The unmatched flavour of Darjeeling Tea is not its only attraction.
         
The health-giving properties of tea have been written about for centuries. A Materia Medica of the 1st Century AD period attributed eighteen therapeutic properties to tea:

Today, medical research confirms many of the claims of the ancient Chinese about the benefits of tea while proposing fresh areas for investigation.

How does tea benefit your health?

First of all, the water in which you brew your tea is boiled, and therefore sterilised. It is a safe beverage.

Secondly, it’s the cup ‘that cheers but does not inebriate’ - the gentlest stimulating beverage. The minimal caffeine content in a cup of tea gives you all the benefits without any of the harm.

Thirdly, if taken without milk and sugar – a cup of tea yields only about four calories. Making it the ideal weight-watcher’s drink. Tea contains enzymes called polyphenols, which include the flavinoids that give black tea its distinctive flavour and taste. Flavinoids are anti-oxidants that help resist more than 50 diseases by preventing cell damage.

A Dutch study has shown that men who drank between four and five cups of black tea a day are 70% less likely to suffering a stroke compared to those who drank only two cups or less. According to another study, higher consumption of black tea corresponded with fewer fatal heart attacks.

Flavinoids have, in fact been found to inhibit the clumping of blood platelets and so prevent the dangerous clots that cause almost all heart attacks. There is also evidence that many tea drinkers have lower cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure – though the role of tea is not yet confirmed.

Other research has indicated that tea has cancer-preventive properties, particularly where the digestive and respiratory tracts are concerned. Again, the major disease–preventing agents and drink appear to be the polyphenols. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and drink lots of tea, and you may have an enjoyable way of reducing the risk of certain cancers.

And because it contains fluoride, tea is a potent fighter against tooth decay—unless you like your cuppa well sweetened, of course. Japanese research has even indicated that tea inhibits the formation of dental plaque and kills some oral bacteria responsible for gum disease.

People generally associate health benefits with green tea. Most of the Chinese literature referred to green tea, as this is what they produced, while modern experiments indicate similar benefits with black tea.

A lot of healthy reasons to smile when you sip your next cup of Darjeeling Tea. The smile becomes a glow when you remember that exquisite muscatel aroma means there are flavinoids at work not just to enchant you, but also to promote a long and healthy life.