Several studies on tea have concluded that it contains less amount of caffeine and can be consumed by children as a wellness beverage  Breaking free from the age-old myth that drinking tea may have an adverse impact on children’s health, studies on this most popular beverage in India have revealed that tea has all the required qualities to be termed as a wellness drink fit for children’s consumption.Tea, for long, has been considered as an unfit beverage for children because of the presence of caffine in it. But recent studies have concluded that tea contains less caffeine as compared to cola, one of the most popular beverages among children.
Till now people were aware of the beneficial aspects of green tea, but the studies have disclosed that even black tea is good for consumer health. Studies have encouraged drinking three cups of tea for adults and one cup for children on a daily basis.
“It is a proven fact now that drinking tea does good to human health. Researches have even stated that drinking tea is sometimes better than drinking water. However, the anti-oxidant properties of tea get diluted by almost 50% if it is mixed with milk,” says M Dasgupta, secretary general of Indian Tea Association.
Health benefits
Presence of anti-oxidants is one of the main benefits of tea. Anti-oxidants help the body to get rid of radicals, which are by-products of the damages done to human body as a result of natural aging and excess pollution. Negative reaction of these radicals with other molecules in the body like DNA can cause nervous breakdowns and cell injury.
Other health benefits of drinking tea is that it helps in checking ailments such as arthritis, cancer, flu, heart diseases, Parkinson’s disease, high blood pressure and dental cavities, among others. Washing the mouth with tea prevents gum diseasesand cavities. Regular drinking of tea also ensures growth of stronger bones.
In this context, C S Bedi, chairman of Tea Research Association, says, “In fact sometimes doctors prescribe diarrhoea patients to drink tea. Other than protecting human body from various diseases, tea also rehydrates human body.” Mr Bedi also added that the awareness level on tea as a wellness drink would help in promoting consumption of the beverage in the country.
Shalmoli Kundu
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