain old tiredness are all made better with a cup of tea. We can elevate it to ritualistic heights or slum it with a chipped mug. It can be consumed hot or cold, as it comes or with the addition of milk, lemon, sugar or honey and even mixed with alcohol to make long cocktails to sip in the sun.
Tea sets come in all shapes and sizes starting with the one you played with as a child, surrounded by teddies and dolls sitting on chairs or cushions, some wearing hats and some wearing a single Wellington. Whether you were lucky enough to have a bone china set or a plastic one, they were endlessly entertaining on a rainy or sunny day.
We still play this game when we visit a grand hotel and have afternoon tea with finger sandwiches, petit fours and teensy tiny scones all served on gold-rimmed china. I am sure I am not alone in my coveting of a fabulous cake stand or pretty linen napkins the size of postage stamps.
Tea parties are part of history. One of the most famous tea parties in literature is the one thrown by the Mad Hatters in Alice in Wonderland. The Boston tea party led to American’s making coffee their beverage of choice.
In children’s stories, characters often make their home in a teapot representing a place of comfort and security. I cannot say what living in a mushroom meant!
Tea is for sharing and punctuating moments in the day. The British like to have tea at eleven in the morning and again at four in the afternoon. Everybody does this, from builders to cricketers and royalty. It does not matter what the season is or what the temperature is, a cup of tea is an inevitable part of our lives. English people that have been holidaying abroad start talking about having a ‘decent cup of tea’ even before their plane lands on British soil. You don’t have to eat anything with a cup of tea and it’s probably better for your figure if you avoid the biscuits that are offered.
Some cultures use teas for medicinal purposes. The Chinese are famous for this, believing that drinking tea can cure anything. They have a wedding tea ceremony that is the equivalent of Westerners exchanging their vows. Newly weds present cups of tea to each other, raising them up high to show respect.
All teas come from the same plant – Camellia Sinesis – that grows well at high altitudes or in tropical conditions. By the 1940s Japan and China were the leading tea merchants.
So how is tea being treated in the Health and Beauty world? Tea is found in many products today, playing on its properties that rival the properties of some of the most talked about vitamins included in much hyped ranges currently being advertised.
Traditionally anti-oxidants in products are produced chemically or taken from Vitamins A, C and E. Green tea contains more anti-oxidants than these vitamins. It has active flavanols, polyphenols (like in red wine) and Epigallocatechin gallate. That mouthful is abbreviated to EGCG, thankfully. EGCG has 25 – 100 times the power of Vitamins A and C.
This gives you superior protection from free radicals – just to refresh your memory quickly - free radicals are formed and react with cell membranes, which means the cell may be impaired or die. Your defence system from this horrid chain reaction consists of antioxidants such at Vitamins E and C and selenium, which terminate the radicals and stop further damage.
They also protect you from sun damage so are vital for minimising the ghastly effects of sun bathing.
If you have been unlucky or stupid enough to become sunburnt then brew some green tea then strain if using loose-leaf tea, a teabag gives the same result and is less messy. Chill in the fridge then dip in a soft cloth and use this as a cold compress on the effected area. Another of green tea’s wonderful properties is its ability to be anti-inflammatory and soothing.
You can also use this tea for treating acne. It has been proven to be just as effective as the traditional treatment of topical application of benzoyl peroxide, without the chance of side effects, which include redness, swelling and burning – ouch. Just brew some tea and apply to the congested areas with soft cotton wool balls.
Treatment of rosacea in the same manner has also proved successful.
Green tea is known to prevent tooth decay with its bacteria destroying ability by killing the bacteria that cause plaque.
You can buy products with tea in from every level of the beauty market. However if you prefer to be a bit of an alchemist in your own kitchen then try some of the following. A box of green tea bags is not a major investment and you may even find you like drinking it too.
Goodbye Puffy eyes
Simply brew some tea and chill in the fridge. Soak cotton pads in the tea and lie down for twenty minutes.
Simple Spritzer
Brew 5 tablespoons of loose-leaf green tea in boiling water. Strain and cool as before. Decant into a small spray bottle and use to calm down a red, irritated face and to cool down in hot weather.
Green Goddess
Do these two treatments on the same evening for maximum effect.
1. Mix 3 oz of finely ground almonds with 3 oz of oat bran. Stir in a hot cup of green tea and splash in a tablespoon of olive oil. This will be exfoliating as you massage it over your body. The tea will reduce inflammation, oats will be soothing and the oil moisturising. Rinse off and then..
2. Run a warm bath. Use a coffee filter paper or a small muslin bag and fill it with handfuls of green tea leaves. Tie at the top and allow it float around the bath to soothe and soften your skin as you relax. Use this bag as a sponge also.
Throw away after one use. How simple is that.
That’s what I call a tea party.
Happy Trails, Readers, Happy Trails.
First Published July 2011 By The Dart
